In the world of manufacturing, the precision and quality of your products are paramount. At the heart of manufacturing, especially in industries relying on plastic components, lies the process of injection moulding. This method generally uses multiple moulds that come together and close to form a “cavity” that is the shape of the manufactured product. […]

As your concept progresses through the design and development phases, it’s important to think about how you want your product to be manufactured. If you’re looking to produce it in a large volume, then injection moulding can be the way to go. What is injection moulding? Injection moulding is a manufacturing process for producing parts […]

Are you looking for an efficient and cost-effective way to manufacture your product? Look no further than injection moulding. Injection moulding is a manufacturing process that involves injecting molten plastic into a mould to create a solid product. This process offers several advantages over other manufacturing methods. In this article, we will explore four advantages of […]

Tooling is an essential aspect of industrial design and manufacturing. Tooling refers to the process of creating tools or moulds that are used to produce a wide range of products. For beginners in the field of industrial design, tooling can seem daunting. However, with the right guidance, tooling can be an enjoyable and rewarding process. […]

Are you in the final stages of designing your product? If so, it’s time to think about manufacturing. If you’re looking to produce your product in a large volume, then injection moulding can be the way to go. In this blog, we’re giving you a comprehensive guide to injection moulding, so that you can know […]

Using recycled plastics can have big benefits, not just in reducing the overall cost of the manufacturing process but also the environmental impact it has by reducing the amount of plastic going into landfill. More often we are finding customers are wanting to use recycled plastics in the manufacture of their products. In this blog […]

So, your design is done! Looking back over your masterpiece, do you notice any overhangs or what is more affectionately known in the injection moulding industry as “undercuts”?  You may not realise that these little cliffhangers can have your design on edge, but why is this? In today’s blog, we discuss why you should try […]

Here at Dienamics, we have been pushing carbon neutral practices through the use of multiple new technologies. It is our goal to become carbon neutral and we have invested time and money into new technologies and strategies in an effort to become more eco friendly.  This year, we have invested in more solar panels for […]

Most people would hear the term tool making and assume it is about making hammers, screwdrivers and spanners. In actual fact a toolmaker is a trade professional who builds Moulds, Dies and jigs. They are an essential part of product development and the manufacturing of plastic products. If you’re looking to get your product developed, […]

Last week’s blog was all about Cold Runner Systems, this week, it’s time you learnt all about the alternate option – Hot Manifold Systems!  To reiterate last week’s blog, the runner system is what controls the distribution of the plastic from the moulding machine’s nozzle to the tool cavities. If you haven’t already read it […]

  With tooling having so many influential aspects that change the quality and cycle time of your part, it’s understandable to feel overwhelmed and want to learn more. One of these influential aspects is the runner system. The runner system controls the distribution of the plastic through the nozzle to the cavities. There are two […]

Injection moulding is one of the most popular methods for manufacturing and mass producing plastic products. It can be used for a wide range of plastic products, from a button for your shirt, to parts for a car.  If you’re thinking of using injection moulding to produce your product, the first step is to choose […]

Have you ever gotten an injection? A flu shot? A vaccine? Anaesthetic? If the answer is yes then it’s almost guaranteed that a plastic injection moulded syringe was used.    With plastic manufacturing becoming more reliable after WW2, the use of plastics in consumables began to become common practice, and with this even more progress […]

Once your product has been designed, prototyped and you’ve ironed out any issues, it’s time to think about manufacturing. There are a few different techniques that could be used to manufacture your product. To decide which process is best for your product, think about: Market demand for your product Availability of resources The amount of […]

Two highly effective and time-tested manufacturing techniques are Injection Moulding and Rotomoulding. Both techniques have their own distinct advantages and disadvantages and may or may not be suitable for your moulding requirements. 

As your concept progresses through the design and development phases, it’s important to think about how you want your product to be manufactured.

