What are the pros and cons of the in-house and outsourced production/development of Injection

molded plastic parts and define which way is the best?

ASSIGNMENT
PEL Virtual Internship Program
Batch-3, 2021

Assignment Title: Manufacturing with Injection

Molding

BY:
MUHAMMAD
AHSAN ALI

TO:
MR.
MUHAMMAD
Manufacturing AD Department
FURQAN
Manufacturing AD Department
PAKManufacturing AD Department
EECTRON LIMITED,
LAHORE PAKISTAN
Muhammad Ahsan Ali Manufacturing AD department VIP Batch-3,2021

Question no 1:
What are the pros and cons of the in-house and outsourced production/development of
Injection molded plastic parts and define which way is the best?

Injection Moulding :
Injection molding is a method to obtain molded products by injecting plastic materials molten
by heat into a mold, and then cooling and solidifying them.
The method is suitable for the mass production of products with complicated shapes, and
takes a large part in the area of plastic processing.

Process Cycle:
   
1. Clamping:
Prior to the injection of the material into the mold, the two halves of the mold must first
be securely closed by the clamping unit. Each half of the mold is attached to the injection
molding machine and one half is allowed to slide. The hydraulically powered clamping
unit pushes the mold halves together and exerts sufficient force to keep the mold securely
closed while the material is injected. The time required to close and clamp the mold is
dependent upon the machine - larger machines (those with greater clamping forces) will
require more time. This time can be estimated from the dry cycle time of the machine.
2. Injection:
The raw plastic material, usually in the form of pellets, is fed into the injection molding
machine, and advanced towards the mold by the injection unit. During this process, the
material is melted by heat and pressure. The molten plastic is then injected into the mold
very quickly and the build up of pressure packs and holds the material. The amount of
material that is injected is referred to as the shot. The injection time is difficult to
calculate accurately due to the complex and changing flow of the molten plastic into the
mold. However, the injection time can be estimated by the shot volume, injection
pressure, and injection power.
3. Cooling:
The molten plastic that is inside the mold begins to cool as soon as it makes contact with
the interior mold surfaces. As the plastic cools, it will solidify into the shape of the
desired part. However, during cooling some shrinkage of the part may occur. The packing
of material in the injection stage allows additional material to flow into the mold and
reduce the amount of visible shrinkage. The mold can not be opened until the required
cooling time has elapsed. The cooling time can be estimated from several thermodynamic
properties of the plastic and the maximum wall thickness of the part.
4. Ejection:
After sufficient time has passed, the cooled part may be ejected from the mold by the
ejection system, which is attached to the rear half of the mold. When the mold is opened,
a mechanism is used to push the part out of the mold. Force must be applied to eject the
part because during cooling the part shrinks and adheres to the mold. In order to facilitate
the ejection of the part, a mold release agent can be sprayed onto the surfaces of the mold

Supervisor: Muhammad Furqan

Pakistan Electron Limited Lahore 1
 Muhammad Ahsan Ali Manufacturing AD department VIP Batch-3,2021

cavity prior to injection of the material. The time that is required to open the mold and
eject the part can be estimated from the dry cycle time of the machine and should include
time for the part to fall free of the mold. Once the part is ejected, the mold can be
clamped shut for the next shot to be injected.

Plastic Injection Moulding :

Plastic injection moulding is the process of melting plastic pellets (thermosetting/
thermoplastic polymers) that once malleable enough, are injected at pressure into a mould
cavity, which fills and solidifies to produce the final product.

Pros and cons of the in-house production/development of Injection molded plastic parts:

Pros of the in-house production/development of Injection moulded plastic parts:

i. Cost-efficient production: 

Injection molding is, in general, a cost-efficient production process. While material choices, part
complexity and part design (among other factors) can affect pricing, injection molding will typically
offer a favorable price point when compared with other processes, all other factors being equal (or
equivalent). An in-house solution can further boost the cost-efficiency advantages by cutting out
shipping costs and the built-in overhead costs that would otherwise go to your supplier. Of course,
that overhead cost is then shifted to you, which can attenuate some of the advantages detailed here.

ii. Speed of output and fulfillment: 

Whether you carry out injection molding in-house or via a service provider, high production speed is
one of the advantages that you’ll enjoy. With an investment in in-house processes, you eliminate
shipping and other fulfillment time from your supplier to you, with products ready to distribute as
soon as they’re completed and inspected (depending on whether you choose to package items in-
house as well).

iii. Low material waste and increased material re-use: 

Supervisor: Muhammad Furqan

Pakistan Electron Limited Lahore 2
 Muhammad Ahsan Ali Manufacturing AD department VIP Batch-3,2021

If you use thermoplastic material in your in-house injection molding, any excess material, or material
from defective pieces, is available to you for recycling and reclamation. With outsourced injection
molding, you should only be charged for the material used to manufacture your products, but you do
not get the advantage of this flexibility of use. With in-house processes, you can also be certain that
you are reducing material waste through recycling and reclamation.

iv. Flexibility in timing and production: 

The versatility of injection molding is one major factor that draws many entrepreneurs and engineers
to it. A broad range of product types and materials can be used in, and produced with, injection
molding. In-house production adds an aspect of flexibility with the ability to totally control your
production schedule.

