The Complete Guide to Overmolding

29-09-2022 1988 view count

What Is Overmolding?

Overmolding is a type of plastic injection molding. The process of combining two or more different materials into a single product. The most common over-molded products are toys, medical devices, and electronic components. This is achieved by applying a secondary injection molding process to the primary injection molded part.

There are two types of plastic injection molding:

Single-cavity

Makes one-cavity mold at a time

Multi-cavity

Makes more than one mold at a time.

This creates an integrated connection between the two materials that cannot be achieved with mechanical fastening methods alone.

There are two types of Over-molding:

Insert Molding

Involves merging a substrate with an over-molding material.

Sandwich Molding

Involves linking two substrates with an over-molding material in between them.

The Benefits Of Over-molding

Over-molding has many advantages compared to other manufacturing processes. It can be used to create complex shapes that would otherwise be difficult or impossible to create. It can also improve the strength and durability of the product. Additionally, over-molding can be used to add color and texture to the product.

Increased Strength and Durability

Over-molding can make products stronger than products made by other methods. Adding layers of material in the over-molding process makes the product more resistant to damage or breakage from drops, bumps, and other accidents, improving endurance.

Improved Aesthetics

Overmolding is a process that can be used to improve the aesthetics of a product. In over-molding, the material is cast onto another material. This can be done with different colors and material textures to achieve the desired effect.

Over-molding can be used to make the product look more finished and add ergonomic features. For example, over-molding can be used to create a soft-touch surface for frequently handled products. This makes the product more enjoyable to use and improves its overall appearance.

New functionality to a product

For example, over-molding can be used to add electrical components to products that previously had no electrical components. This opens up new possibilities for how the product can be used.

Enhanced Functionality

Over-molding can be used to add new functionality to your product. For example, over-molding can be used to add electrical components to products that previously had no electrical components. This opens up new possibilities for the use of the product.

Increased Productivity

If you're looking for ways to increase your productivity, over-molding may be the answer. Over-molding is a process you can use to improve your company's productivity. It can be used to boost the number of products produced per hour. Two injection molding processes can be performed simultaneously in one mold.

Reduced Costs

Combining the two processes allows us to use less material in both the original and over-molded products. Over-molding also allows us to produce more products per hour, reducing costs and increasing productivity and sales.

Improved Environmental Impact

Over-molding is a versatile manufacturing process that improves the environmental performance of your products. Over-molding can be used to recycle and/or reuse plastics collected through waste recycling programs and allows manufacturers to use more environmentally friendly materials.

This process can be used to reduce the amount of material used in a product or recycle waste into new products. Over-molding can also be used to create more durable and long-lasting products, reducing the need for alternative products and the associated environmental impact.

Things to consider when choosing overmolding

The possibilities created by over-molding are endless. Can be added to modify the finish of a product or part. This is done by adding different colored textures, features, etc.

However, before starting over-molding, there are some important things to keep in mind to make your project effective and successful:

Machine selection
Material handling and preparation
State of the over-molding process

The Process Of Over-molding

Over-molding is the process of creating a new object by molding it around an existing object. This can be done in many different materials, the most common being plastic. Over-molding is often used to create new products with better grip or add a layer of protection to existing products.

Over-molding is a manufacturing process that molds two or more materials together. The first material is typically the substrate. As plastic or metal. A second material is molded over the first material to create the desired product. Over-molding can be done on a variety of materials including plastics, rubbers, and metals.

The first step in over-molding is creating a mold of an existing object. This can be accomplished with a 3D printer or by hand. New material is then insinuated into the mold and allowed to harden. The consequent product has a better grip than the original but is also more durable. In some cases, over-molding can be used to repair damaged objects.

Over-molding Applications

Overmolding is often used to create products with hard outer shells and soft inner cores or to add decorative elements to simple products.

Overmolding can be done on two types of molding machines:

Horizontal

Horizontal over-molding is the most common type, as it is quicker and easier to set up. In horizontal over-molding, two molds are opened horizontally and the molten plastic injects into one mold. Then close the other half of the mold over the first half and let the two halves cool together.

Vertical

Vertical over-molding involves opening the mold vertically and injecting hot plastic into one-half of the mold. The other half of the mold stays open while the first half cools. When it cools down to the touch, the first half is over.

Conclusion:

Over-molding is essential as it adds strength and support to weak and fragile products. It also allows the creation of complex shapes and designs that are difficult or impossible to achieve with other manufacturing methods.

Over-molding is a versatile and reliable manufacturing process that should be considered for any product that requires strength and durability.

And as Vapi's premier plastic mold maker, Dowell Moulds has decades of over-molding experience, so we are always ready to answer your over-molding questions.