When it comes to injection moulding, there are many factors you need to consider to make sure you are putting the tool in a suitable machine and tonnage is an important one!

Investing in tooling is one of the most crucial steps for successful mass production. Throughout the working life of an injection moulding tool, it will wear from the repetitive high-pressure injection of hot molten plastic; and when I say repetitive, I mean it – the tools we do for our customers are made to last one million shots!

Let’s take a look at a product we worked on here at Dienamics -the MK1 MAXTRAX off road vehicle recovery track.

We often get asked, are all steels the same? In fact, it’s one of our frequently asked questions. The short answer (and the one featured in our FAQs) is – No, there are different grades and hardness of steels. Hard steels tend to last longer but are more difficult to machine and heat treat. But […]

Creating a perfect part begins with creating the perfect mould. Easier than it sounds.

The plastic injection moulding process is highly technical, and by no means an easy job. There’s a lot of room for expensive error, which can range from minor defects to major issues that could affect your product’s performance, desired design result, and safety.

  Plastic injection moulding is by far the most popular method for producing mass manufactured plastic products – though if you’re new to the design and manufacturing game, here’s a quick recap. An injection moulding machine has a few main elements; a material feeder, called a ‘hopper,’ where plastic granules are poured; a heated barrel […]

For some, the cosmetic appearance of a part is the last thing on your mind. It might be that the part is being used internally, hidden from view, or the appearance is not a key point of sale for your part or product. But for many, the cosmetic appearance is of great importance, and something […]

The Dienamics team has recently welcomed two new machines to the workshop! Both new machines offer excellent energy-saving capabilities and are a huge step in the right direction for Dienamics becoming a more environmentally friendly manufacturer. The machines are 90 tonne and 160 tonne. Tonnage, also known as clamping force, is the measurement which represents […]

If you’re a manufacturer of products that utilise plastic parts or you’re in the process of becoming a manufacturer, it’s likely you’ve considered getting a quote for injection moulding. As injection moulders, we are known for our ability to help product engineers get their item to market efficiently and cost-effectively. Obtaining an injection moulding quote […]

How does an Autoloading Hopper work? An autoloading Hopper is just like a regular hopper, except that it can load material from storage bags around the machine. It does that by using a vacuum placed on top of the hopper. This vacuum is caused by a fan, connected to an electric motor. As the fan […]

How does a Sprue Picker work? A sprue picker is a piece of specialized machinery that picks the sprue out of an injection mould, usually as the parts are being ejected. The sprue picker can then drop the sprue to either the operator side or the far side of the injection moulding machine. Now let […]

How does a Regrinder work? A regrinder or plastic granulator is an electrically powered series of grinding blades, which takes plastic and chops them up into little pieces, commonly referred to as regrind. This regrind is a major step in any plastics recycling scheme. It takes what was reject or waste plastic and breaks it […]

Peter Reid, a Senior Research Engineer from the CSIRO, had a problem. As part of a research project at Pullenvale, Peter was developing a machine that helped to map and survey mine sites using advanced technologies. Requirements He was using LiDAR and other light-based sensors to survey the mine. What he needed was an optically […]

How does wire cutter work? A wire cutter (also known as a wire EDM) is based off the same principle as a traditional EDM. It uses an electrode, which is electrically charged, so that when it comes close to a conductive material, the electricity wants to jump across to it. This causes a spark, which […]

Warpage: it’s the bane of the designer when it comes to injection moulding. Warpage occurs when cooling of the part is inconsistent. A section of the part will set whilst another remains molten. The set area will restrict the proper setting of the still molten area, resulting in warped parts that must be rejected or […]

  How do Surface Grinders work? A Surface Grinder grinds down metal surfaces to be perfectly flat and level. It’s an abrasive machining process, which uses a grinding wheel which is spinning at high speed to grind away differences in height. Grinding wheels are usually made of a composite material. This composite is usually some […]

