Custom Plastic Injection Molding and Tooling Design - FTM Engineering

Tooling & Injection Molding Capabilities Under One Roof

Mon, 15 Mar 2021 11:48:47 -0700

Tooling & Injection Molding Capabilities Under One Roof: Six Benefits You Should Keep in Mind

When most people think of plastic injection molded parts, they consider the “tool” and the “part” two separate things - two different processes, two separate companies usually. That is typically how it’s been done for years. More innovative businesses, however, are now able to offer both capabilities under one roof, and there are several benefits to this concept.

FTM Engineering Group combines a best-in-class injection molding department and a truly world-class tool engineering department under one roof. Working with FTM Engineering Group’s team of professionals offers you peace of mind that’s hard to find. We may not have coined the phrase One Stop Shop, but we’ve certainly perfected it.

The Benefits of a One-Stop Shop

A one-stop-shop for both tooling and plastic injection molding is an idea that many have tried, but few have perfected. Building a tool for a plastic injection molded part and producing a part involve two wildly different skill sets and experience. But, when done properly, the benefits are hard to miss.

Lead Time: Time is lost when a mold is sourced to an outside vendor and the molding department has a machine waiting for that vendor to deliver the mold. At FTM Engineering, the mold is just steps from the molding department. We’re talking minutes and hours, not days or weeks when it’s time to get your mold in a press.

Tool Maintenance: Whether for routine maintenance or an unforeseen event, our tool maintenance department prioritizes routine inspections of cavity and core detail, waterlines, parting line integrity, ejector systems,...Read More

Precision Parts Demand Precise Processes

Thu, 11 Feb 2021 05:42:28 -0800

Precision Parts Demand Precise Processes

When you're developing custom plastic injection molded parts and tooling that require tight tolerance levels, you need a process that accounts for every detail. Whether it's a pin connector housing for an electronics component or a multi-cavity auto unscrewing plastic injection mold for the heavy equipment industry, the devil is most definitely in the details.

Designing, engineering and building custom tooling and injection molded parts for the automotive, electronics and medical device industries, in particular, demand precise processes to ensure the specs are consistently met and maintained.

It starts from day one.

At FTM Engineering Group, we follow our proven five-step process for every custom injection molding project we work on.

1. Ideation

The ideation phase gives you the opportunity to share your ideas, desires, problems, and challenges with us; and it allows us to gain a solid understanding of your needs.

2. Quote

From there, we create a comprehensive estimate of time and budget based on the information gathered during the initial ideation phase. Our combined 100+ years of experience ensures you receive a quote that provides the results you're looking for.

3. Do the Work

This is where the magic happens! And we keep you involved every step of the way. We believe over communicating is way more effective in reaching the intended goals that are established early on in the process.

4. Produce

From prototype to test runs to full production, your custom tooling and plastic injection molding...Read More

“That’s Impossible!” (What to Do When You Hear that from a Plastic Injection Molding Company)

Tue, 22 Dec 2020 11:38:31 -0800

“That’s Impossible!” (What to Do When You Hear that from a Plastic Injection Molding Company)

Are you frustrated because a plastic injection molding company or an injection mold tool builder has told you that your part is “impossible” to make? Maybe they’ve even gone so far as to “no quote” you - not even willing to quote your project because they don’t think it’s something that can be done? Or it’s not worth their time to try and figure it out?

Well, we have some words of encouragement for you: “Impossible” is pretty rare.

Typically, when you’re told a part can’t be made, it’s usually because the part - as it stands at the time of evaluation - isn’t moldable. A part that’s not moldable doesn’t mean it’s “impossible” to mold; it just means that in its current specific design it cannot be produced as desired.

A part can be “not moldable” for a variety of reasons:

The part could create bad steel conditions in the tooling.
It might be an issue of durability - of the part itself or the tool that would produce the part.
The current design may cause issues in the cooling process.
There may be challenges associated with building a tool that will meet the specs of your part.
The size of the press might be prohibitive.
A part may require secondary operations in order to reach the finished design.
It might simply be an issue of budget.

So, what can you do when you have a part that’s “not moldable?”

The most important thing is to focus on the desired functionality of the part and be open to some concessions in the specific design. Oftentimes, making small adjustments to the design can transform something that’s been considered “impossible” into something that is actually quite possible.

