What equipment is required for the in-mold injection molding process?

In recent years, people’s consumption concept and consumption behavior have undergone tremendous changes. Consumers are not only very concerned about product taste, health and other factors, but also whether the product packaging is novel and whether it has brand power is also one of the key factors that determine whether they are willing to buy.

In-mold labeling (IML), as a new label packaging form, has been popular in Europe and the United States for many years. After several years of development in China, it has begun to be applied on a large scale.

So what equipment is needed to complete an in-mold injection molding?

The required equipment includes molds, high-speed injection molding machines, labeling robots, various auxiliary equipment, etc. The range of in-mold label is also very wide, including packaging containers, plastic thin-walled containers, etc.

High-speed in-mold injection molding has high requirements on the equipment for in-mold lamination. In order to operate at high speed, it is necessary to ensure that the cycle time of each mold label production equipment is very short, so the performance of the mold and injection molding machine must meet the requirements of in-mold labeling.

In-mold labeling injection mold:
To make a good IML mold, the company’s equipment and the mature experience of mold designers are essential. Thin-wall mold labeling requires high-speed and high-precision production. Therefore, the strength of the mold and the design of the cooling water system are very important, and also mold polishing effect should be excellent.

High-speed injection molding machine:
In-mold labeling is a fully automatic production process. The requirements for molding equipment are fast injection speed, short molding cycle, high injection pressure, large mold opening stroke, and stable production, especially the accuracy and stability of the injection molding machine. Flexibility, short cycle times and low wear rates are paramount. If the stability of the machine is not good, the accuracy of the mold opening position will be reduced, resulting in an increase in defective products, so a high-speed machine is used.

In-mold label robot:
For the in mold label robot, there are top pick-up and side pick-up, the cost is not too expensive, and the position is generally required to be efficient and accurate

Auxiliary equipment:
A fully automated in-mold labeling production line has to be equipped with dryers, feeders, air compressors, chillers, conveyor belts and other equipment, but the cost is high.