Understanding Injection Molding Robots: Their Advantages and Role in Plastic Injection Molding Industry

August 3, 2023 by David Edwards Leave a Comment

Injection molding robots are automated devices capable of mimicking human hand and arm movements to carry out fixed programmed tasks, such as gripping, handling, or operating tools.

Specifically designed to assist injection molding machines, these robots integrate injection and gripping functionalities. In recent years, the plastic injection industry has experienced rapid development. Besides, plastic processing factories have shown keen interest in using injection molding robots.

Prototool, a large and experienced injection molding company, has been using injection molding robots on the production floor for many years. They highlight three advantages: Safety, Guaranteed Product Quality, and Improved Efficiency.

The application of injection molding robots eliminates the risk of accidents caused by labor laws and regulations.

Human contact with products is reduced, preventing burns caused by hot products.

Manual removal of products from the molds is avoided, eliminating safety hazards.

Injection molding robots have built-in mold protection features that automatically alert when products are not removed, preventing mold damage.

Automatic mold ejection by injection molding robots prevents product scratches and contamination caused by product dropping.

Manual handling may result in product damage or contamination due to unclean hands.

Inconsistent manual product removal time can lead to shrinkage and deformation of products, while injection molding robots ensure consistent product quality.

Manual product removal requires closing safety doors, which can shorten or damage the lifespan of the molding machine. The use of robots ensures injection quality and extends the machine’s lifespan.

Controlled production of products ensures timely delivery to customers, maintaining a company’s reputation and enhancing competitiveness.

The quick return on investment makes it economically viable, and the capital investment can typically be recovered within six months.

Injection molding robots significantly boost productivity and reduce production costs. They stabilize and enhance the quality of injection-molded products, preventing losses due to human errors.

As a result, the role of injection molding robots in the injection molding process has become increasingly crucial. Currently, injection molding robots are relatively simple in design, primarily used for picking and placing items.

However, with the development of the injection molding industry, more robots will be employed for multiple processes, such as loading, mixing, automatic mold handling, and waste recycling, moving toward intelligent automation.

In the injection industry, robots are generally classified based on their level of intelligence into two categories:

Injection molding robots typically consist of three main parts: the execution system, the drive system, and the control system. The execution system functions like our hands, performing the set actions.

The drive system, like our muscles, provides power support to the execution system. The control system acts as our brain, sending instructions to the execution system.

As injection molding competition intensifies, product quality and efficiency are critical for a company’s survival. The quality and efficiency of injection molding are related to the performance of the injection machine, mold technology, and surrounding environment.

As labor shortages and increasing labor costs affect human production, injection molding robots are increasingly utilized. The wide-ranging applications of automation in plastic molding include:

With diverse product characteristics, the application of automation is highly complex. Injection molding robots are becoming increasingly popular as they replace manual labor, ensuring efficient molding processes and maintaining product quality. Injection molding robots are widely used in injection molding automation.

The application of injection molding robots is continually expanding, and their technical performance is continually improving. The current development trends are as follows:

In conclusion, injection molding robots are increasingly pivotal in the plastic injection industry. They provide enhanced safety, improved product quality, and higher production efficiency.

Robots in the injection molding industry are set to expand their scope of application, and their technological capabilities will continue to advance. As the injection molding industry moves towards intelligent automation, these robots will undoubtedly contribute to more efficient and sophisticated manufacturing processes.

Filed Under: Manufacturing Tagged With: injection, molding, robots