In our post “Read More

How to Find the Right Custom Plastic Injection Molding Tool Builder for Your Project

Mon, 14 Dec 2020 11:51:36 -0800

9 Questions to Ask BEFORE Selecting a Plastic Injection Molding Partner
Are you looking for a custom plastic injection molding partner? Are you frustrated with your existing injection mold builder because your precision parts are failing or have been out of tolerance? Or are you considering other options to ensure you’re getting the highest quality custom tools and parts?
If you answered YES to any of these questions, this article is for you! We’ve compiled a list of questions you should be asking when talking with prospective plastic injection molding companies in Ohio, or across the country.
Before you select another company for your plastic injection molding needs, be sure to ask these nine questions:
1. What type of molds do you build?
We have talked about this in our post “Do You Have Experience in My Industry?” And we stand by our thoughts in that article that specific industry experience is not a make or break issue; however, we do believe that a good plastic injection mold builder should be able to show you a variety of molds that are in action and effectively producing the type of tight tolerance parts you’re looking for.
2. What is your capacity?
While size isn’t everything, it is important to know what a custom injection molding tool builder can produce - in terms of the size of parts, the size of the tools, and the quantity and speed at which it can produce those precision parts.
Another important element related to capacity is whether or not a company can both design/engineer a tool AND put that tool to work in order to produce the parts. The efficiencies of a one-stop-shop for custom tool design and plastic injection molding...Read More

Seven Possible Reasons Your Precision Parts are Out of Tolerance (Part 2)

Thu, 19 Nov 2020 08:58:35 -0800

Seven Possible Reasons Your Precision Parts are Out of Tolerance (Part 2)
As we discussed in Part 1 of this list of reasons your precision parts are out of tolerance, there’s almost nothing more frustrating than discovering a part that’s out of tolerance.
There’s a reason these parts are called “close tolerance” or “precision” parts. There is little, if any, room for error. So, when a part is out of tolerance, it needs to be addressed immediately; otherwise, you and/or your customer are in for a lot of trouble.
In Part 1, we covered three possible reasons your parts are out of tolerance:
Material Shrinkage Rages
The Injection Mold Process
Imbalanced Gates/Hot Runner Systems
Read the full post to learn more about these potential issues with your close tolerance parts.
Today, we’re going to cover four more things that might be causing your precision parts to be out of tolerance.
4. Improper Venting - during the molding process, air inside the cavity needs to be evacuated for the plastic to fill the cavity. If proper venting isn’t present, this causes inadequate filling, resulting in several potential defects.
Vent Isn’t Deep Enough - vent depth is critical. It needs to allow for the evacuation of air but not let the plastic escape.
Not Enough Venting - all molds require both a primary vent and a vent dump to atmosphere to prevent burns, voids and steel corrosion.
No Venting - sometimes venting simply is ignored or not fully considered in the design and build process.
Read More

Seven Possible Reasons Your Precision Parts are Out of Tolerance (Part 1)

Mon, 09 Nov 2020 07:01:31 -0800

Seven Possible Reasons Your Precision Parts are Out of Tolerance (Part 1)
There’s almost nothing more frustrating than a part that’s out of tolerance.
You and your plastic injection mold partner spent weeks - maybe months - designing, engineering and building a mold that was intended to produce close tolerance parts that are made exactly to spec. That’s why they’re called “close tolerance” parts!
Whether you just started using the mold or slight tolerance variations have begun to show up over time, we have seven possible reasons your precision parts are out of tolerance. Some may be able to be fixed by making a few small adjustments, while others will cause you to look back at the original design and engineering of the mold and may require a complete rebuild.
1. Material Shrink Rates - the quality of an injection molded part’s geometry, performance, and appearance can often have a direct correlation to the shrink rate of a particular material.
Different shrink rates - different materials have different shrink rates, and these rates should be considered when designing and engineering the mold.
Material moisture content - moisture within and outside of the material can cause abnormal shrinkage; something as simple as the temperature in the room can actually create an increase or decrease in shrink rates.
Placement of the gate - it is important to have gate locations that provide the most uniform fill and plastic pressure within the cavity.
In-flow and cross-flow - flow direction can affect material shrink rates; it’s important to carefully analyze both in-flow and cross-flow after gate selection has been made.
Steel safe - depending on the mold design, there is often a need for “extra” steel to be included in the design to accommodate possible shrink rate changes.
Anticipate possible adjustments - an...Read More

5 Types of Mold Classifications

Tue, 06 Oct 2020 06:14:45 -0700

Mold Classifications: Which Class is Right for Your Project?
Have you ever received quotes from different custom injection molders that were so far apart, you seriously wondered if they were actually quoting the same project?
Us, too. We’ve been on the quoting end and have questioned the same thing.
When evaluating and quoting a custom plastic injection molding project, it’s important to consider more than just the basic specifications of the project. If a potential vendor is not fully educated in the standards of mold classifications, that company may be presenting a quote that - while it may seem on spec at a glance - is actually nowhere near the quality you’re looking for.
Standard molds are defined by the Plastics Industry Association (PIA, formerly known as the Society of Plastics Industry or SPI). These mold standards are categorized into five classifications to guide quotes and orders into uniform mold types: (click image to enlarge)
While these guidelines are intended to be used as a reference point that is continually evolving, they offer a simplified definition of the type of thermoplastics required for a set production need. This allows for comparing “apples to apples” in the area of custom mold designs.
Class 101 Mold/Tool
Cycles: One million or more
Quality: High
Price: High
Uses: High quality production and fast cycle times
Class 102...Read More

How Long Does It Take to Design and Build a Precision Tool or Part?

