Design for Sustainability: Optimising Plastic Injection Moulding Processes

Read time: 9 minutes | Published on: 28 November 2023

Insights

Optimising plastic injection moulding processes to align with sustainability principles is crucial in today's environmentally conscious climate. By reducing waste, energy consumption, and the environmental impact associated with plastic production, manufacturers can play a pivotal role in promoting a more sustainable future. Our guide covers:

Optimising Plastic Injection Moulding Processes for Sustainability

How can manufacturers optimise injection moulding processes to have a lower carbon impact? It involves strategic decisions, process optimisations, and responsible resource management.

For more information about plastic injection moulding, read our guide What is plastic injection moulding and how does it work?

Now let’s take a look at the key factors to consider to make the process more sustainable.

Choosing Materials and Bio-Based Polymers

Manufacturing with recycled materials, such as recycled plastics, or choosing bio-based materials can significantly reduce the carbon footprint of injection-moulded products.

For example, Essentra makes a number of LDPE components, including tapered caps and plugs, corner protectors, tube end plugs and tube end caps, from 98% recycled plastic. The additional 2% is made up of colourants.

Get more information in Essentra Components Achieves 50/50 Ratio of Recycled Content and Virgin Plastics in LDPE Product Range.

Essentra is also investing in research and development projects, such as our Centre of Excellence at our UK headquarters, focusing on more sustainable alternatives to virgin polymers. Specifically, we’re trialing materials such as bio-based polymers derived from plants and biodegradable additives blended with recycled and virgin resins. Read more in Climate change and sustainable manufacturing.

Choosing recycled or recyclable materials in injection moulding can help reduce the environmental impact of manufacturing and processing materials. These materials, while occasionally more expensive upfront, can deliver energy savings or a longer product lifespan.

Implementing Design for Manufacturability for Efficiency and Waste Reduction

Design for Manufacturability (DFM) is a critical approach for enhancing efficiency and reducing waste in manufacturing processes. DFM focuses on designing products in a way that makes them easier and more cost-effective to produce.

This involves emphasising simplicity in product design. Reduce the number of components and complex geometries, which can lead to increased manufacturing complexity and waste. Streamlining the design can also reduce the risk of defects.

Also important is minimising material waste by optimising part design and mould layout. This includes using efficient nesting techniques to reduce scrap material and designing parts with minimal excess material or trimming requirements. Carefully define tolerances for parts and components. By avoiding overly tight tolerances, you can prevent rework or scrap. Proper tolerance management ensures that parts fit together as intended without excessive adjustments.

Standardising components and processes wherever possible reduces the need for custom parts and minimises tooling changes, making manufacturing more efficient and cost-effective.

Read more about the environmental impact of injection moulding in our guide, Is Injection Moulding Environmentally Friendly?

Balancing Cost and Sustainability Considerations in Design

By treating cost-effectiveness and sustainability as synergistic goals, manufacturers can gain a competitive edge while minimising their carbon footprint.

Start with an early integration of sustainability. From the project's inception, prioritise sustainability as a fundamental requirement alongside cost considerations. This approach facilitates the identification of cost-effective sustainable solutions. For instance, products with lower energy consumption during use can cut operational costs and carbon emissions.

Conduct a comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA) of your application. LCA evaluates the environmental impact from raw material extraction to manufacturing, distribution, use, and end-of-life disposal. It helps pinpoint areas for sustainability improvements that do not significantly raise costs.

Think about modularity. Design products with modular components that can be easily replaced or upgraded. This approach extends product life, lessens the environmental impact associated with disposal, and offers cost-effective maintenance.

By investing in prototyping and testing to identify potential design improvements early in the development process, this can prevent costly revisions and ensures the efficient integration of sustainability requirements.

Environmental Benefits of Sustainable Manufacturing with Injection Moulding

Reduce material waste

Injection moulding using renewable and recycled plastics reduces the carbon footprint and can minimise environmental impacts . This includes the use of recycled or biodegradable plastics, which help conserve resources and reduce plastic waste in landfills and oceans.

Making injection moulding more sustainable aims to minimise material waste through efficient designs, optimised mould layouts, and the reduction of scrap and reject rates. This leads to cost savings and lessens the environmental impact associated with waste disposal.

Improved resource management

Sustainable manufacturing encourages efficient resource management, including reduced water usage and responsible chemical handling. These practices not only benefit the environment but also reduce operational costs.

Economic Advantages of Sustainable Design in Injection Moulding

Lower operational costs

Other economic advantages involve energy-efficient manufacturing processes, machinery, and tools. This not only reduces energy consumption but also lowers operational costs, enhancing the overall economic sustainability of production.

