What are the Differences of ISO 9001:2015 and 9001:2008

ISO 9001 is a set of internationally recognized standards that provides a uniform way of measuring a company’s internal quality systems.  ISO was first introduced in 1987, and is administered by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.  

The latest version of ISO9001:2015 is replacing the prior version from 2008, as a new standard is introduced about every seven years.  When first introduced in 1987, the standards focused on documentation, saying what you do, and how you do it.  Defining job descriptions, work instructions, and quality checks and balances was a big part of the initial introduction of ISO standards.  

The updated version that came next in 1994 enhanced upon “say what you do”, and added “say what you do, and do what you say” (and prove it).   Further documentation was required to show that you are actually doing what you say you are doing.  Internal audits are emphasized with honest findings, and corrective actions.  

The ISO updates in 2000 turned focus to “continual improvement” and “customer satisfaction”.  Continual improvement projects must be identified, and customer satisfaction must be measured.   The ISO9001:2008 version went into greater depth of all prior versions, emphasizing processes, process owners, measurable goals and how they impact continual improvement and total customer satisfaction.  

With the most recent updates of ISO9001:2015, there is even greater emphasis on business management and leadership, and top-down management involvement.  Each employee should be aware of the organization’s mission statement, quality policy, and what their role is in achieving these goals.  Top management should be involved with communicating the quality management system, and the importance of each employee’s role to the organization.

ISO9001:2015 puts more emphasis on risk based thinking, and having contingency plans in place.  The bottom line is that businesses that adhere to an ISO compliant quality system are poised for the future, with quality systems in place that focus on total customer satisfaction.

Total customer satisfaction reaps many benefits in customer retention, increased volume of business, and new business referrals.  The efficiencies recognized when implementing ISO leads to cost-efficient improvements, thus saving time and money.  

Michiana Global Mold is a superior plastic injection mold designer registered to ISO9001:2015 in the United States, and ISO9001:2008 in China.  We offer offshore mold making options, rebate programs and high-volume discounts.  Contact us today for a FREE injection mold design consultation.  

Design Plastic Injection Molds to Press Specifications

A plastic injection mold designer must consider many factors when designing injection molds, including the press the mold will run in.  Knowing the press specifications is very important in order for the mold to operate properly, and most efficiently during injection molding production.  

Vertical Press Clamping System

The orientation of the clamping system is of course a very important consideration, as this determines whether the mold will open horizontally or vertically.  A vertical molding press is used in over-molding production, also called insert molding because the molten plastic is molded around an object.  An example would be an electrical wiring harness with plastic molded around a portion of it, clamps or even something like knives where the handle is molded around the metal.  

The insert in a vertical molding press can be either steel or even plastic.  A vertical press requires molds for the top and bottom, as a vertical molding press has a rotary table which holds at least two bottom (B) sides of the mold, while the top half (A) half comes down to close on the bottom half molding the part.  

There is usually one top half, and at least two or more bottom sides to the mold, so that when the A side is molding the part on the back of the table, another B side is in front of an operator or a robot loading an insert into the open mold.  Once molded, a robot or operator can unload the over-molded part from the mold, prior to loading new inserts into it.   Constructing molds for a vertical molding press is quite different than for a horizontal molding press, even though the concept is the same.  

Horizontal Molding Press

The most common type of injection molding operation is in a horizontal press, requiring an A side and B side, closing together on a horizontal plane to mold the parts.  When the horizontal mold opens for ejection, parts usually fall into a bin below or are grabbed by a robot and taken to an inspection area.  Most horizontal molding operations do not require an operator at the press, as the vertical over-molding jobs do without automated equipment.   

Horizontal molding presses are very efficient and non-labor intensive, with a top-quality high-performing injection mold, a horizontal molding operation can run for hours in a lights out environment.  

Regardless of whether the mold is for a vertical or horizontal press, the placement of water fittings and hoses is of the utmost importance in designing the tool.  The clamping pressure and press tonnage are also very relevant specifications, in order for the mold designer to calculate the pressure of the molding operation while also considering the material chosen and how it will flow into critical areas.  

