Busting 7 Myths Surrounding Micro Molding

As a part of the micro and nano manufacturing industry, micro molding is growing to be the ‘Next Big Thing’. Research conducted by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) has brought to light the fact that more than 60% of companies from the manufacturing industry are interested in micro molding.

However, only 30% are actually using it in their day-to-day work. Why is there a disparity? It is simply because there are a lot of myths going around about micro molding, which have underrated its potential as a manufacturing process.

Crushing the Myths : 

Just like micro-sized components, these myths can also be crushed if you understand micro molding as a process.

1. Myth: Micro molding is a viable process, but it is a futuristic idea.
   Fact: As a process, micro molding is already currently used by manufacturers and organizations from many industries. This process is extremely popular in medical, telecommunications, rubber manufacturing, and FMCG industries.
2. Myth: A component has to be microscopic in size to be defined as a micro part.
   Fact: This assumption is unnecessary. The reason is that micro molded parts can be designed with hole diameters ranging from .003ʺ to .005ʺ. Hence, there is no compulsion for a micro molded part to be microscopic in size.
3. Myth: Micro molding is only suitable for electronic components.
   Fact: It is true that many electronic gadgets like cell phones, tablets, etc. do use micro molded parts. However, micro molding can also be used to create parts that support products like rubber mounts, gaskets, cable boots, and medical devices like asthma devices, and drug delivery systems.
4. Myth: Micro molded parts cannot be designed with proper features.
   Fact: The fact of the matter is, micro molded parts are specifically designed to meet exacting requirements. They can be designed with micro-sized features, or to meet extremely tight tolerances for industrial applications.
5. Myth: Micro components are simply large sized objects designed in smaller sizes.
   Fact: Due to the small size of the components, micro molding can be a challenge to pull off when working on large orders. If a manufacturer is making a copy of a life sized object, the small size will lead to changes in the design and production processes. This can include using a different material, or choosing a different manufacturing process.
6. Myth: You can use standard molding equipment to create micro molded parts.
   Fact: While the main goal of a micro molding system is almost the same as a ‘macro’ molding system, a micro system will always perform the molding process in a different manner. The fact is, you require special skills to create a mold, which will help manufacture a micro sized parts with tight geometries.
7. Myth: If I am molding small sized components, I can easily mold micro sized parts.
   Fact: As mentioned in the previous point, micro molding requires special tools and skills. When the component is the size of a pellet, a great amount of attention has to be given to aspects like the mold’s shape and size, material flow and pressure, and the amount of time the material takes to fill the mold. Hence, micro molding cannot be performed with equipment meant for creating small sized components.

Micro molding can provide various benefits. These include; cost-effectiveness, and wide acceptance of materials, and manufacturing precision in terms of tolerances and geometries. Understanding the importance and benefits of this process can help to create more awareness and eliminate myths surrounding micro molding.