Injection molding is a complex and essential manufacturing process, critical for producing parts in large volumes with precision. Whether dealing with plastics or metals, each stage—design, pre-production, and manufacturing—presents unique challenges that can significantly impact a company’s bottom line.
To explore how these challenges can be effectively addressed, we spoke with two seasoned statisticians in the injection molding industry, Björn and Andreas. They share their insights on the most pressing issues and discuss how leveraging advanced tools like Minitab's solutions can help companies not only overcome these challenges but also optimize their processes for better quality and cost efficiency.
Minitab's solutions are designed to be versatile, making them invaluable across any industry where data-driven decision-making is key. Let’s dig in to how they’re used by the experts.
LEARN MORE ABOUT the Experts:
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Björn Noreik is a Minitab Certified Trainer and Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt with over 25 years of experience optimizing manufacturing processes and products across various industries, including automotive, electronics, pharmaceuticals, and plastics. As an expert in statistical tools and machine learning approaches, Björn helps project teams enhance quality and efficiency through methodologies like Design of Experiments (DoE). He also serves on the board of the European Six Sigma Club Germany (ESSC-D) and is a jury member for the German Six Sigma Award. |
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Andreas Thümmel is a professor for applied mathematics in Darmstadt and an experienced consultant, offering training, workshops and project work to his clients. For this in 2009 he founded a company to provide this in the market. His experience is based in analyzing and optimization of complex economic and industrial data in various industries including materials science, aerospace industry, automotive, electronics, pharmaceutical, bioscience and plastics industries. His main focus is related to research, development and support based on statistical and data science approaches to improve the related developments and processes for his partners and clients. |
Would you agree with the following definition of the injection molding industry?
Injection molding is a manufacturing process* that allows for parts to be produced in large volumes. It works by injecting molten materials into a mold (or ‘mould’ in the UK). It is typically used as a mass production process to manufacture thousands of identical items. Injection molding materials include metals, glasses, elastomers and composites, although it is most commonly used with thermoplastic and thermosetting polymers. (*Source)
Björn:
Yes, this is a good description. While both plastic and metal injection molding share some basic principles, they also have significant differences.
In plastic injection molding, thermoplastic or thermosetting plastics are injected into the mold at a high temperature, cooled and shaped into the desired form. This process gives the part its final shape directly.
Metal injection molding is different. Here, metal powder is often mixed with a binder to produce a 'pre-material', which is then injected into the mold. After molding, the binder is removed and the remaining part is sintered to achieve the final shape.
In summary, while the basic principles of metal and plastic injection molding are similar, they differ significantly in materials, temperatures, process complexity, and costs. Plastic injection molding is typically chosen for high-volume production at low cost, whereas metal injection molding is used to produce complex parts with high precision.
Andreas:
This is a good definition and aligns with what we see in the industry. The injection molding process is indeed complex and varies greatly depending on the material being used. This complexity requires a flexible tool like Minitab for analysis.
Minitab is versatile and not limited to just one type of material or process. It is useful for conducting industrial mathematical studies, including statistical analysis and regression, making it applicable to various injection molding processes.
What are the most pressing challenges faced by both high-volume and low-volume injection molding manufacturers at various stages (design, pre-production, manufacturing, etc.)?
Andreas:
In pre-production, manufacturers often face challenges with customer specifications. Quick, reliable tools like Minitab are crucial for conducting Design of Experiments (DoE) and regression analysis in tight timeframes. During manufacturing, Statistical Process Control (SPC) is key for monitoring process quality and ensuring specifications are met. Real-time monitoring is essential, especially when process changes occur. In the design phase, numerical simulations with various tools are used, but connecting design and statistical analysis can be tricky, especially when defining technical functions.
Björn:
I agree with Andreas regarding the pressures related to time and costs. The design phase is critical because errors in mold design are costly to fix later. Spending time on simulation and optimizing mold settings—such as cavities and cooling channels—during pre-production helps prevent issues in mass production. Some numerical tools have limited DoE capabilities, but Minitab offers robust methods for handling complex variables.
By using advanced DoE early on, manufacturers can reduce pre-production workload and speed up the time to market, allowing engineers to focus more on new product development. Minitab Workspace helps to simplify the transition from design to production by efficiently identifying optimal settings.
From your point of view, what are the potential financial and operational risks for companies who do not address these challenges? Any stats on costs involved?
Andreas:
The primary risk would be any significant business risk, such as losing a customer, which can be devastating. Companies must strike a balance between providing the best possible quality and managing costs effectively. There’s a trade-off between investing in testing and development to achieve high quality, and keeping costs realistic, as customers are also price sensitive. Minimizing risks is crucial, but it needs to be done without excessive costs. This is where industry-standard statistical methods, such as those available in Minitab, can help manage and analyze risks effectively. Business leaders need to be aware of these risks and know how to control them.
If issues arise during production, the producer must identify and address them before they reach the customer. This is where Statistical Process Control (SPC) and parallel investigations, often conducted during the manufacturing process, come into play. Additionally, methodologies like Six Sigma or Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) can be applied to further reduce risks. Minitab is invaluable in helping companies understand and mitigate both monetary and reputational risks.
Björn:
A major risk lies in the pressure of time to market. Companies often start production with a reject rate of 10 to 15 %, which in turn can lead to high costs. In this lead process phase, stability is initially sought. Optimization follows later. If the process is stable at the beginning, production continues and adjustments are made in the meantime. But it's no secret: 'The higher the initial quality, the better the company's financial situation and reputation.'
Quick optimization leads to stronger customer relationships and repeat business. Minitab’s tools, especially in DFSS, help producers achieve high initial quality, reducing both operational risks and long-term costs. It’s important to communicate to customers that cutting corners on quality for a cheaper price could lead to even higher costs down the line.
Ultimately, it comes down to a business case: better quality may be more expensive, but it can significantly reduce costly risks. Ideally, companies should consult with their customers and find a mutually acceptable balance between quality and long-term costs.
Overcome Key Challenges with Minitab
The injection molding industry, with its intricate processes and high stakes, requires companies to maintain a delicate balance between quality and cost while navigating time-to-market pressures. As Bjorn and Andreas highlighted, failing to address these challenges can lead to significant financial and operational risks.
However, with the right tools, such as Minitab's comprehensive suite of solutions, companies can perform the critical statistical analyses needed to optimize processes, reduce costs, and enhance product quality. These benefits extend beyond injection molding, as Minitab's versatile solutions are designed to support any industry, empowering businesses to make informed decisions and remain competitive in an ever-evolving marketplace.
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