How does an Injection Moulding Press work? An Injection Moulding Press or Injection Moulding machine is a rather complicated, fully automated piece of machinery. An injection moulding machine makes moulded plastic parts quickly and with a high degree of repeatability. The plastic parts can be made from a range of different plastics for different purposes. […]

Breathing – Most people don’t give it a second thought. But for some of us, something as simple as taking a breathe is not so straightforward. The team at AirPhysio knew they could help. The idea They developed the concept for the AirPhysio Oscillating Positive Expiratory Pressure (OPEP) device. Like all good ideas, the concept […]

What is Machining and Milling?  Machining is an umbrella term for a range of process which generally use cutting blades to cut away material from a workpiece. These can by computer-controlled machines (called CNC) or operator controlled machines (called conventional). The common element of both CNC and conventional mills is that they have a cutter […]

Injection moulds are curious machines. They are the basis for one of the most efficient and widespread manufacturing processes ever devised. They create parts with such speed and repeatability that we can’t help but take their output for granted. They are so effective that it’s easy to judge them in the same way we judge […]

How does an EDM work? An EDM (or Electrical Discharge Machine) burns conductive metals by creating a spark erosion between a copper (or graphite) electrode which is electronically charged, and a workpiece which is not electronically charged. In general terms, a machinist will make an electrode which will be used as the “cutting piece” in […]

The world’s first fully synthetic plastic was bakelite, invented in 1909 in New York by Leo Baekeland, who also coined the term ‘plastics’. Before that, semi-synthetic plastic products like celluloid and PVC rocked the late 19th century. The invention of parkesine in 1862 led the course and started a wave of plastic production that shaped […]

Product timeline: 2001 – Brad McCarthy loses a car on the beach 2004-2005 – MaxTrax is tested. 2005 – MaxTrax hits the market! 15 years ago, Brad McCarthy got his 4WD stuck in soft sand. As a keen 4WD adventurer who knew South East Queensland’s trails like the back of his hand, the bog wasn’t […]

Fundamentally, Lathes do the opposite of what most other machines do. Lathes spin the workpiece at a high speed and move a stationery cutter into the workpiece. As such it’s important to know how Lathes work. Firstly, Lathes only have 1 axis of rotation, so if the part your working on isn’t largely symmetrical along […]

At it’s most basic level, a milling machine is a cutter (called an endmill), that rotates on an axis (called a spindle) and can accurately move in a variety of ways, usually parallel and perpendicular to the work piece, as well vertically up and down. Turret Mills are unique in that it works vertically, however […]

Injection moulding is a versatile process and can be applied to almost any product. Although injection moulding is the industry standard for fabricating parts for products, it is not without its holdups. There are a few basic limitations to be taken into account. Here’s eight rules to follow when designing your product to ensure quality […]

The basic concept behind rapid Tool Design for injection moulding has remained unchanged for the past 20 years. However, it is important to understand this basic concept to ensure success with injection moulding. This article will outline the four steps to success in rapid injection moulding product design.

An injection moulding machine is a complex piece of machinery that creates one solid part by injecting molten materials through a reciprocating screw system into a mould. This machine is made of many components; it is primarily consisted of a hopper, a barrel containing a reciprocating screw, temperature control devices, a clamping unit and the […]

An injection mould is the key to creating a successful one-piece finished plastic or metal component. Melted material is forced from the injection moulding machine into the mould (which is usually cool) where it sets. The result is a solid piece of the material which may be a component to, or the whole of, a […]

Injection moulding is an efficient and effective way of producing quality goods. The process is simple in concept, but intricate details can have big impacts on costs, particularly on large production runs.

