Maya Ellison
Plastic injection molding has made a significant impact in the toy industry, particularly with the introduction of multi-colour plastic injection molding. This process involves injecting multiple colours into a single mold, which is more efficient than painting individual parts after they are removed from the mold. This has allowed for more diverse and innovative toy designs, including action figures. The process of creating injection molds, however, is complex and costly, and often requires additional processes such as painting, coating, or printing. With the advent of consumer 3D printers, independent toymakers can now design and create their own toys, although the quality and surface appearance of 3D-printed toys are often inferior to injection-molded ones.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cost | Expensive, but high production rate |
| Design | Requires CAD software |
| Manufacturing | Multi-colour injection molding, lightweight, finely detailed |
| Time | Rapid |
| Eco-friendliness | Bio-friendly materials, recyclable |
| Quality | Requires skill to design a marketable product |
| Painting | May require hand painting |
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What You'll Learn
Multi-colour injection moulding
The traditional method of producing plastic parts using an injection moulding machine involves injecting one colour per part at a time. This can be inefficient, especially when multiple colours are required for each part. Multi-colour injection moulding addresses this challenge by adding additional sets of plastic pellets to introduce different colours into the same mould. These machines can handle at least two colours simultaneously, with the option to add more colours as needed.
The process of injecting multiple colours into a single mould requires precise sequencing to prevent the colours from mixing. This delicate procedure ensures that the primary colour remains distinct while creating a multi-colour product efficiently. This method is more cost-effective than traditional processes as it eliminates the need for separate production and assembly of individual components.
Creating detailed injection moulds for action figures requires specialised techniques and materials. CNC mills, EDM machines, and handwork are often involved in the complex process of mould-making. The geometry and surface detailing of the figures play a crucial role in determining the mould design. Additionally, combining resin casting with plastic injection moulding and using materials like beryllium copper can enhance the quality of the final product.
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Injection mould tooling
Materials Selection
The choice of tooling materials is essential for tool longevity. Tool steel is commonly used, while mild steel, aluminium, nickel, or epoxy are suitable for prototypes or short production runs. For moulds with a long lifespan, stainless steel or aluminium alloys (7075 and 2024) can be used, ensuring proper maintenance.
For detailed action figures, the moulds can be made with beryllium copper for the inserts of cavities and cores, while the remaining parts can be made with common steel.
Mould Design and Cavitation
Moulds can have a single or multiple cavities, with each cavity either forming identical parts or unique geometries. The number of cavities directly impacts the moulding costs, as fewer cavities require less tooling work and lower initial manufacturing expenses.
The complexity of the part's design also influences costs. Features such as undercuts, surface finishing, tolerance requirements, and fine detailing contribute to the overall cost.
Injection Moulding Process
The injection moulding process involves injecting molten material into a mould. In plastic injection moulding, plastic granules are fed into a heated barrel, mixed, and then injected into the mould cavity. The plastic cools and hardens, taking the shape of the cavity.
Multi-Colour Injection Moulding
Multi-colour injection moulding is an innovative technique that involves injecting multiple colours into a single mould. This process eliminates the need for painting parts after removal from the mould, enhancing efficiency and enabling more diverse toy designs.
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Plastic's advantages
Injection molding is a highly repeatable process that enables companies to create high volumes of identical plastic parts with good tolerances at a low cost per part. It is an excellent manufacturing technology for producing mid- to high-volume parts in plastic and liquid silicone rubber. The process involves injecting molten plastic into carefully designed molds before cooling and ejecting the final part.
One of the main benefits of plastic injection molding is its high repeatability. Once a mold is created, thousands of parts can be produced before needing to maintain tooling. An aluminum mold will generally last between 5,000 and 10,000 cycles, while a full-scale steel production mold can last for over 100,000 cycles. Injection molding also allows for large volumes of uniform, complex parts. The process can be used to create parts with intricate shapes and a lot of detail.
