Kaysun Blog

The first injection molding process of the 1800s was run on manual machines and was itself very basic. Plastic was forced through a heated cylinder and into a mold using a plunger. Pressure and time were the main predictors of success, but it was dubious. There was no consistent way to measure the manual process of squeezing plastic into the shape of the mold.

Popular across many industries, overmolding may initially appear to simply enhance the aesthetics of a device, adding a contrasting color or texture. However, overmolding’s lightweight functionality also elevates ergonomics, deadens vibration, and improves a device’s grip and feel.

The 1,250 landfills in the United States are projected to reach maximum capacity within the next few decades. Pair that with the fact that, globally, 91% of plastic waste isn’t recycled, and the devastation of the eco-crisis becomes shockingly real.

Protecting the planet is everyone’s responsibility, including — and perhaps especially — corporations routinely using eco-sensitive materials. As a custom injection molder, Kaysun handles thousands of tons of plastics annually which are processed into injection-molded parts.

Often, complex applications requiring custom injection molding have design and/or materials characteristics that need specialized manufacturing, as in the case of tight tolerances. An experienced injection molder has solutions to address all types of scenarios, but scientific molding expertise adds unique value.

Mention “high-temperature thermoplastic” and chances are that polyether ether ketone (PEEK) comes to mind. Its high heat tolerance, mechanical strength, and chemical resistance make PEEK resin ideal for many demanding applications including those in the automotive, electronics, aerospace, medical, and other markets. But is it the only choice?

In theory and practice, industrial automation has been part of the U.S. manufacturing sector for decades. The data-driven world of Industry 4.0 and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) has given rise to production lines attended by smart robots and technologies alongside their human counterparts — and a host of benefits. Enhanced injection molding process control, faster production and secondary operations, lower error rates, and safer workers all have some connection to automation.

On-time delivery (OTD). Suppliers are defined by it. Industrial buyers demand it. A recent study about supplier sourcing confirms it, reporting that “delivery performance” is the most important factor buyers consider when compiling supplier shortlists.

Undoubtedly OTD carries clout. However, when delivery performance and unprecedented circumstances collide, suppliers either live up — or down — to their OTD reputations.

In a perfect world, supply chain management is cost effective and seamless. Materials, inventories, services, production, and distribution flow as anticipated with minimal difficulty.

It’s been a far from perfect world since 2020.

Global supply chain disruptions have altered the course of business in all industries. Plastics is certainly no exception. The resin shortage continues to dictate aspects of injection molding supply and demand. Manufacturers are left to deal with the aftermath of force majeure, raw materials unavailability, prolonged lead times, and escalating costs.

For decades, U.S. manufacturers leveraged the benefits of globalization. The lower costs, lower wages, and competitive final product price points of the global supply chain were powerful incentives for using overseas suppliers.¹

But 2020 changed everything.

Pandemic-related import shortages, fuel and freight cost spikes, and extended delivery-time delays made the once-attractive total cost of offshoring much less appealing to OEMs. The low bottom-line price of an overseas supplier no longer outweighed the benefits of partnering with U.S.-based suppliers. Manufacturers migrated production — and a projected 350,000 jobs in 2022 alone — back to the United States.²