Undercuts. No Plastic Injection Moulder wants them and every DIY part design has them. Undercuts, are part and parcel of what we do here at Dienamics. Most of our clients are looking to create or improve their own products, but are restrained to a strict budget. So, one of the first things we look for […]

Gas Assisted Injection Moulding is a highly technical form of injection Moulding, that uses both plastic and gas (usually nitrogen) to fill an injection mould under pressure. The main benefit of this manufacturing process is that it’s ability to form hollow parts in the cycle time of injection moulding machines. The basic process of Gas […]

A sad fact of injection moulding and plastics manufacturing in general, is that plastic shrinks. And sometimes it shrinks a lot. So as plastic Injection moulders we’ve learnt to deal with shrinkage and today we are going to share a few of our tips and tricks to avoid excessive shrinkage and explain a bit about […]

In this article, we’re talking about gates. And no, not the kind that you shut behind you when you’re leaving the farm. In plastic injection moulding a Gate is where the molten plastic enters the cavity of the tool. That’s to say it’s different from the sprue or runner. Sprues and runners are simply there […]

Threads are critical in Injection Moulding. Not only do they require more complexity in the tool design, the resulting plastic part must work perfectly, with next to no warpage and align perfectly when assembled. It’s important that you get it right the first time, so in this article we’ll explore what you need to know […]

We’ve previously mentioned the importance of wall sections in our article about Ribs in Injection Moulding so in this article we’re going to go greater depths with that subject. We’ll talk about the basic process of injection moulding and how it relates to wall thickness, then outline some of the problems that may occur due to […]

Living Hinges, it sounds weird, right? Especially when you are talking about plastic product. There’s nothing “living” about plastic. In this article, we are going to unpack the Living Hinges (also known as integral hinges) in Injection Moulding and why they should be in your product. A living hinge is basically a thin bridge of […]

  Let’s talk about bosses. And no, not the ones whipping you to do more work, but the rather helpful ones in plastic injection moulding. Bosses are design elements that strengthen parts. We’re going to unpack why you should have bosses, how to design them appropriately and some common part failures which can be avoided […]

Flashing is one of the most common flaws found in injection moulded parts. Flash is fine, feathery sections that stick out from a finished part, usually at right angles to the wall section they connect to. What causes it? Sneaky plastic, that’s what. Technically, flash is plastic that has escaped from the mould cavity along […]

Crack open almost any plastic shape and you will the internal volume is mostly air, and anything that actually does any work inside the part is reinforced by a strange pattern of thin little walls. Those little joining walls are called ribs, and they are one of the most important and powerful parts of any […]

We have previously discussed some general ways to classify steel. In this article we are going to dive into the specific types of steel we use to make your products, why we use them, and what they mean to you. The first thing to do is clear up some confusion. You may be thinking, “But […]

When you’re developing your product, the designer might come to you and say “I want to reduce the wall thickness in your part” even though you’ve said time and time again that you want a strong durable product. So why do designers push for thin walls? Let’s find out… There are three main reasons injection […]

Flow Lines are a family of cosmetic flaws which can occur in injection moulded plastic parts. We would like to share our experience with you to aid you in spotting these flaws, and understanding how to avoid them The Flow Line family of visible marks can be defined as marks which make the route the […]

Die Casting is the injection of molten metal into a Die (similar to a Mould) under pressure to create complex parts out of metal. Die Casting is conceptually very similar to injection moulding – just with molten metal instead of plastic. Die Casting is primarily a mass production method, where the costs of setting up […]

Manufacturing is an industry that walls itself off with dense jargon. As a result, it carries a perception of high risk; what you don’t understand, you can’t control the costs of. This makes those looking to manufacture – and even those who may already be manufacturing – feel iffy about high upfront costs. For a […]

Injection moulding is an affordable, versatile, and efficient manufacturing process that has earned an admirable place within the business of any production company. It’s used to make everything from Gameboys to gears, and with the process standing as one of the best options for businesses developing products. There’s a myriad of benefits to swapping over […]

Part design can be a difficult process, particularly when you’re in charge of the business. And while it may be tempting to go for cheap substitutes and stick with formulaic designs, at the end of the day it’s your business that suffers. We’re going to take a look at the advantages of involving the tool […]

Sink marks are a common manufacturing flaw found in injection moulded parts. Here is how to identify them, and avoid them.

