Injection molding is a manufacturing process where melted plastic material is injected at high pressure into a mold, resulting in a desired shape of the product
Polyolefins are the most widely used plastics for injection molding. Polyolefins that can be injection molded include low density polyethylene (LDPE), high density polyethylene (HDPE), linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE), ethylene copolymers, polypropylene and thermoplastic olefins (TPOs).
Benefits and Applications
In general, the advantages of injection molded polyolefins compared with other plastics are:
- Lightweight
- Outstanding chemical resistance
- Good toughness at lower temperatures
- Excellent dielectric properties
- Non-hygroscopic
Major application areas for polyolefin injection molding are:
- Appliances
- Automotive products
- Consumer products
- Furniture
- Housewares
- Industrial containers
- Materials handling equipment
- Packaging
- Sporting goods
- Toys and novelties
Properties
The basic properties of polyolefins can be modified with a broad range of fillers, reinforcements and chemical modifiers. Furthermore, polyolefins are considered to be relatively easy to injection mold.