Plastic Injection Moulding

Amtek Plastics UK Ltd offers the complete plastic injection moulding solution all under-one-roof from concept design and manufacture to assembly and packaging, plus warehousing and distribution on an international basis.

We are Amtek Plastics UK Ltd, a UK based plastic injection moulder with a renowned history in plastic injection moulding, specialising in the manufacture of high-volume quality plastic parts and products. Our attention to detail sets us apart from others within our industry and we take pride in every single consignment dispatched from our manufacturing facility in Newton Abbot, South Devon. We continuously invest in our team training and development, we believe that a team that is kept up to date can exceed customer expectations.

We manufacture custom injection moulded products for clients in a wide range of sectors and industries, including:

Heating / Ventilation / Air Conditioning
Retail
Construction
Agriculture
Electronics
Aerospace
Defence
Automotive
Sanitary

As an independent ISO 9001:2015 certified plastic injection moulder, we can turn our hand to custom plastic moulding for a wide variety of industries and uses, including high precision and technical injection moulding.

Our Plastic Moulding Facilities and Services

Our manufacturing facility, of over 5000 sq ft, is fully equipped with a complete range of plastic injection moulding machines ranging from 40 tons to 480 tons in pressure. Our variety of moulding machines enable us to provide you with a complete range of options for your product manufacture.

Our ERP software system enables clients to track their products through the manufacturing process, view stock levels and remotely trigger the manufacture of more products so they can stay ahead of demand. This gives clients complete control of their manufacturing. In some cases, we can mould more products ready for distribution within 24 hours!

Our distribution centre has now doubled our floor space by adding an additional 5000 sq ft. This enables us to offer our clients a complete warehousing and distribution service.

We are constantly investing in new plastic injection moulding machinery to keep up with the ever-changing technology within our industry, and in turn this enables us to become even more efficient with our manufacturing. We also have a variety of finishing machines ranging from ultrasonic welding, inserting and heat staking through to drilling and everything in-between.

Get in Touch

Please feel free to get in touch and speak to our knowledgeable team if you would like further information about our custom injection moulding services and how we can help you to manufacture your products.

Read on for more information about plastic injection moulding, the processes involved and the main pros and cons of plastic injection.

What is Plastic Injection Moulding?

Plastic injection moulding has been comprehensively used for over 50 years and it is still one of the most popular manufacturing processes where both thermosetting and thermoplastic polymers can be used, not to mention the ability to use other materials such as glasses, metals and elastomers. At Amtek Plastics UK Ltd we promote thermoplastic injection moulding where possible so any waste plastic created can be melted down to be recycled and reused.

Injection moulding is fantastic for mass production and part manufacturing, it replicates the same part continuously and identically thousands of times in a row. It is very easy to scale production if you experience a higher demand for your product.

The Plastic Injection Moulding Process

The plastic injection moulding process is very simple. Melted plastic is pushed into the cavity of a closed mould which is then cooled and ejected to create a part.

Below is a more detailed look at the moulding process:

The plastic pellets are fed into and melted within the barrel of the moulding machine.
At the end of the barrel is the machine moulds. The moulds consist of both moving and fixed platens which are clamped together under pressure at the beginning of the process.
The molten plastic is now injected into the clamped mould; this is at high pressure.
Once all the plastic has been injected into the mould, air is pumped under high pressure into the inside of the mould to ensure the plastic has uniformly covered the entire mould cavity.
The plastic is then allowed to cool and solidify within the mould.
The mould platens release and the mould tool is opened.
The plastic parts are then removed from the plastic injection machine with rods, a plate or blasts of air.

This is a very rapid and reliable process so repeat injection moulded products can be created to the same finish and quality every time. This manufacturing process is used to produce products such as bottle caps, casings, covers, syringes, bins, car body parts and most plastic products that you may see and use in everyday life.

The Pros and Cons of Plastic Injection Moulding

Plastic injection moulding has many advantages, such as:

Low production costs due to the low cost of the polymer pellets and fast product turnover.
The process requires very low manpower.
Very fast production.
It is possible to produce very small, complex, detailed parts due to the high pressures exerted on the molten plastics.
Great for producing parts in large volumes.
After the initial costs the price per unit is very low.
Low waste compared to traditional manufacturing methods and if using thermoplastics, the waste is even lower due to the ability to re-use any waste plastic for parts that don’t require high performance properties.
The products will come out the same every time.
Multiple materials can be used together at the same time to create a product.
Good colour control.
Reduced finishing requirements.

There is, however, one main disadvantage with plastic injection moulding, the mould tooling. The creation of the specific mould can be very costly especially for complex plastic products and larger moulds. The cost also depends on the quality of the mould required. Therefore, to make your business more profitable when using plastic injection moulding, large batch numbers are best to ensure the mould tooling costs are lower.

Here at Amtek Plastics UK Ltd we will advise and guide you on which mould tools you will need to meet the needs of your product manufacture.

Contact Us

If you are looking for a forward thinking plastic injection moulder with a wealth of technical experience who will be able to guide you through the entire process of creating your plastic products using injection moulding, then we can offer you the solution.