Percentage of plastic mold is raising in China

For the recent years, chine plastic mold industry is developing rapidly. Currently plastic injection mold is accounted for 30% among all mold, and accounted for 50~70% among all mold export. Along with the development of machinery, automotive, household, IT and construction, this percentage will keep raising in the future.

A common vehicle needs more than 200 plastic mold and only 50% of then is self-sufficiency. Plastic construction material is going to replace traditional material, it’s forecasted that in 2014, the occupancy of plastic tube will raise to 60%, all above enlarging the need of plastic mold.

By forecast, plastic mold industry in stably developing, in the future it’s develop will faster than other china mold industry.

China mold export is stably increasing

Mould industry is taking a special position in manufacturing, the developmental level of mould industry determine the level of manufacturing industry. During the Twelfth Fiv-Year" period, The general target of strategic emerging industry advanced molding equipment industry is by developing intellectualized mold to carry out the improvement of overall level in efficiency, precision and performance, thus satisfy the “intellectualized manufacturing” then drive the improvement of strategic emerging industry service level, to improve the level of intellectualized mould, build the solid foundation for China step into the mould powerful nation in 2020.

In 2013, the total volume of mould import and export is 1.807 billion, year-on-year growth is 18.11%, speed up stably. Among the volume, import accounted for 0.686 billion, year-on-year growth is 14.42%; export accounted for 1.121 billion, year-on-year growth is 19.40%.

1. Sort by mold type, plastic and rubber mold export and import is accounted for 64.92% and 44.48%, stamping mold export and import is counted for 45.18% and 19.11%

2. Sort by export destination, China is majorly exporting mold to Hongkong, Unite States, Japan and Germany, export volume of them is 0.516 billion, it takes the volume of export for 46.07%

3. Sort by export origin, the most export is Guangdong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, shanghai and Yunnan, total export of them is 0.456 billion and account for 66.40% of total volume.

4. Sort by import destination, the most is Guangdong, Jiangsu, Yunnan, shanghai and Tianjin, total import is 0.456billion, accounted for 77.56% of total import

5. Sort by import origin, mold is come from Korean, japan, Taiwan, Germany and Italy, total import is 0.532 billion accounted for 77.56% for total import.

In the recent decade, china mold industry is keeping fast developing. In the future, china mold industry will develop towards the goal of more precision, complex, bigger on size, shorter on lead time, to better embody informatization, digitization, refinement and automation

A Successful Plastic Injection Mold for a auto part of Audi

This is a single cavity automotive plastic injection mold WIT MOLD built for auto part - Internal trim for Audi project, material is PC, and part weight is 143g, the mould size is 700X600X690mm,and the mold weight is 1930kgs. The build time is 5 weeks.

Mold Structure: apply 3 sets of slider, additional horn gate on slider. Highlights:Early Moldflow shows that the injection pressure of one gate scheme can be as high as 140MPa, by adding a additional gate on the other side of the part, successfully reduce the pressure to 100MPa and also keeps the surface quality at filling end.

This is one of our successful projects we made recently, and visit blow link for more:http://www.witmold.com/references/Successful_projects/index.html

Three steps to control the injection mold injection molding process

injection molds in the injection molding process can be designed to grasp a good three-point injection mold products, the next step we describe in detail the production of high quality injection mold products:

First, the temperature control; temperature control is divided into the barrel temperature control, control of the nozzle temperature, mold temperature control. Different plastics have different flow temperature, so to choose a good temperature for each plastic barrel. Nozzle temperature is usually lower than the barrel temperature, nozzle temperature will affect the performance of the product after molding. And the mold temperature also has a great influence on the performance and quality of the product, the temperature control of the mold to crystallinity, the size and configuration of the mold, and other external and internal conditions in accordance with.

Second, the pressure control; plasticizing pressure and pressure control is divided into two blocks of injection pressure. Plasticizing pressure the skill level required is relatively high, it is according to the type of quality plastic injection molds and perform constantly changing, and the injection pressure is to be carried out on the curb the flow resistance of the cartridge, giving the filling rate and melt in powerful help.

Third, the molding cycle. That is, once the injection procedure is completed the molding cycle. Molding cycle will affect the utilization of labor and equipment utilization, so try to shorten the molding cycle time, has reached maximum efficiency. Time and cooling time of injection on the quality of the product has a crucial impact, so we have to ensure the injection mold quality, shorten cycle.