Cons of the in-house production/development of Injection molded plastic parts:

i. High initial investment: 

As mentioned above, you can certainly do the math on your ROI for in-house molding equipment and
see an easy path to value — in theory. In practice, it can be more difficult to achieve. Any way you
look at it, injection molding equipment is a costly investment, requiring years — and many, many
pieces produced — to pay back.

There is no guarantee that your financial forecasting will prove accurate, given the complexities of
most markets. With an in-house solution, you are stuck with your equipment, even if you are unable
to move inventory and thus can no longer keep it running. Moreover, injection molding start-up costs
are more than just one machine — they cover automation equipment, QA machinery, personnel and
more.

ii. High overall costs for tooling: 

Tooling is another aspect of injection molding that just isn’t cheap. The high quality of the material
used, as well as the expertise required to design and manufacture tooling properly, can often make the
price seem prohibitive. With an in-house solution, these costs are amplified — in addition to tooling,
you’re paying the full cost of the personnel and equipment.

iii. Repairs and downtime are costly: 

Once you own injection molding machinery, it’s yours — for better and for worse. Machinery
breakdowns, miscalibrations, errors and other negative aspects are now your responsibility. Thus, you
must repair — or pay the costs of diagnostics and repair — yourself. While injection molding can, on
the surface, seem to be a simple, straightforward process, it is quite complex and must be constantly
monitored and fine-tuned to operate correctly and acceptably. Beyond the costs of repair personnel
and labor, machinery downtime is also expensive, especially through the prism of repaying your
initial investment: Your machinery uptime is literally money.

Supervisor: Muhammad Furqan

Pakistan Electron Limited Lahore 3
 Muhammad Ahsan Ali Manufacturing AD department VIP Batch-3,2021

Pros and cons of the Outsource production/development of Injection molded plastic

parts:

Pros of the Outsource production/development of Injection molded plastic parts:

i. Don’t Hire More Employees:
The cost of an employee needs to be less than the value they can produce over lifetime
employment. It can be tough to increase margins in this manner if you manufacture and
fabricate in-house. That’s why outsourcing is great for margins and the bottom line. You can
increase them with a small increase in expenses.

ii. Access To More Capabilities:

You may be able to do 100 percent of the manufacturing, fabrication, and fulfillment, but
how high is the quality. Could you do more of what you’re good at if you outsourced?
Outsourcing manufacturing can increase the ability to pull from a larger pool of capabilities
at a lower cost. This means that although you can run your own business in-house from start
to finish, it may be less expensive to outsource and invest your gains back into core
competencies and scaling.

iii. Lower The Labor Cost:

You, as well as hundreds of others, outsource their manufacturing for a variety of reasons.
The biggest reason is labor cost. It can shrink margins quickly, and outsourcing is a relatively
simple solution to this. Companies are able to research and find the right factories around the
globe compared to local. This offers you better costs for labor and the ability to grow as fast
as the demand in a market rises.

Cons of the Outsource production/development of Injection molded plastic parts:

i. Lack Of Control:
Although this is a con, it’s not as large of an issue as most think. You do rely on another
factory to produce, fabricate, or fulfill your products; however, you need not worry about
lack of control. Sure, you may need to work with another person to determine the best route
for your business partnership, but control is a phone call away. Although a con, it’s a simple
one to resolve if anything were to go wrong with the process on your outsourced
manufacturer’s end.

ii. Communication Issues:

Yes, outsourcing will require you to communicate more, but the upside to this minor nuisance
from time to time is worth the time spent. You get to focus on your competencies and work
on your business instead of in it, managing manufacturing and fabrication you could already
outsource.

iii. Quality Assurance:

Supervisor: Muhammad Furqan

Pakistan Electron Limited Lahore 4
Muhammad Ahsan Ali Manufacturing AD department VIP Batch-3,2021

It can take time to find the best quality outsourced manufacturing factory; however, once you
do find it, you can scale as fast as your partnerships can keep pace. If you’ve partnered with a
factory that can scale with you or is large enough to handle your growth over time, you will
be able to spend more time on quality assurance, although it does take you away from
executing on your competencies. Nonetheless, if you can get this figured out, you will reap
the benefits of outsourcing.

