Micro Mold Tooling & Manufacturing We Know the Science Behind Micro Molding
What is Micro molding? It relates to a part that is measured in microns and is no bigger than 0.5 cubic inches. Or, it can be a very small feature on a normal sized part. Micro-features include extremely thin walls, micro-fluid channels or holes. Both micro-parts and micro-features require very small tolerances, ranging from .001 inch or tighter. They also typically have complex geometries. Being able to manufacture these parts consistently and repeatably in both prototype volumes and high production volumes (millions+ parts per year) at affordable prices is Accumold s strength.
These parts can be found in micro electronics, cell phones, telecommunications, surgical tools, hearing aids, medical devices, antennas, connectors and more. Packaging and shipping these tiny parts in lead frames and tape and reel for protection and high-speed handling are also Accumold specialties.
There is a lot of interest these days about micro-molding, micromolding, minature parts. It's got a lot of different names and it's created some confusion. There have been countless articles in the trade magazines recently and the interest has created a whole new look for the injection molding industry. But what is micro-molding? Part size is one of the obvious elements of micro-molding, but is it the only element? Or is it simply defined by the size of the injection press? What about precision, or does the part just have to be small? At Accumold we believe true micro-molding is much more than size or machine.
The figure shows an example of 2-shot micro-molding. This is a process by which two different plastic materials are shot in sync so that it requires only one single operation. Customers often look to this type of process in micro-molding to remove intense labor, create a more robust part configuration or as a cost-savings measure. Other applications such as cosmetics or touch-and-feel applications are also capable at these part sizes.
Get your FREE sample packet of Accumold micro-parts! See the fit, finish and micro-features for yourself. Who knows, maybe just sorting through some of these tiny parts will inspire your next design.
