Polycarbonate, also known as PC, is a tough plastic with extremely good impact resistance, heat resistance, and low scratch resistance. Polycarbonate injection molding refers to the process that melted polycarbonate is injected to a mold at high pressure and temperature for the creation of polycarbonate products. Custom PC injection molding services can be found in Echofast, and we will be your sincere partners.

PC Materials Properties
Materials Properties
Tensile Strength Elongation at Break Hardness Density Maximum Temp
PC (Polycarbonate) 8,000 PSI 110% Rockwell R120 1.246 g/㎤ 0.045 lbs / cu. in. 180° F
Polycarbonate Injection Molding Techniques

Listed below are some common techniques used when it comes to injection molding polycarbonate components.

Advantages of PC Injection Molding

Quick Cycle Time

Quicker cycle times can be found in Polycarbonate injection molding when compared with other processing techniques, which means it can create polycarbonate products at high production volumes and at a low cost per part. It is beneficial for consumers to get the desired shape of the particular polycarbonate mold with the most utilization of raw materials.

Aids in Producing Parts with Precise Tolerances

Injection molding calls for accuracy on the basis of the precisely controlled conditions and the required tolerances of the molds, and the compensated shrinkage during cooling.It is of vital importance to make sure that molds are designed to be slightly oversized to account for the shrinkage as the polycarbonate cools. Injection molded parts can be made to have consistent tolerances of ± 0.1 mm.

Makes it Possible to Accommodate a Range of Part Sizes

A wide range of sizes are available for the creation of parts in the process of injection molding. It is likely to make injection molded parts in almost any size with the aids of polycarbonate injection molding .

Makes for Excellent Part-to-Part Repeatability

High quality molding machines used in injection molding can produce parts with high levels of consistency.

Aids in the Mass Production of Parts

There is no better technology than injection molding in terms of the mass production of complex plastic parts, because the production rate of injection molding is significantly fast.

Aids in Avoiding Surface Flaws

The surface finish of polycarbonate is crucial for applications in high demand of optical clarity. Highly smooth surface can be seen in injection molded parts in that injection molds can be polished to a mirror finish.

Uses Raw Materials Effectively

Injection molding allows for efficient utilization of the raw materials from the beginning to the end of the process.It usually results in the minimal wastage, which is the small amount of material found in the mold runners and can be recycled.

Low Labor Costs

Injection molding can manufacture plastic parts faster than most of other production technologies.It is a highly automated process that requires very limited human intervention, which means high efficiency but low labor costs.

Makes Products With Various Designs and Shapes

Injection molding is beneficial to producing parts with a variety of designs and shapes under the correct DFM principles. It is clear that PC injection molding can meet your custom demands in the aspect of designs and shapes.

Ready to Get a Custom PC Injection Molding Quote?
Disadvantages of PC Injection Molding

Costly for Low-Volume Polycarbonate Parts

Though PC injection molding boasts quick high-volume production, it is not a feasible technology for low-volume production with any material. A high upfront investment is required to manufacture the complex injection mold ,because it must first be designed, machined, heat treated, surface hardened, and polished before it can be used.

High-Cost Raw Materials

As one of the excellent injection molding materials,PC can meet the design requirements efficiently but it is also expensive when compared with other common thermoplastics.

Difficult to Injection Mold

Because of its high viscosity, PC is a relatively complicated materials to use for injection molding. It is difficult to injection mold thin-walled or fine-featured parts without increasing the injection temperature to the point where the material faces an increased risk of chemical degradation.

PC Injection Molding Applications

Due to its outstanding strength, optical clarity, and thermal resistance, Polycarbonate is a top choice in the medical, aerospace, and consumer electronic and automotive industries.Some key application examples of polycarbonate injection molding are listed below:

  • Eyeglasses and Lenses
  • Medical Devices: catheters, syringes, and incubators
  • Electronic handheld devices
  • Electrical components
  • Appliances
  • Bulletproof glass
  • Consumer Products: kitchenware like food processor mixing bowls, for example
  • Automotive Products: exterior automotive components like car headlights
Table of Contents
Collapse
Page navigation