Injection Moulding

Desktop injection moulding is a manufacturing process where molten plastic is injected into a mould to create precise, detailed parts. This technique is commonly used for prototyping and low-volume production, offering a fast and cost-effective way to produce small plastic components.

At the SHU Digital Workshops, we can 3D print moulds and use recycled plastic for injection, making the process more sustainable and customizable for a variety of projects.

How does it work?

Shredder

Parts are loaded into the shredder and cut into smaller pieces by turning the handles. Shredded plastic comes out the bottom of the machine, ready to be used in the injection moulder.

Injection Moulder

Plastic granules are loaded into the hopper and heated to required temperature.

A mould (either CNC machined or 3D printed) is centered below the injection nozzle.

Once the plastic is hot enough to flow, the handle is pulled down and material is injected into the mould.

Once the plastic has had time to cool slightly, the mould can be opened and the part revealed, and the process repeats as many times as needed.

How do I make a mould?

We can either use a 3D printed mould, using a glass filled resin on the Formlabs SLA printers, or CNC a mould in Sheaf.

Design wise, you can design a mould from your CAD design of your part, or we can 3D scan a physical part, and use the scan to create a mould. If you're unsure, come and speak to a technician and we can advise.

How to Access Equipment

3D scanning is technician driven, please contact us to use this equipment.

How much does it cost?

There is no cost to use the injection moulder. If you're happy to use recycled PLA, there's also no charge. If you're wanting a specific colour or material we can discuss costs, for example 1kg of Polypropylene (PP) is around £10.