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Parts Developed to Your Specific Needs and Applications

Custom plastic molding is the process by which we take your idea or protective need that cannot be solved with an existing part and create a solution for you. You may already have a concept in mind for a product, or you may need us to create one for you. Either way, we have the experience and technology in house to exceed expectations from conceptual idea right through to production.

Polymer Molding is a full-service custom plastic injection molder. Whether you’ve invented a small plastic part that you need to have produced or have a threaded or non-threaded part that needs a customized protective cap or plug solution, we are here for you. You tell us what specifications need to be met, and how you need the part to function, and we’ll do the rest. We can work from your drawings and design prints or you can send us your part that needs protected and we will take care of the entire design process for you.

Part Design

Designing a custom molded plastic part can be as simple as adding or removing a feature from an existing part or as complex as creating new pieces that move, screw, or snap into place. Polymer Molding has a decades-long history of designing one-of-a-kind parts, many of which have earned patents for solving problems in unique ways. We have seen it all, and our experience means that we know how to make sure your part fits and functions the way you want and need it to without any unnecessary features or costs. Every aspect of designing your part will have an impact on how the finished product will perform. We know how to take into consideration every detail from the material properties to the tooling function and molding processes to ensure that you’re getting the best value possible in addition to an aesthetically pleasing part. Rapid prototyping from your final drawing is available through 3-D printing technology. 

Standard Materials List

  • Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE)
  • High Density Polyethylene (HDPE)
  • Polypropylene (PP)
  • Nylon
  • Polyethylene Terephthalate (PETG)
  • Vinyl PVC
  • Non-Phthalate Vinyl PVC
  • High-Temperature Vinyl PVC
  • Thermo-Plastic Rubbers (Santoprene, etc.)
  • Silicone Rubbers
  • Additional Rubber Material
    • Natural Rubber
    • Acrylonitrile Butadiene Rubber (Nitrile)
    • Styrene-Butadiene Rubber (SBR)
    • Butyl Rubber (IIR)
    • Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (M-Class) Rubber (EPDM)
    • Hydrogenated Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (HNBR)
    • Polychloroprene Rubber (Neoprene)
    • Fluoropolymer Elastomers (Viton)

Tool Design and Engineering

The tool is the mold or die in which the material is formed. It is a negative cavity in the shape of the part with precise dimensions to compensate for how the selected material will behave once injected and cooled. Depending on your production needs, you may require one or several tools for your custom molded plastic part. Using a higher number of tools will cost a little more up front, but if you plan to produce a lot of products over an extended period of time, running additional cavities will keep the price per piece significantly lower and save a lot of money in the long run. 

The tools are fitted into a mold base that allows them to operate as one unit while in the injection molding machines. Mold bases are costly, so whenever possible, we will design and build insert tooling that can be retrofitted into an existing Polymer Molding mold base, saving you from having to purchase the entire mold. You will own the tools, while the expense of the mold base, repairs and maintenance remain the responsibility of PMI.

Because we help you design your custom molded plastic component with the entire process in mind, the efficiency of the tool design and process development will reflect the knowledge of our engineers. Our expertise mean that your tool is designed utilizing the most appropriate manifold systems, runner systems, molding processes and functionality for your part, without any unnecessary costly features. Advanced software programs create a smooth transition from technical design to exact precision in the tool room. 

Tool Building

Polymer Molding houses a fully-operational tool building and mold maintenance department with a full team of class A tool makers. Our skilled craftsmen have decades of experience and are accustomed to producing precise quality tooling that meets or exceeds the most stringent specifications. Using a range of high-quality steel, each job is matched to the best metals for its intended processes. CNC and manual machines are expertly utilized along with Precision Optical Laser Engraving machines, laser and tig welders, and EDM. Heat treating, grinding, polishing, and plating capabilities allow us to create and care for your tools properly so they last as long as you need them to.

Lean Molding

Our new, multi-million dollar facility includes the addition of a full line of Sumitomo Demag electric machines and presses that range from 67 through 315 tons with up to a 60 ounce shot size. These high-speed, quick change-over machines are manned by only one employee and are able to produce millions of cost-effective molded plastic components daily. It is our belief that by utilizing the optimum size equipment, our customers are assured of a quality part produced from the most efficient and cost effective equipment possible. 

Tool Maintenance

Polymer Molding maintains the responsibility and cost for the upkeep of your custom tools for as long as your parts are in production. Every single time your mold is used, our skilled change-over department will fully clean and inspect the tools and base, checking for any needed re-plating or repairs before carefully storing it until its next use. That way, your tool is always production-ready when you need it to be.