Sat, 15 Aug 2020 11:27:28 -0700

How Long Does It Take to Design and Build a Precision Tool or Part?
How long does it take to build a car?
How long does it take to build a house?
How long does it take to design a new product?
The short answer is simple: It depends.
But, of course, this is not what you want to hear. That’s an honest answer, though. And it comes with a number of questions to follow: What kind of car? What’s the budget? How big is the house? How much time do you have? How complex is the new product? Are you starting from scratch or is there an existing product that’s being modified?
When it comes to developing custom precision tools and plastic injection molded precision parts, it truly does depend on the complexity of your part.
Your time and commitment to the process are essential.
While the typical time frame for a standard part is going to take between six and 12 weeks, it can take less or more time than that based on the complexity of the project. Part of our process of selecting projects and clients that are a “good fit” allows us to work with partners who we know want to see the best product delivered at the end of the day. They are committed to investing the time and resources to make sure the project is completed as efficiently as possible.
Our overall engineering process explains the steps we go through to ensure that we are developing a tool or part that meets your exact specifications and falls in line with your tight tolerance requirements. From ideation to completion, it is essential that we are in constant communication with you.
It all starts with a good design.
Because we have knowledge and experience on both the...Read More

Have You Been Told Your Project is Impossible?

Mon, 27 Jul 2020 11:27:44 -0700

Have You Been Told Your Project is Impossible?
If you’ve ever heard, “That can’t be done,” we know how frustrating that can be. Every once in a while, there might be something you want molded that truly isn’t possible - but that’s really rare!
Making the impossible possible.
Saying something is “impossible” is a pretty definitive answer. We like to look at everything as “possible” and then figure out how.
Making the impossible possible requires some out-of-the-box thinking. It may involve looking at a problem from another angle. It likely means considering options that weren’t on the table initially.
When you can be flexible and adjustments can be made, possibilities open up.
In another blog post, we’ve addressed the advantages and disadvantages of having a lot of experience in one industry. In that post, we made reference to the fact that sometimes designers and engineers who have only worked in one single industry their entire career can get stuck in a rut. They may genuinely believe something is “impossible,” but when a fresh set of eyes looks at the challenges, several ideas are often sparked, leading to an effective solution.
The key is knowing what you need out of the end product. With that in mind, making adjustments to the tooling, being flexible in the design, or even starting from scratch might be necessary.
Don’t let the word “impossible” discourage you.
If you’ve been told your part isn’t moldable, or you’ve had someone say, “That’s impossible,” it’s time to open up to other options. We’ve made the impossible possible before, and we can most likely do the same for you.
Let’s start by having a quick conversation. We invite you to contact us today or go ahead and Read More

What Goes into the Cost of Precision Parts and Tooling?

Thu, 16 Jul 2020 11:08:16 -0700

What Goes into the Cost of Precision Parts and Tooling?
“That’s too expensive.”
“The last company did it for half that.”
“Why does it cost so much?”
Have you ever said any of those things when talking to a potential new vendor/partner?
It’s natural to want a good price. It’s even natural to want a “low” price. No one wants to be taken advantage of or to pay for more than what they get in return.
When it comes to your close tolerance parts, “low” and “good” don’t often go together.
You’ve heard the saying, “You can pick two: Cheap, Fast, High Quality. But you can’t have all three!”
While that’s generally true, we don’t believe anyone wants “cheap.”
Do you? No. Instead, people want VALUE. They want to know that what they’re getting is worth what they’re paying.
You’ve also heard the saying, “You get what you pay for.” (Another version is, “Buy cheap; buy twice.”)
When it comes to the price of designing and building precision injection mold tooling or producing tight tolerance parts, the last thing you want to do is “pay twice.” You may or may not be surprised, though, at how many times we’ve been called in to fix something that should have been caught early in the process. Because price was the primary decision-making factor, corners were cut or details were missed; and, indeed, the customer was having to “pay twice.”
What’s more important to you: low price or high quality?
Silly question, right? The most important thing is always to get the best quality...at a good price. And, that’s what we believe.
We also understand that for some, price is the most important factor. And for those situations, we realize we’re not going to be the right choice. And that’s okay. We would rather lose a piece of business - or even a...Read More