Analysis of the injection mold design experience

Our production of china injection mold products have been widely applied in many fields, such as electronics and electric industry, network media, telecommunications and living, etc., the following is our enterprises in the design of some of the ideas:

First, the injection mold must be able to complete the part of the processing operations;

Secondly, it must give the injection mold to specify the equipment used, and meet the technical parameters of the equipment;

Third, the processing out of the injection mold is valid in part, must be able to ensure dimensional tolerances of the parts within the allowable range of parts drawings;

Fourth, shearing, punching die to ensure the blanking period, the frequency of use, and smooth grinding mode, simply perform;

Fifth, for the special process of plastic injection molds, mold must be prepared using the method of designers and precautions;

Sixth, the injection mold at the time of installation and removal, if you need to use special tools.

In addition, the above mentioned injection mold design elements, these are just basic requirements, automobile injection mold system we have often put to use for its maintenance, development and design stage to correct errors produced, injection mold system is able to adapt to external changes , so that products with the times, to achieve performance improvement and expansion capabilities. Not every injection mold can be put into use after the completion of its task, we need to verify its proofreading, during use, but also pay attention to temperature regulation, high temperature injection mold processing must be hurt harm.

2014 Analysis of China mold industry development advantage

The global situation shows that the old development strategy by low cost production now is come to the end. New advantage ofChina mold industry is raising up and showing a good prospect.

What is the advantage of China mold industry?

1. The basis of mold industry is up-grading, more innovation, with the improving of education level and popularizing of vocational training, more and more bachelor and master enter this industry, the advantage of highly educated people is emerging.

2. The organizing and managing ability is improving, mold entrepreneurs is becoming experienced

3. Mold technology and industrial supporting ability is greatly improving, innovation success rate is getting higher.

4. The demand of market is vase, and the hierarchy of needs is raising, diversified market pattern is forming. The advantage of Chinese mold industry is transforming from ”low cost general manufacturing” to “low cost R&D” and “low cost complex manufacturing”

Among these advantage, “highly educated” sector can not be touch by common developing country, “low cost” area can not be touch by developed country, the overlapping area is where Chinese mold dash ahead and it is the breaking point China goes into Global market. Above is a conclusion drawn by analysis of current industry situation. And these advantage will last and effect mold enterprise in a long term.

International companies set their R&D department in China one after another, they just selecting on the “low cost, highly educated” human resource advantage of China. China Plstic Injection Mold enterprise must clear that the long term development driven by innovation is future trend, facing the situation filled with challenge and chance, how to understand, how to strategy is deciding the future of the enterprise.

Injection mold material molding products is an important way

Development of injection molds machine can be regarded as one of the level of economic development logo, new products, new processing technique depends on the skills and molding machinery breakthrough in a sense. Injection mold plastic molding products is a way, almost all thermoplastics, thermosetting plastics and rubber can be a variety of molding this method.

In China, injection mold station about 30% of total finished plastic products, plastic injection molding machine machinery accounted for 38% of GDP. Injection molding can produce all kinds of shape, size, precision and performance requirements of the finished product. Injection can be as small as a few grams of the finished product or even a few milligrams of the various instruments of the pinion, microelectronic components, medical devices and other micro, large to several kilograms of TV, washing machine housings, automotive plastic parts, or even tens of grams of finished product.

Mold technology development

Plastic mold manufacturer technology is rapidly developing, has become an important part of modern manufacturing technology. The development direction of modern mold manufacturing technology includes information-driven, increase manufacturing flexibility, agile manufacturing and systematic integration of direction. Specifically in the mold of CAD / CAM technology, mold rapid prototyping technology, precision die forming technology, ultra-precision processing technology of mold, mold design using finite element method, the boundary element method to flow, cooling, heat transfer process dynamic simulation technology, mold CIMS technology, has developed mold DNM technology and CNC technology and other advanced manufacturing technology.

Some advanced mold manufacturing technology:

1. High Speed Milling

2. EDM Milling

3. New generation of plastic injection mold CAD / CAM software technology

4. Advanced rapid tooling technology

5. On spot mold inspection technology

6. Advanced mirror polishing technology

Injection molding products can reduce a large number of manufacturing process

Plastic injection mold products can be given a complete domain of precise size, when the injection mold plastic products as a practical tool production. 

Injection mold is composed of two parts, consisting of a movable die and fixed mold, mounted on the movable mold injection molding mobile template, scheduled to die mounted on a stationary platen injection molding institutions. In injection molding, the movable mold and the fixed mold and the gating system constituting a closed cavity when the fixed mold and the movable mold to remove the molded plastic article separation. 

