Guide to Injection Molded Plastics Education and Training

Getting the latest training in injection molded plastics can affect your bottom line

By Denise Brown

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find online plastic injection mold making training

This can serve as a basic introduction to the process for your staff. You can also find advanced training in design and engineering for the specialists in your work force who work regularly with the mold making equipment.

I recommend: Get vendor-neutral plastic injection mold making training from Paulson Training Programs. You can take some of Paulson’s injection molded plastics education and training for free, but other classes you must pay for. A. Routsis Associates offers plastic injection mold design training via interactive online courses.

Offer in-house injection molded plastics education and training for your staff

This can seem like a major expense, but if everyone has the same training, it's easier to make sure all the manufacturing processes are the same. This makes the entire plastic injection manufacturing process more efficient. This type of training often pays for itself in a short time.

I recommend: Guiness Technologies can help you standardize your plastic injection mold maker operations across all shifts by offering in-house training. Its site contains a sample of the plastic injection mold tooling information provided in its customized courses. The Society of Plastics Engineers offers a number of one- and two-day in-house seminars to bring your team up to speed on the latest in molding injection plastics.

Take plastic injection mold making classes

You can often find classes in plastics technology at local technical schools and community colleges. If you choose you can just take individual courses, or you can work toward earning a certificate or degree.

I recommend: Participate in the hands-on injection molded plastics training offered by the Plastics Institute of America. Penn State Erie offers a number of seminars and workshops on plastic injection mold creation, as well as specialized training for plastic injection mold builders.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Store all your injection molded plastics education and training in an easily accessible file. This can provide quick and easy access for new hires, so you can bring them up to speed on the same injection molded plastics training your other employees have had.

Guide to Injection Molded Plastics

Find quality suppliers and producers of injection molded plastics

By Christine Margiotta, Freelance writer

1. Choose your plastic injection mold company based on the material you will need molded.
2. Look into the company's capabilities and equipment that will get your job done.
3. Check the company's track record on efficiency to make sure their products aren't prone to damage during the molding process.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find a great plastic injection mold maker that will help you design your molded product

Find a seasoned professional company with the capabilities and equipment to meet your needs when it comes to plastic injection mold making. A plastic injection mold maker should be a well-rounded business that does quality work right the first time--but will fix any problem should it arise.

I recommend: Precision Tool & Die of New Hampshire is a stellar plastic injection mold builder that will repair your molds if they are damaged during production. Mira Plastics also boasts custom design and construction services for your molds.

Pay attention to the capabilities of your plastic injection mold maker

Can your plastic injection mold company provide prototypes quickly? Is it able to make molds with both single or multiple cavities? How high-tech are its welding services? Answer these questions when searching for the right plastic injection molding company for your needs.

I recommend: Tri Town Precision Plastics offers plastic injection mold design and can turn around prototypes on a dime. American Precision Products is able to source work to specialized mold suppliers to help you cut down on your tooling costs.

Find a plastic injection mold maker with top-notch equipment

Plastic molding services are nothing without high-quality equipment. Make sure your provider of injection molded plastics has the machines and back-up equipment necessary to deliver high-quality work.

I recommend: AKKA Plastics, Inc. lists its machines and their specifications, while World Class Plastics boasts glass fiber capabilities on the machines its lists on the Equipment portion of its website.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Outsourcing has greatly affected the injection molded plastics industry. Many companies routinely source jobs to overseas companies that specialize in specific materials or molds. However, you as a customer have the right to know who they source to--it's the best way to determine if your company cares about quality, or doesn't mind cutting corners to maximize its profit.