Top 5 Most Common Manufacturing Methods | How Your Company Manufactures Consumer Products
Embarking on the journey of bringing a physical product to life can be as thrilling as it is complex. The moment when an idea transforms into a tangible product involves a series of critical decisions, of which manufacturing is paramount. Making sure that your company manufactures with precision and intent means understanding the different manufacturing methods available. Selecting the wrong method could prove costly in terms of both time and money.
Here’s a guide to the five most common manufacturing methods for consumer products:
Injection Molding
Injection Molding is a manufacturing process for producing parts by injecting molten material into a mold. It's particularly synonymous with the production of plastic products. The process begins with the heating of plastic pellets until they reach a fluid state, followed by forcing them into mold cavities that shape the plastic into the desired form.
Central to the process is the mold itself. Typically crafted from steel or aluminum, molds are precision-engineered tools that dictate the final shape of your product. The complexity of the mold means the upfront cost can be substantial, but the longevity and repeatability of molds make them a cost-effective solution in the long term.
Why should you choose injection molding for your product? While the initial cost of the mold can be significant, the per-unit cost of production is relatively low, especially when manufacturing in large volumes. This cost efficiency, coupled with the durability of the molds, makes injection molding a financially viable option for many businesses.
The biggest advantage is that the production cycle is exceptionally quick, often lasting mere seconds, after the initial set-up. This quick cycle time allows for the mass production of parts, ensuring that your company manufactures goods on a scale that meets consumer demand while maintaining unparalleled consistency. The parts produced are replicas of one another, ensuring uniformity in your product line.
It also provides a method of cost efficiency from reduced material waste, automation of the process, and the high volume of parts that can be produced once the setup is complete. This offers an ability for scalability that is optimal for businesses anticipating growth and the need to scale up their operations.
Another distinct advantage of injection molding is its potential for customization. Whether integrating various colors, achieving intricate designs, or combining different types of plastics within a single component, it affords a versatility that can accommodate the most creative and demanding product specifications.
If your company manufactures large volumes of plastic products, this method is not just efficient, but cost-effective due to its low per-unit cost at scale. From intricate toy components to robust automotive panels, injection molding is a cornerstone of mass-produced plastic items.
CNC Machining
CNC machining is a manufacturing process that uses automated machines to remove layers from a solid block of material to produce a part or product. The "CNC" stands for Computer Numerical Control, reflecting the method by which machines are guided by numerical inputs to carve out intricate designs.
The Mill and Lathe are the two predominantly used methods of CNC Machining. Both tools are formidable, but serve different purposes in the manufacturing process.
CNC Mill: This method is the go-to option for complex shapes and features that require a high degree of accuracy. It can perform cutting operations along multiple axes, offering a high level of freedom in shaping parts. You'll find these mills classified by the number of axes they operate on—ranging from the simpler 3-axis machines to vastly more capable CNC mills.
CNC Lathe: On the flip side, the CNC lathe excels in making cylindrical parts. It spins the workpiece or tooling end at high speeds while various tools trim and shape the material into different designs. Lathes typically work on two axes and excel at producing precise round shapes, like screws and fittings.
Why should you choose CNC Machining for your product? The primary benefit of this method is its high precision. Consistency is invaluable, ensuring that your product quality remains uncompromising from one piece to the next. It can handle a vast array of materials, offering flexibility in choosing the right substance for your product's form and function.
This allows businesses to compete with larger players by offering products without the need for massive production runs. Plus, the automation of CNC machining means that your company manufactures with minimal labor, keeping overhead low and efficiency high.
Extrusion
Extrusion is a manufacturing process used to create objects of a fixed cross-sectional profile. It begins with the raw material, often in the form of pellets or granules, which are loaded into the extruder. The material is heated and then forced through a die, which shapes it into the desired cross-sectional profile, much like icing being squeezed through a piping bag. As it exits the die, the material is solidified, typically by rapid cooling which creates a continuous length of product that is then cut to the desired length. This streamlined process allows for the mass production of complex profiles that are uniform in shape and size.
There are two primary forms of extrusion: plastic and metal.
Plastic Extrusion: This is commonly used to produce piping, tubing, weatherstripping, and even plastic sheeting. It’s proficient in creating flexible and durable products and is a favorite in industries ranging from construction to consumer goods.
Metal Extrusion: Metal extrusion, on the other hand, allows the creation of complex cross-sectional metal profiles that are strong and lightweight. Aluminum is a particularly popular metal to extrude, due to its malleability and strength-to-weight ratio.
Why should you choose extrusion for your product? The primary benefit of this method is its efficiency in making long parts of the same shape with consistent dimensions. It offers affordable access to designs that would be cost-prohibitive or impossible to make using other methods. Tooling costs for extrusion are also generally lower compared to other manufacturing processes, making it a financially sound choice for high-volume production runs.
Another added benefit is that the extrusion process can increase the strength of a material by orienting the grains during formation, offering superior mechanical properties in the final product. This equals a stronger, better product.