Although the structure of the mold and performance of varieties of plastic, shape, and configuration and the type of plastics injection molding machine may be different and changing, but the basic structure is the same. Die mainly by gating system, thermostat system, molded parts and structural parts. Gating system and molded parts which are in direct contact with the plastic part, and with the plastics and products change, the mold is the most complex and the biggest change, the most demanding part of the process finish and accuracy. 

In order to reduce the heavy injection mold design process and the variety of work, the majority of china injection molds using standard mold.

Global mold industry growth is getting faster and faster

If any industrial countries want to have a nice record on economic, plastic mold industry will be a very important section. Some expert says that during 2011~2013, global mold industry growing rate is 22%, most of the growth comes from Asia. Asia appears the growth of 33%, this data is based on the export growth, but not all the export goes to North American. There are over 1000 mold manufacturer in Shenzhen City, the relatively low price makes Shenzhen an attracted place for mold building for those mold project which the lead time is not so tight. This what pushing the global market share growth of China.

According to forecast, the growth of Global mold industry would be 12%, global injection mold industry operating rate would be 94%. Since the decent of early 2014, this business in now ascending, to prepare for the new automotive release in 2016. Among the world, North American has recorded the lowest operating rate 85%, Asia is 97% and Europe is 114%.

Plastic injection mold two level maintenance

Secondary refers to the maintenance of the custom plastic mold die for the periodic maintenance of the system according to the state of the art and the complexity of the mold making. This maintenance work is completed by mold repair personnel, and make records in accordance with the maintenance situation. The following describes the different parts of the other security requirements and methods:

A, drawing die punch die:

Convex drawing die, die major problems is the pressure pit nap and type face, the main part of the fillet nap when mold polishing and maintenance. If there is pressure on the pit to die repair welding, and then repair shun;

B, guiding parts (guide post, guide sleeve and the guide plate, etc.):

Pull mold marks and other phenomena occur at work. The main causes of dirty lubricating oil and orientation bias and so the gap. When the guide parts produced pull marks, taking pushed oil stone polished smooth way to eliminate;

C, trimming blade:

Mold in the course of the blade section prone to chipping and edge collapse phenomenon, this time to the damaged parts of the mold repair welding;

D, spring or other elastic parts:

In use, the spring is one of the most easily damaged parts mold, usually a fracture and deformation phenomena. The approach taken is to be replaced, but the replacement process must pay attention to the spring specifications and models, spring specifications by color, diameter and length of the three identified, the next three are the same, only in this case it can be replaced;

E, punch, punch sets:

Punch used on the plastic injection mold, punch sets most used standard parts, mold in the course of punch prone to break, bend and eating bad phenomenon, red sets are generally eating bad. Punch and punch sets are generally damaged replacement parts with the same specifications. The main parameters of the punch working portion size, the size of the mounting portion, the length dimensions, etc.;

F, fastening parts:

Check for loose fasteners, damage phenomenon. The approach taken is to find replacement parts for the same size;

G, pressure loading and unloading parts:

Binder components such as pressure plate, distinctions of plastic, etc., unloading parts such as the stripper plate, pneumatic ejector devices. Inspection and maintenance of the parts of the assembly for damage, some damage to be repaired. Check pneumatic ejector without leakage phenomenon, and to take measures to the specific situation. Replace damaged such as the trachea and the like.

China precision mould supply falls short of demand

With the development of Chinese economy, the domestic demand for plastic injection mold is changing. High precision mouldsupply falls short of demand. But the output proportion of different grade is extremely unbalance. This is harmful to the long term development of Chinese mould industry. For the treatment, high-grade precision injection mould technology needs to be developed, industrial structure needs to be adjusted.

The market demand of medium and low grade injection mold is huge in China, but the self-sufficiency degree of high-grade mold is less than 60%.The cause of this situation includes:1. Steel quality 2. Mold standardization 3. Person with ability 4. Industrial structure 5. Innovations 6. Organization of mold enterprises. 7. Development at overseas market.

Because the downstream industry, such as automotive industry, the moulds are greatly rely on foreigh company. For the recent years, Chinese domestic mould enterprise is improving their technology to improve their mold quality and accuracy, some of them successfully get into the supply chain of some high-grade appliances, partly get rid of the dependency of foreign mould company. But what we have to admit is that there just a few company did it.

Facing the high profit cake for high-grade plastic injection mold market, everyone get moved. China mould industry still needs to improve its ability, emphasize on the adjustment of internal Industrial structure and the level of technology. Towards the target of to be more specialized and high-grade oriented. Some experts said

Level maintenance injection mold

Maintenance of the mold-level refers to the production of routine maintenance operations personnel plastic injection mold, the main content of wiping, lubrication and inspection.