Another advantage of plastic injection molding is its versatility. There is a wide range of plastic materials to choose from, depending on the desired properties of the final part. Fillers can be used in the molding material to add strength, and there are many colors to choose from. High-performance blends and hybrids can also be formulated to meet specific part requirements, such as high tensile strength.
Plastic injection molding is also a cost-effective method for large-quantity production. Although the initial start-up costs are high due to the need for custom tooling, the production rate is high, and the molds can be reused multiple times. Injection molding also helps to reduce waste as any unused or waste plastic can be recycled for future use.
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Painting, coating, printing
Plastic injection molding is a cost-effective method for manufacturing large quantities of toys. The process involves injecting plastic into a mold, and the resulting parts can be sent directly to the customer if no further post-processing is required.
However, painting, coating, and printing are common post-processing techniques used to enhance the appearance and functionality of plastic injection-molded parts. Painting plastic injection-molded parts can add color and character, cover flaws, and protect the parts from scratches, UV light, and the elements.
Spray painting is a simple and cost-effective method that can use self-curing paints or UV-curing paints for increased durability. Powder coating, on the other hand, involves spraying powdered plastic onto the parts and curing it with UV light to achieve a tough, long-lasting finish. Silk screening, or screen printing, is used when more than one color is desired, and it allows for detailed designs to be applied. This process requires a flat surface and a screen with the negative of the design printed on it.
Other techniques include hydrographic printing, which gives parts a wood grain, metal, carbon fiber, or other patterns. This process involves applying a base coat of paint, floating a printed polyvinyl film on water, and then activating a bonding agent with a chemical spray. Laser marking is another fast and tool-less process that can impart high-resolution effects to the parts.
In-mold painting is also an option, where a thin layer of paint is sprayed onto the mold cavity to chemically adhere to the part during the molding process. However, this method may not cover surface imperfections as effectively as post-painting.
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3D printing
While 3D printing is a good option for small-scale production, it is not yet widely used for producing marketable products. This is because it is still considered too expensive to compete with traditional injection moulding. However, some companies have explored the possibility of FDM 3D printing production volumes, and have found that their printers are capable of outcompeting injection moulding by a small margin.
One of the main laws of production states that the more you produce, the lower the cost per unit. This is especially true for plastic objects. Injection moulding is very expensive, and the iteration and innovation costs can become unfeasibly high for smaller lines of products. In contrast, 3D printing offers a substantially lower investment: you can purchase about twenty 3D printers for the cost of one injection system. This enables higher rates of production, more efficient use of labour, more room for innovation, and better resilience to bankruptcy.
However, it is worth noting that 3D printing is not ideal for creating very small and detailed objects. While 3D printers can produce plastic toys and accessories, they are not great at creating very small details. In addition, even high-temperature FDM materials like Ultem and Polycarbonate will deform when exposed to the temperatures required for injection moulding.
Despite this, 3D printing can still be used to create injection moulds. One method involves using a 3D printer's extrusion head to produce small and detailed components. This process does not revolve around STL files or print beds, but it can be a surprisingly effective way of making small parts.
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Frequently asked questions
Plastic injection-molded action figures can be painted in the mold, but this is not always the case. Multi-color injection molding is an innovative process that can add multiple colors to a single mold, removing the need for painting. However, some injection-molded figures may require secondary processes such as painting, coating, or printing.
Multi-color injection molding is more efficient and cost-effective than painting the parts after they are removed from the mold. It also allows for more diverse and innovative toy designs.
Creating your own injection-molded action figures requires knowledge of the market and design skills. You can use CAD software to design a 3D model on a computer, then work with a company that specializes in mold-making and injection molding.
Plastic is a popular material for action figures due to its moldability, lightweight, colorful decoration, complex design possibilities, and economic production. Bio-based plastics such as PHA and PLA are also being used to create safer and more eco-friendly toys.
Ordering injection-molded toys in bulk requires knowledge of the market and the ability to design a marketable product. There is a risk of quality issues, surface defects, and severe problems affecting performance, safety, and function. It is important to choose a reputable company for your injection molding needs.