Injection moulding is one of the most widely used polymer-moulding techniques in the world. It is used to produce everything from automotive parts and gear transmissions to furniture and household items. Cost factors One of the reasons why injection moulding has been so widely used is due to its cost benefits. The injection-moulding process is […]

Plastic injection moulding is used to produce everything from vehicle parts and bodies to buttons on clothing. The impact of plastic injection moulding is visible in the daily lives of millions of people, with the average household containing a number of items created through this vital manufacturing process. However, few people understand just how plastic […]

The modern human owes many of his or her daily conveniences to the technique known as plastic injection moulding. This manufacturing technique has been in use since the 19th century. Key steps Key steps in the plastic injection moulding process include clamping, injection and cooling: Clamping keeps the mould in place under heating and other […]

Plastics are used for their versatility and flexibility in application. They can be used in everything from body parts to automotive components. The process of creating these parts involves a moulding process, and these are some of the most common types of moulding techniques in use. Blowmoulding This type of moulding is suitable for hollow […]

Injection moulding is a plastics moulding methodology that is known for its reliability. It is widely used, with applications from large pieces to small computer components. These are some of the key industries in which injection moulding is widely used. Computing and electrical industries Computing and electrical parts use plastic components to hold moving parts […]

Drinktec 2013 was held during the month of September. This year, the Munich exhibition showcased injection moulding machines by Arburg and Engel. Engel Engel showed its e-cap 3440/380 injection-moulding machine that had a 72-cavity mould. The mould was created by z-moulds, a specialist Austrian toolmaker. The cell has the capacity to produce 1.8g still water […]

A new paper by The Linde Group has revealed that carbon dioxide (CO2) can be used to cut cooling cycles and overall production cycles in injection moulding. The white paper is concerned with the manufacturing technique of gas assist injection moulding, which traditionally uses nitrogen as the gas of choice. However, the paper revealed that […]

Very recently, an old relic has resurfaced from the ‘90s electronics junk heap to become useful once again: the plastic injection moulds that were used to make the plastic components for the Atari Jaguar. These moulds, which cost Atari US$250,000 to design and build in the first place, were part of a “tooling package” that […]

Until recently, most third party inspectors have used a fixed-base Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) to inspect the accuracy of plastic injection-moulded refrigerator parts. 3D Engineering Solutions, an ISO 17025 certified third-party inspector, has since announced the successful use of new scanning technology that captures millions of data points during inspection rather than just hundreds. Rob […]

For a lot of companies, products are their main source of revenue. Therefore, it makes sense that the process behind their product design should be done with great effectiveness and efficiency. Before hitting the shelves, a product must go through various types of process and one of them is plastic injection moulding.

Most plastic products are created using a common manufacturing technique called ‘plastic injection moulding‘. During this process the raw material, some form of plastic, is completely melted and then inserted into a special mould. Then the material is cooled and expelled immediately. Most of the plastic items and products we use in our everyday lives […]

Most people are not aware of what plastic injection machinery is. In terms of product design, all of us are surrounded by plastic objects made with plastic injection machines – such as water bottles, telephone handsets, CD covers, dust bins, electric outlets and a lot more. Did you ever realize that these commonly used items […]

A lot of people go through life with no real interest in the ‘behind the scenes’ stuff. They don’t want to know where their dinner came from, they just want to know it’s in front of them. They have a similar opinion on everything from how their car works to the physics that drive our […]

As you look around your garage, you probably see an assortment of tools and materials that could all be used in some way to make something, whether it’s a basic table for the backyard or something far more complex. Tools are the backbone of modern industry and trade, and while they are essential in almost […]

Today, plastic injection moulding is responsible for the creation of products as varied as buttons and toys to state of the art computer touch screens and parts for aerospace products. A versatile and incredibly useful process, plastic injection moulding has paved the way for modern invention and design, and is something the world today could […]