And while sustainability initiatives may require initial investments, they often result in long-term cost savings. These savings can come from reduced energy consumption, lower material waste, decreased downtime due to maintenance, and improved efficiency.

Supply chain resilience

Injection moulding in a more sustainable way can improve supply chain resilience by reducing reliance on finite or environmentally harmful resources. This can help mitigate risks – including costs – associated with resource scarcity or environmental disasters.

Social and Corporate Responsibility Implications of Sustainable Manufacturing

Improve brand image

Companies that prioritise sustainable practices in plastic injection moulding can build a positive brand image and reputation. Buyers increasingly favour environmentally responsible products, which can lead to increased sales and market share.

Alignment with environmental regulations and standards <H3>
Sustainable practices also align with many environmental regulations and standards. Compliance with these regulations can mitigate the risk of fines and legal issues, further contributing to the economic sustainability of the business.

Long-term viability

Sustainable plastic injection moulding supports long-term business viability by reducing dependence on finite resources and minimising the negative consequences of environmental degradation. This ensures the business's continued operations in a changing global landscape.

Challenges and Solutions in Designing for Sustainability in Plastic Injection Moulding

Designing for sustainability in plastic injection moulding demands a comprehensive and collaborative approach, infusing environmental considerations into every facet of product development. By proactively tackling challenges and implementing sustainable design principles, manufacturers can diminish their environmental footprint while preserving competitiveness and responsiveness to consumer expectations.

For more information, read our guide The Future of Injection Moulding.

Challenge 1: Material Selection

Choosing materials can be a complex task, as options such as bio-based polymers or recycled plastics may have limited availability, higher costs, or specific performance limitations.

Solution: Collaborate closely with material suppliers to identify sustainable alternatives and gain a comprehensive understanding of their properties and limitations. Keep a vigilant eye on the market for emerging sustainable materials.

Challenge 2: Material Compatibility

Sustainable materials, such as bioplastics or recycled plastics, may have different properties compared to traditional materials, leading to compatibility issues with existing moulds and processes.

Solution: Conduct comprehensive material compatibility testing to ensure the sustainable material works seamlessly with your moulds and processes. Make necessary adjustments to moulds and machinery if required.

Choose moulds and equipment that are compatible with the specific characteristics of the material. Implement regular maintenance and inspection routines to extend the lifespan of moulds and machinery.

Challenge 3: Material Performance

Sustainable materials may have lower mechanical strength and durability compared to traditional plastics.

Solution: Optimise product designs to account for the unique properties of sustainable materials. Reinforce critical areas, or consider hybrid designs that combine sustainable materials with traditional ones to enhance strength and durability.

Challenge 4: Temperature Resistance

Some sustainable materials may have lower temperature resistance, which is counterproductive for applications that require high-temperatures.

Solution: Explore material additives or blends that can improve temperature resistance. Consider alternative sustainable materials that inherently possess better temperature resistance.

Challenge 5: Consistency and Quality

Achieving consistent quality with sustainable materials can be challenging due to variations in feedstock and material sources.

Solution: Collaborate closely with material suppliers to ensure a consistent supply of high-quality sustainable materials. Implement rigorous quality control and testing protocols to maintain product consistency.

Challenge 6: Complex Design Dilemma

Sustainable design often necessitates simplification, which may conflict with complex product requirements or desired aesthetics.

Solution: Strive for a balance between aesthetics and functionality by conducting thorough design analysis. Consider modular designs that allow for component reuse or replacement while achieving desired aesthetics.

Challenge 7: Manufacturability Hurdle

Sustainable designs might be more challenging to manufacture due to unconventional shapes or material characteristics.

Solution: Foster early collaboration between design and manufacturing teams. Utilise design for manufacturability (DFM) principles to identify and address manufacturability challenges. Prototyping and testing can play a pivotal role in refining designs.

Challenge 8: Cost Constraints

Sustainability initiatives, especially in the initial stages, can inflate production costs, potentially misaligning with budget constraints.

Solution: Adopt a long-term perspective by factoring in cost savings achievable through sustainable practices over time. Explore government incentives, cost-sharing partnerships, and life-cycle cost analysis to justify initial investments.

Sustainability at Essentra

At Essentra we are aiming to be the world’s leading, responsible, hassle free supplier of essential industrial components. We are committed to supporting our customers to achieve their sustainability goals and objectives, by developing sustainable industrial component solutions for them.

Find out more about our ESG strategy, ESG reporting and our ESG ratings.

Questions? We’re here to help

You can download free CADs and request free samples on most solutions. If you have questions or need any advice on your journey to sustainability, email us at sales@essentracomponents.co.uk.

You can also speak to one of our experts for further information on the ideal solution for your application: 0345 528 0474.