Sheet Metal Fabrication
Sheet metal fabrication is like origami with metal — only much more precise and with a lot more force. It involves a series of processes that alter the shape of metal sheets to create parts for a myriad of uses. If you’ve ever admired the sleek body of a car, the sturdy casing of an appliance, or the seamless gutters on a home, you’ve witnessed what a company manufactures through sheet metal fabrication.
The primary processes in sheet metal fabrication include bending, cutting, and assembling, each playing a crucial role in transforming a flat sheet of metal into a useful component.
Bending: This involves creating angled bends in the metal sheet using press brakes or folding machines. This process is crucial for adding structural integrity and shape to the final product.
Cutting: Sheet metal is trimmed or cut into specific shapes and sizes. Techniques like laser cutting, water jetting, punching, and shearing are employed to achieve precision and consistency in the parts produced.
Assembling: This method involves joining the cut and bent pieces through welding, riveting, or using adhesives. This final step ensures that the individual pieces come together to form the larger functional product.
Why should you choose sheet metal fabrication for your product? The primary benefit of sheet metal fabrication is its efficiency in quickly creating metal shapes with a consistent thickness. Sheet metal products are known for their durability and strength, making them suitable for various applications that require longevity and resilience. Whether it’s a computer case or a building's ductwork, sheet metal can withstand significant wear and tear.
Additionally, sheet metal can be finished in various ways – painted, powder-coated, plated, anodized, brushed, etc. This aesthetic flexibility allows businesses to customize the appearance of their products to meet specific design requirements.
Casting
Casting is a manufacturing process where a liquid material is poured into a mold, which contains a hollow cavity of the desired shape, and is then allowed to solidify. The solidified part can then be ejected or broken out of the mold to complete the process.
There are several methods of casting suited to different needs and materials. Two of the most prominent methods are die casting and sand casting:
Die Casting: Die casting involves forcing molten metal under high pressure into mold cavities, usually made of steel. It’s known for its precision as the method produces parts that are durable and stable, with high accuracy and smooth surfaces. Automobiles, consumer electronics, and home appliances are just a few products that may use this method.
Sand Casting: Sand casting uses a sand and/or clay mixture to form the mold, which can be easily manipulated to create the desired shape. Though not as precise or repeatable as die casting, sand casting is adaptable and cost-effective, especially suitable for small batches or large components. This can be great for manufacturing large engine parts, art pieces, or architectural components.
Why should you choose casting for your product? One of the main advantages of casting is its versatility. Almost any metal can be cast, and the size of products can range from small components like gears to large parts like car frames.
Finally, products manufactured using casting are generally stronger than those made by other forming methods. The reason lies in the fact that metals in the molten state conform to the mold’s shape without any internal stress or joints, resulting in a more robust and durable product.
Honorable Mentions
There are dozens of core methods for how a company manufactures a product. A few honorable mentions not included above are:
3D Printing: 3D printing starts with a digital design, which is then brought to life in a physical form by a 3D printer that adds a material layer upon layer. This is a stark contrast to traditional subtractive manufacturing methods, which involve cutting away material from a solid shape. 3D printing can use a variety of materials, including plastics, resins, metals, and even biological matter.
It didn’t make our top five list due to one significant disadvantage. 3D printing is not efficient or cost-effective at high volumes. Additionally, 3D-printed parts often do not possess the same strength and durability as those made from traditional manufacturing methods.
Blow Molding: Blow molding begins with melting down plastic and forming it into a parison or a preform – a tube-like piece of plastic with a hole in one end through which compressed air can pass. This parison is then clamped into a mold, and air is blown into it, inflating the plastic into the shape of the mold cavity. Once cooled, the plastic solidifies into the desired shape, and the mold opens to eject the part.
It didn’t make our top five list due to its exclusivity to hollow parts. Unlike processes such as injection molding or CNC machining, blow molding cannot produce solid parts or parts with enclosed cavities.
Rotational Molding (Rotomolding): Rotational molding involves placing plastic powder within a mold which is then heated and rotated slowly on both vertical and horizontal axes. The rotation distributes the plastic uniformly along the walls of the mold until it melts and coats the interior surface, forming the desired shape. After cooling and solidifying, the final product is removed from the mold, revealing a strong, hollow item.
One significant drawback of rotational molding is the longer cycle times compared to other plastic molding techniques. The process of heating, cooling, and demolding takes longer, which can impact overall production efficiency.
Vacuum Forming (Thermoforming): Vacuum forming is a process where a sheet of plastic is heated until pliable, then stretched over a mold and held against it by applying vacuum pressure. Once cooled, the plastic retains the mold's shape, and the formed part can be trimmed and finished as required.
A notable limitation of vacuum forming is its restriction to certain types of thermoplastics, which can impact the durability and strength of the finished product. Materials like polycarbonate or high-density polyethylene, commonly used in vacuum forming, may not offer the same strength and heat resistance as materials used in other processes like injection molding.