The past few years have certainly had their challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic contributed to supply chain disruptions and limiting manufacturing capabilities to quickly get products molded, assembled, and to the market. That, coupled with the resin crisis resulting in higher prices and longer lead times, has made it more critical than ever to make smart injection molding resin selections.
At Ferriot, we’ve felt our client’s angst. Everyone needs to adapt and adjust to meet their company’s objectives. In some cases, that has meant evaluating the current resin selection and changing to another resin to keep production schedules on time and meet delivery dates without compromising quality and reliability.
The challenge is determining what resin is the right resin—the best resin—for the product. It’s essential to take some time to learn about the characteristics of thermoplastic resins. There are many different types and grades available, or in some cases, in short supply and hard to get delivered on time. These thermoplastic resins fall into two basic classes: engineering grade resins (nylon, polycarbonate, ABS, PC/ABS, TPE, acrylic, acetol, and structural foam) and commodity resins (polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, and PVC). Each category includes various resins that provide the flexibility to match a resin to a part based upon application, part design, and moldability.
When considering all the product design requirements and the challenges of manufacturing a product in a post-pandemic world where the supply chain isn’t back to what it once was, resin selection can be a daunting task.
Over the years, we’ve provided several valuable guides to assist with resin selection, including The Tips, Tricks, and Traps of Injection Molding Resin Selection and the Injection Molding Resin Selection Workbook.
We’ve added the webinar, How to Make Smart Injection Molding Resin Selections, this year. This informative webinar addresses several important considerations when specifying resins for your next project. Learn the answers to these critical questions:
- What should you consider during the resin selection process?
- What aspects of your part’s geometry impact your resin choice?
- What is the desired appearance of your part?
- Which molding technology option is the best for your part?
We think you’ll find the time you take viewing this webinar time well spent. If you have further questions, don’t hesitate to ask.
Learn more:
- One Size Does Not Fit All: Why Use Custom Resins for Injection Molding
- The Tips, Tricks, and Traps of Injection Molding Resin Selection
- Injection Molding Resin Selection Workbook
- Resin Selection Service