Though we may not realise it, many of us are capable of inventing something truly life changing.  At some point or another, most of us have come up with an idea for how something could work better, or more efficiently, and a few of us have come up with a completely novel idea. The difference […]

The evolution of toolmaking can in many ways be shown to reflect the evolution of human society. Methods of manufacturing and product design have driven change for thousands of years. In fact, the periods before recorded history (known as ‘pre-history’) have been named after the materials with which the tools of that time were made, […]

Steel is all around us. It is used in major constructions such as skyscrapers, stadiums, roads and railways, as well as smaller product designs such as bolts, nails and screws. Those who have never paid close attention, however, may not have any idea of how steel is made — or indeed, that it needs to […]

Injection moulding is a manufacturing method where plastics are shaped (or ‘moulded’) to form all kinds of objects that we use in our everyday lives. If you’ve ever sat on some plastic lawn furniture, unscrewed a plastic bottle cap or combed your hair with a plastic comb, then you’ve probably used an item that was […]

Role of the tool maker. A tool maker understands the product design and creates parts, tools and dyes to be used in the manufacture of these designs. The tool maker’s advice may also influence the industrial designer – so that the idea can be made easier to manufacture. The tool maker will typically work in […]

Die casting is a very versatile process for producing highly engineered metal parts. Molten metals are forced into reusable steel moulds. These moulds are often called dies, and are designed to produce the complicated shapes that we see in many consumer products ranging from kids toys to automotive parts. The dies, are essentially the reverse […]

For those of you who want to know a little more about plastic injection moulding, this article will attempt to explain, in layman’s terms, exactly what this means. Basically, injection moulding is a process that was first designed in the 1930s. Up until then die casting, or the process by which metals are cast from […]

Steel is a catch-all phrase use to describe a group of iron alloys. These alloys all have one thing in common: malleability. Steels can all be melted down and used in the injection moulding process to create everyday items. Steels can be cast directly into moulds, or can be made into other forms which allow […]

Plastics are the common name for man made polymers. Chemically, these materials are made up of a single unit, the monomer, which will link up with millions of itself to form long chains. The length of these chains, if they have many branches, and how tightly they wrap together determine the physical properties of the […]

Bosses are small cylindrical elements in a design. They are used for accepting screws or other fastening components (threaded inserts usually). Essentially they are locating, mounting and assembly devices built in to the design of the part and if not for accepting screws, will attach to the mating part of another component of the design. […]

When you’re developing your product, the designer might come to you and say “I want to reduce the wall thickness in your part” even though you’ve said time and time again that you want a strong durable product. So why do designers push for thin walls? Let’s find out…

The concept of injection moulding is simple enough. First, the moulder fills the machine with plastic pellets. Then colorants are added to create the desired colour (we can do just about any colour by the way, even metallic hues). After that the plastic is heated up to its melting point, liquefying it. The molten plastic […]

To ensure a successful finished product, you need to be aware of the process that goes into making your component. This should be at the forefront of your mind when considering the design of your part. Injection moulding will provide you with the component you want, and if you are able to consider its process […]

When designing for manufacture with injection moulding, there are still more guidelines to be taken into consideration. The easier it is for the Toolmakers to create your mould, the faster your turnaround time will be, increasing the speed that your product will be out there for consumers. Here’s 10 more design guidelines to follow when […]

There are many factors to consider when designing for manufacture through injection moulding. You need to make sure your product can be accurately and consistently produced, yet it may need particular features or parts that will require extra efforts on the part of the Toolmakers. To ensure your design is smooth and the injection mould […]

Injection moulding can do almost anything. This technology, created in the 1940s and constantly refined, allows for incredible flexibility in product design and has effectively revolutionised mass production. Injection moulding is the process of forcing molten materials into a mould or die. The material is then cooled, the finished result taking on the physical characteristics […]