Which one is best?

Both of these processes have advantages and disadvantages. If you need to make parts with
limited shape and size flexibility, outsourcing is a good option. This will be less expensive
than doing it in-house.

You need to be careful with your current employees, manufacturing processes, and cost
swings. If you decide to outsource half of your business, what are the ramifications of that
transition? What will the cost be? Prepare for employee compensation once laid off, the cost
difference (which is probably why you’re considering this decision), and what it will take to
get the processes you’re outsourcing functioning properly.

Question no 2:
How we can help reduce the Single-Use plastic?

There are easy steps everyone can incorporate into their daily routines to reduce the number
of single-use products they use.

1. Bring your own reusable bags when shopping

2. Reduce your use of plastic bags for produce and bulk items
3. Bring your own food containers and utensils when going out to eat
4. Carry a reusable water bottle; studies have shown that most tap water is actually
cleaner than bottled!
5. Pack a waste-free lunch instead of ordering out
6. Bring your own coffee cup; many coffee shops will offer you a discount for bringing
your own mug, helping you save money while you save the planet!
7. Dine in instead of getting takeout
8. Say no to disposable straws; if you really need a straw, you can carry around a
reusable metal alternative!
9. Avoid heavily packaged foods

Supervisor: Muhammad Furqan

Pakistan Electron Limited Lahore 5
Muhammad Ahsan Ali Manufacturing AD department VIP Batch-3,2021

Question no 3:
Can thermosetting materials be recycled? If yes, then explain how is it possible?

Thermosetting Plastics:
A thermosetting plastic is a polymer that irreversibly becomes rigid when heated. Such a
material is also known as a thermoset or thermosetting polymer. Initially, the polymer is a
liquid or soft solid. Heat provides energy for chemical reactions that increase the cross-
linking between polymer chains, curing the plastic. The rate of curing may be increasing in
many cases by increasing pressure or by adding a catalyst.
Examples:

Many common plastics are thermosets. They include:

 Vulcanized rubber
 Fiberglass (a fibber-reinforced polymer composite)
 Polyester resin
 Polyurethane
 Melamine
 Bakelite
 Silicone resin
 Epoxy resin

Thermosets, which include epoxies, polyurethanes, and rubber used for tires, are found in
many products that have to be durable and heat-resistant, such as cars or electrical appliances.
One drawback to these materials is that they typically cannot be easily recycled or broken
down after use, because the chemical bonds holding them together are stronger than those
found in other materials such as thermoplastics.

Hard to recycle:

Thermosets are one of the two major classes of plastics, along with thermoplastics.
Thermoplastics include polyethylene and polypropylene, which are used for plastic bags and
other single-use plastics like food wrappers. These materials are made by heating up small
pellets of plastic until they melt, then molding them into the desired shape and letting them
cool back into a solid.

Thermoplastics, which make up about 75 percent of worldwide plastic production, can be

recycled by heating them again until they become liquid, so they can be remolded into a new
shape.

Supervisor: Muhammad Furqan

Pakistan Electron Limited Lahore 6
Muhammad Ahsan Ali Manufacturing AD department VIP Batch-3,2021

Thermoset plastics are made by a similar process, but once they are cooled from a liquid into
a solid, it is very difficult to return them to a liquid state. That’s because the bonds that form
between the polymer molecules are strong chemical attachments called covalent bonds,
which are very difficult to break. When heated, thermoset plastics will typically burn before
they can be remolded, Johnson says.

“Once they are set in a given shape, they're in that shape for their lifetime,” he says. “There is
often no easy way to recycle them.”

References:

1. https://www.iberdrola.com/environment/how-to-reduce-plastic-use
2. https://www.wwf.org.uk/updates/ten-tips-reduce-your-plastic-footprint
3. https://www.environment.gov.au/protection/waste/publications/how-you-can-reduce-
plastic-waste-fs
4. https://www.cleanwateraction.org/2018/07/17/take-pledge-10-things-you-can-do-
reduce-single-use-waste
5. https://news.mit.edu/2020/tough-thermoset-plastics-recyclable-
0722#:~:text=Thermoset%20polymers%2C%20found%20in%20car,or%20broken
%20down%20after%20use.
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermosetting_polymer
7. https://www.plasticseurope.org/en/about-plastics/what-are-plastics/large-
family/thermoplastics
8. https://www.cutplasticsheeting.co.uk/plastic-why-how-it-is-recycled/
9. https://www.thoughtco.com/definition-of-thermosetting-plastic-605734

Supervisor: Muhammad Furqan

Pakistan Electron Limited Lahore 7