During production maintenance:

1. Production in the corresponding part of the mold on a regular basis were oiled. Such as: drawing die ring binder, rounded; trimming knife mold parts; knife block flange portion and the like;

2. Regularly trimming hole punching die to clean up waste scrap Road.

After production  maintenance:

1. After production should conduct a comprehensive inspection of the custom plastic mold;

2. Comprehensive wiping die to ensure the cleanliness of the mold;

3. Will scrap the mold clean up the waste box to ensure no waste.

Brazil mould industry hope to cooperate with Chinese enterprises

On August 19th,2014 at the China-Barizl mold technology and economic exchanges and trade sourcing fair, Brazil plastic mould industry association Christine Deere, says Brazil has a total of about 2000 mould enterprises, , including nearly 1000 in Sao Paulo, 500 each in Santa catarina and Rio grande do sul. He said that at present the Brazilian mould industry faced with increased costs, lag in technology and insufficient management level, coupled with the current market demand, the influence of the future could be 30% of mould enterprises was forced to shut down due to lack of competitiveness. He said, hopes that Chinese enterprises can help through cooperation, rather than export mould and die to Brazil.

The deputy secretary-general of China mold and die industry association Wu Bing shu says, after 30 years of development, China mould and die industry formed a relatively complete industrial system, improving continuously the mould manufacturing, has successfully entered the international market. Brazil as one of Chinaese major exports, including auto mould exports accounted for about a third of the total.

Citic Pacific's chief representative in Brazil Yang Yong said in an interview with reporters: China and Barizl is strong complementarity in mould industry, China has a larger advantage in labor cost and raw material prices, Brazil as the world's fourth largest car market, related common plastic mold market is huge, mould enterprise cooperation between China and Brazil in the future is promising. But he reminded, Brazil applies the development strategy of import substitution, China products once a big push into Brazil market are likely to suffer from Brazil to raise tariffs policy limit, therefore suggested to cooperate with enterprises in Brazilian from the starting, to achieve win-win cooperation for common development.

Die casting tools's maintenance

Before production molds, need to inspection and maintenance with die casting tools，ensure adequate production out of the mold standards.

1. Pretended to be on the upper and lower surfaces of the mold wiping ensure the mold mounting surface and press work surfaces free from crushing down and die mounting surface parallelism in production.

2. Die installed after the high cavitation mold is opened, the mold clean distinguish ministries, especially guiding mechanism for surface mold, which type of surface to be wiped clean in order to ensure the quality of parts of;

3. For each slide mold parts for lubrication, coating of grease.

4. Die each part of the examination, especially safety parts. Such as: the safe side pins, safety screws, side guard plate, punching scrap Road and so on.

Plastic mold Bayer seeing success in project to replace petroleum with C02

Plastic mold Bayer MaterialScience says its research into the potential of using carbon dioxide as a raw material already is paying off in studies showing that C02 can reduce the amount of petroleum used to make plastics.

The German chemical giant’s technology uses greenhouse gas as part of its Dream Polymers project to produce a key component for high quality polyurethane foam, and is already moving towards commercial use. The proportion of the petroleum in this chemical is 80 percent.

Christoph Gürtler, project manager at Bayer MaterialScience, said: “We have now succeeded in reducing the petroleum content for making other plastics to just 60 percent.”

Carbon dioxide is used twice in the new process. First, the greenhouse gas is incorporated directly into a new kind of precursor — polyoxymethylene polycarbonate polyol — replacing 20% of the petroleum. Secondly, it is also used indirectly, producing a chemical that is also incorporated into the precursor for a further 20 percent saving in petroleum.

"As a result, the proportion of alternative raw materials is already 40 percent." Gürtler said.

In addition to this, the number of automobile mols plastics that can be produced using carbon dioxide is increasing.

"It is now also possible to manufacture thermoplastic polyurethanes, films and casting elastomers in this way." added Gürtler. Such plastics are used in all kinds of applications, including automotive interiors, cable sheathing and sporting goods such as ski boots.

Bayer researchers have already proved in laboratory tests that the manufacturing process works in principle.

"Initial application tests have been positive,” he said, “but there is some way to go before the process is commercially viable."

Dream Polymers is being supported by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. External institutions in Germany such as the CAT Catalytic Center, the Leibniz Institute for Catalysis and the Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology are also involved.

