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In the last few months, the manufacturing industry has been shaken by the COVID-19 pandemic. From distribution disruptions to dwindling supplies and fluctuating demand, COVID-19 has revealed some of the biggest weaknesses in global supply chains. In response, many manufacturers are reconsidering their supply chains and making strategic adjustments to recover from COVID-related disruptions. How COVID has affected supply chains As the COVID-19 pandemic began to unfold in the Un

COVID-19 has changed so much about everything, from our ability to run errands to managing global supply chains. As networks of trade shift and companies work to adapt to the changes brought on by COVID-19, there is a lot of speculation about what the future will look like for manufacturing, trade and business on a global scale. There is no doubt that COVID-19 will have lasting effects when it comes to reshoring, but the specifics of these changes have yet to be seen. How COV

Countries around the world have been dealing with the spread of COVID-19 and its effects on society and the economy. This disease has affected virtually every industry and business owners are still looking for ways to adapt to these new challenges and make it through these uncertain times. The manufacturing industry is responding to COVID-19 with a series of actions and initiatives to keep the manufacturing workforce safe and improve long-term economic outcomes. COVID-19 Poli

Lots of business owners and prospective entrepreneurs rely on guidance from mentors to help them reach their goals and achieve success, but a lot of professionals in the manufacturing industry underestimate the importance of mentorship programs. If you work in the manufacturing industry and you are looking for new ways to reach your career goals, it’s worth it to consider some of the benefits that mentorship has to offer. Why is Mentorship Important? There are several reasons

In 2012, we wrote about the future of 3D printing and the exciting new 3D printing methods and technologies that were hitting the market at the time. Eight years later, we have more insight into the many ways 3D printing has and is changing manufacturing. Here are some of the biggest changes to 3D printing in the last eight years. Our First Thoughts on 3D Printing When we first wrote about 3D printing, there was a lot of uncertainty about how the new technology would affect m

For decades, companies have turned to offshore manufacturing to meet shifting demands and cut production costs. Unfortunately, many companies are left feeling unhappy with their offshore manufacturing due to the often unpredictable and inconsistent quality of the items and components that are produced. This dissatisfaction has led to a shift among manufacturers who are beginning to consider reshoring to improve product quality. The Problem with Offshoring Much of the dissatis

While it’s impossible to predict every fluctuation in commercial and industrial markets, there are plenty of predictions for where the plastic medical market is heading in 2020. With shifts in global manufacturing and a spike in the demand for medical equipment, supplies and devices, the plastic medical market is expected to grow as the year progresses. Developments in the Medical Plastics Market For the last 10 years, the medical plastics market has maintained a steady incre

Thinking about switching injection molders? We know it’s not a decision to take lightly. Fortunately, most businesses find themselves in this position only rarely. Unfortunately, it’s often due to a deterioration of the OEM and contract manufacturer’s working relationship. Perhaps costs have been on the rise, perhaps you’ve experienced a rise in quality issues, no matter what the reason, if you aren’t completely satisfied with your manufacturer, you may find yourself preparin

Most of us will encounter soft touch overmolding at some point in our lives, often without even recognizing it. Though hard plastics are useful for their strength and durability, products sometimes need a little bit softer touch to ensure product users are comfortable. Soft touch overmolding is a two-shot process that creates a plastic part, then adds a softer material (usually TPE) over the rigid plastic to make the product more comfortable to use while reducing the risk of

As you’re preparing your product designs for injection molding, you may hear your manufacturing team talking about the moldability of the design. But what is moldability? And why is it so important? Merriam-Webster has a simple answer. Moldability, according to Webster, is simply “the property of being moldable”. Ok, then. The longer version of that answer is that moldability is the term used to describe how well plastic will be able to fill your injection mold. Obviously, en

With another year making its way out the door, it’s a great time to reflect on where our industry is heading. Below are a few of the trends we believe will affect plastics professionals and consumers in the months ahead. The Search Continues for Lighter Weight Parts While not exactly a new trend, the search continues to find lightweight solutions for many of today’s top industries. Nowhere is this truer than in the automotive industry, where environmental concerns are making

As anyone who has gone through manufacturing before knows, injection molds are one of the most expensive investments you will make as you prepare to bring new products to market. An injection mold can easily cost upwards of tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars, depending on the complexity of the mold and the materials that are used to build it. It’s no surprise, then, that you really want your injection mold to last as long as possible. So how long can you expect your mol

A multi-cavity injection mold is, as the name implies, an injection mold that has more than one cavity. Each of those cavities is the same. The mold is designed to produce multiples of the same part during each production run. Multi-cavity injection molds are often used for higher volume products since it means each production run produces a higher number of finished parts. Multi-cavity injection molds are sometimes confused with family injection molds, but the two are quite

Designing injection molded products is not for the faint of heart. There are many things that can - and sometimes do - go wrong that can negatively affect your production and, ultimately, the quality of your finished parts. Below, we take a look at some of the more common defects as well as steps you can take to avoid them. Warping Warping happens when sections of injection-molded plastic cool too quickly. This is often a result of injection molds that were not designed with

To produce an injection molded part that is structurally sound, functional and efficient, you need to start with good design. Many factors come into play during the design and engineering process, and it’s important for manufacturers to consider these things carefully to ensure the success of their part. While there isn’t a single formula for producing an injection molded part, there are several rules that you can follow to make the design and engineering process a lot easier

Managing Profitability The key to manageable business growth and increased profitability is to maintain healthy margins, but you might find that the amount you spend on manufacturing is throwing your profitability out of whack. Depending on what you’re manufacturing, the types of materials you’re using, and the scale of your operation some manufacturing costs might be unavoidable, but there are several things that you can do to cut your costs overall. By putting some key tips

If you use injection molding to produce plastic parts and components, it's important to consider the ways in which your production affects the environment and what you can do to minimize the effects it has on the world around you. Here are just a few of the ways we can work together to make injection molding more sustainable for all of us. Injection molding often produces a significant amount of scrap that goes to waste in landfills. Not only does scrap contribute to increase

As technology continues to advance, more companies are on the lookout for processes that can improve performance and affordability to remain competitive. The agricultural industry, for instance, is increasingly taking advantage of metal to plastic conversion, replacing metal components with plastics. If you’re considering metal to plastic conversion for your agricultural components, it’s a good idea to learn a little bit more about the benefits that this process has to offer.

Since injection molding processes were first developed, they have become increasingly popular for applications across just about every industry. One industry, in particular, that’s been revolutionized by the advent of advanced injection molding technology is outdoor recreation. There are a lot of factors that have contributed to the success of injection molding for outdoor products. Benefits of Injection Molding for Outdoor Recreation Gear Versatility: Because of the extensiv