Secondary Operations

Whether functional, cosmetic, or in preparation for redistribution, there are often secondary operations that need to be performed on a part after the molding process is completed. Polymer Molding has a full secondary operations department that is focused entirely on meeting these needs.

At times, a proprietary or custom part will require some sort of modification to function properly in a certain application. An action as simple as punching a hole or cutting a slice into an existing part may be able to eliminate the need to purchase new tooling. Part modification should be the first option explored if an existing part cannot fully meet the functional needs of your application. Drilling, pre and post insert molding, thread tapping, grinding and machining are just some of the other options available for this cost-effective way to develop non-standard solutions. Cutting rolls of netting to length, assembling customized kits, labelling and pad printing are also available.

When a molded part is just a portion of a completed product, the secondary operations department will complete the process for you. From basic part assembly and O-ring installations to hardware applications and utilizing mechanical fasteners, we save you valuable time and labor costs by completing these tasks before your parts arrive at your facility. If you are a distributor and intend to sell our products in smaller quantities, the secondary operations department offers small-quantity bagging services as well as custom labelling to your specifications. There are constantly new ways that we are utilizing secondary operations to make our customers’ jobs easier and the possibilities are endless. Contact the sales department today to discuss the optimal solution for your objectives.

Quality Control and Assurance

Polymer Molding is ISO 9001: 2015 certified

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is a worldwide non-governmental network of national standards bodies that develop and publish international standards. Compliance with these standards ensures PMI is utilizing the best possible business processes and quality management systems possible to meet customer expectations and deliver exceptional levels of customer satisfaction.

Our quality department utilizes state-of-the-art technology, a layered inspection model, and a Statistical Process Control (SPC) methodology of quality monitoring to assure compliance at every level of the manufacturing process. By utilizing measuring equipment that detects and extracts measurement points rather than relying on human vision, our dimensional results are consistent from one inspection to the next, regardless of the operator. Because all points are measured simultaneously, inspections are faster, more efficient and able to be performed much more frequently.

From the time a mold is set-up in a machine to the end of a production run, the quality assurance process is in motion. An inspector evaluates the first parts produced after the mold set-up to verify that the product meets quality specifications before approving the run for production. While in production, the machine operator is performing ongoing visual inspections of the product produced by their machines. Periodically throughout the run, an in-process inspector obtains and performs visual, dimensional, functional inspections and tests on the product, as required. Before the parts are sealed into their cartons, a final visual inspection is performed, quantities are verified and label accuracy is confirmed.

Our quality department utilizes the Statistical Process Control (SPC) method of measuring and controlling quality by closely monitoring and tracking statistical information throughout the manufacturing process. Data is collected from processes, product measurements and various machines and then used to evaluate, monitor and control the process. As raw material costs continue to increase, we must be diligent about minimizing our overhead and other costs for our customers. We cannot control material expenses, but we can control our internal processes and by using SPC, Polymer Molding is able to monitor these processes for performance and efficiency during production, eliminating the possibility of non-conforming product and scrap. In the long run, this keep costs down by preventing quality issues as opposed to detecting them- a savings we are happy to pass on to our customers.

At Polymer Molding, we realize that the quality of our product is the heart of what we do, and our quality team is skilled, knowledgeable and ready to assist you. Our full-time quality compliance specialist has the expertise to accurately and efficiently provide you with any necessary certifications or reports, including Production Part Approval Process (PPAP), Initial Sample Inspection Report (ISIR), First Article Inspection Report (FAIR), International Material Data System (IMDS), Proof of Report, Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (Reach) or Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) compliance, or any other documentation you may need.

Connect With Us

Polymer Molding Inc.
1655 West 20th Street
Erie, PA 16502

Phone: 814.455.8085
Toll Free: 800.344.7584
Fax: 888.257.5566

Committed to a Better Customer Experience

When you call Polymer Molding Inc. during normal business hours, your call will be answered by a live person, every time. It is our sincere commitment to lead the market in exceptional customer service, because you deserve to do business with a company that truly cares about you and your product needs. Our knowledgeable, friendly and helpful sales and customer service representatives will take the time to help you select the best parts for your applications at the most competitive prices in the industry. We are here to answer questions, process your orders, and prepare your shipments quickly and efficiently. Click the button below to compare our pricing and see the Polymer Molding difference.

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