Injection molds for shaped face complex and small quantities of products forming

For machining high precision injection mold products, usually by a pair of mold die, punch and mold composed some pieces may also be split module. Split between modules require the high precision, dimensional accuracy of precision injection mold products can often reach μm level.

Injection mold for molding shaped products of complex surfaces, the surface shape of the curved surface is formed by a variety of combinations, and therefore, the mold cavity surface is very complex. Some surfaces must be processed by mathematical calculation. Equally suitable for small batch production, injection mold production is not mass production, and in many cases are often only produce a pair.

Injection mold products, excellent material, the main material of high hardness mold multi-use high-quality alloy steel, especially high life of the mold, often used Crl2, CrWMn etc. ledeburite manufacturing. Such steel from the rough forging, heat treatment process to have strict requirements. Therefore, the preparation process is even more can not be ignored, heat deformation processing also need to take seriously the problem.

We can see a large demand for plastic products, injection mold applications will be more widely described as productive technology, the introduction of advanced technologies for injection mold manufacture, so as to produce a good product, advanced equipment and technology is plastic mold protection.

Characteristic of China plastic injection mold

By the statistics of China Die and Mould Industry Association(CDMA), plastic injection mold is taking 45% of the total output of Chinese mold industry.

Currently the characteristic of Chinese plastics mold industry includes:

1. High regional concentration

The growth of mold industry needs a complete set of upstream and downstream industries, especially tightly connected with downstream manufacturing industries. Injection Mold is a kind of intermediate product, majorly client is the downstream manufacturing companies. There for, Chinese mold company is majorly located in those manufacturing industry developed regions such as Pearl River Delta and Yangtze River Delta. Especially developed in Guangdong, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Zhejiang and Shandong, and they holds the most of the market share of Chinese plastic mold industry.

2. Low average sales for mold enterprise

Plastic mold is non-standard production, the essence of the mold is the rationality of the design and mold structure. There for, plastic mold is produced in single-piece. Meanwhile, the life time of a plastic mold can be as long as 100 thousand shots thus downstream manufacturing industries doesn’t need too many of molds. According to the data from CDMA by 2011, there are totally 20 thousands mold manufacturing enterprise in China and their total output is 5600 billion RMB, the average output is just 3 million RMB. Average production scale is not big.

3. High-grade mold still needs to be imported

China mold industry still fall behind the other country on quantity, quality and technology. Major serving middle and low grade market. Although China keeps trade surplus on mold import and export. But China still needs to import some big scale, precise, complex and long life cycle mold. This does adverse impact to long term development of automotive and household appliance industry.

Asia’s injection mold industry leading the growth

Asia’s injection mold industry continues to grow, despite some order is going back to North American, it indicate that the change of type which American buying from Asia.

The global mold making industry grew 22 percent globally from 2011 to 2013, with the majority of that growth coming from Asia, which mold industry increased by 33 percent. Analyst Laurie Harbour said at the Center for Automotive Research’s Management Briefing Seminars in Traverse City.

Harbour has previously discussed how rising costs and lead time constraints can drive reshoring of tools from Asia. The question is why that’s not represented in the data.

"If lead time is really tight and needs to be made quickly, it's not going to go to China. There's no time. The more cost increases in China, not just labor rates but costs in general — transportation, energy especially for large tools," she said.

But for simple tools where engineering changes and lead time constraints are not an issue, the low initial pricing available in Asia make sourcing tools from the region an attractive option. That is likely what’s driving Asia’s growth, Harbour said.

Harbour predicts the injection mold maker industry will grow another 12 percent in 2014. As the 2013 tooling capacity study she released, Harbour believes the tooling industry faces a pending tooling capacity gap, and new data collected by her firm confirms that, she said.

An unprecedented expansion of global automobile molding industry is coming

Now a day, The Normalization and standardization of vehicle emissions will promote the automobile molding enterprise to develop more advance, delicacy vehicle and process technology. The automobiles enterprises and suppliers also focus on launch advanced vehicle safety function, widely use of lightweight materials, reduce the vehicle emissions and improve the Fuel efficiency. Ford Motor focus on aluminum material, and BMW committed to carbon fiber material.

Managing Director at IHS Automotive Advisory Michael Robinet express that, “An exciting times of global automobile moldindustry is coming. This is an ever-changing industry and give new demand to cutting down logistics cost, expand supplier manufacturing capability.” Michael Robinet forecasted that, the Global economy recover will instill new energy into automobile industry. The total vehicle output of North American is expected to reach 17 million, and Global output is expected to reach 87.7 million. By 2021, the total vehicle output of North American is expected to reach 18.5 million, and global output may reach 106 million.