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Is injection molding additive manufacturing ? what is the difference between injection molding and 3d printing?
Discover the key differences between injection molding and 3D printing (additive manufacturing). Learn how injection molding works, its advantages for mass production, and when 3D printing is a better choice for prototyping and customization.
Injection molds do not belong to additive manufacturing, and they have significant differences in essence, process, and application from 3D printing (a typical technology of additive manufacturing):
The essence and manufacturing method of injection molds
Injection mold is a production tool used for mass manufacturing products made of plastic or other materials, such as plastic toys and phone cases. The manufacturing process usually adopts subtractive manufacturing (such as milling, grinding, forming by removing materials) or equal material manufacturing (such as casting, where the material volume remains basically unchanged), rather than the “layer by layer accumulation” principle of additive manufacturing.
The core difference between injection molds and 3D printing (additive manufacturing)
1. Different process principles
3D printing (additive manufacturing): Based on “layer by layer accumulation”, materials (such as plastic wire, metal powder) are stacked layer by layer through nozzles or lasers to form parts without the need for molds.
Injection mold: The mold itself is a pre-processed “cavity”. During the production, molten material is injected into the cavity, and through heating then after cooling, the molded product is taken out, relying on the “cavity filling” principle of the mold.
2. Different application scenarios
3D printing: suitable for rapid production of small batches and complex shaped parts (such as prototypes and personalized products), with low efficiency but high flexibility.
Injection mold: Suitable for large-scale standardized production, the mold production cost is higher, but once completed, the production efficiency of a single product is extremely high (multiple can be produced per minute) and quite less unit cost as well.
3. Different roles
3D printing is a technology for directly manufacturing parts, which can produce finished products or prototypes directly.
Injection mold is a production tool that does not directly produce products, but is used to assist in large-scale manufacturing of products.
In Short, 3D printing is like building blocks layer by layer, while injection molding is like making mooncakes with molds – first make the molds, and then mass produce the same shape.
Welcome to learn more details at our site in Shanghai Yunyan Prototype & Mould Manufacture Factory or email us at : info@ymolding.com