Michiana Global Mold has decades of experience designing tools for various plastic injection molding environments, meeting tight tolerances with high performing, precision custom injection molds.  Download a FREE copy of our book “Design Considerations for Different Molds” for more information.

Michiana Global Mold has decades of experience designing and building precision custom injection molds for various industries. Contact us today to speak with one of our knowledgeable engineers for a FREE design consultation on your mold building requirements.  We can custom design molds for your applications, regardless of your molding environment.

There are Many Advantages for an ISO Certified Company

There are many advantages for an ISO Certified Company, a company that has passed a rigorous audit of their quality systems and processes.  Conformance to ISO9001, a globally accepted set of Quality Standards, provides a uniform set of measurement systems for various organizations, including injection mold makers.   A Certificate of Conformance is issued upon successful completion of a detailed and systematic audit performed by an external highly trained auditor.

These International standards have recently been upgraded to the latest version of ISO9001:2015, upgraded since ISO9001:2008.  For ease in managing systems and audits, the newer standards are very similar in structure to the previous version, although there is added focus on risk management and leadership engagement.

Following ISO standards is beneficial to many companies in various industries including manufacturing, service and health care businesses.  Companies that provide design responsibility such as manufacturers, molders and plastic injection mold makers realize many advantages internally and externally with conformance to ISO9001:2015.

Conformance to ISO is a Valuable Tool

 With the sheer volume of global trade, an ISO Certified Company has a valuable tool to provide advantages for their customers.  Conformance provides a level playing field for companies to recognize the level of quality practiced in an organization, in all   It shows your customers that you passed a rigorous audit of all processes in your organization, with the ultimate goal of providing total customer satisfaction.  ISO Certified companies basically provide confidence to their customers that they take their quality, and customer satisfaction seriously. 

Not only are OEMs large and small given confidence from their suppliers’ conformance to ISO standards, they are also able to skip some steps in their vendor qualification process.  When a supplier provides an ISO Certificate of Conformance, OEMs do not have to audit as many systems in order to qualify them as a supplier.  This saves Engineers and Management of OEMs time, and money. 

Including ISO Registered suppliers provides added assurances that you are working with a responsive, quality minded business.  Conforming to ISO Standards will lead to improved efficiencies.  These continual improvement methods lead to increased profits. 

What all of these advantages ultimately lead to is Total Customer Satisfaction.  The reason that any business does what they do, whether they provide services or make widgets is to provide total customer satisfaction.  An ISO Certified Company has the infrastructure in place to provide their customers with total satisfaction through product and process improvement. 

Michiana Global Mold is Registered to ISO 9001:2015, implementing our Quality Policy throughout the organization with top down management involvement.  We have been supplying top-quality, custom precision injection molds for over 52 years.  Contact us today to see how we can assist you with your injection mold building needs.   

Top 5 Benefits of ISO Certification

An Overview of the Benefits of ISO9001

There are many benefits of ISO certification, a globally recognized and accepted set of quality standards applicable to companies in various industries.   Conforming to ISO9001:2015 provides many benefits to manufacturers in all industries including plastic and steel production for automotive, consumer electronics and military and defense.

 Businesses that provide design work such as injection mold makers have additional standards and responsibility to their customers, and the supply chain to which they contribute.  Producing quality product, on time, and within customer specifications is key to providing exemplary customer service.   ISO standards prompt companies to detail and audit all systems in their business, implementing corrective actions when those processes are not meeting their goals, applied to all processes, not just manufacturing.

Conforming to ISO standards also means that you have a written plan, detailing needed resources and expected goals for all business processes including business strategy and planning, sales and marketing, production, quality, and customer service.  ISO 9001:2015 puts added emphasis on risk management and leadership engagement, all necessary components of successful, globally competitive businesses.

Here are the Top 5 Benefits of ISO Certification

1.    All Processes are Identified, and Audited for Effectiveness

Processes includes the required resources needed to attain a specified goal.  Each process has an owner, a person responsible for successfully attaining specified goals.   The process owner determines the best way to measure the effectiveness of a process, and implements corrective actions when necessary. 

2.  Contributes to Goal-Oriented Teamwork  

Process owners must utilize human capital as a resource, creating one goal-oriented team.  Each team member should be aware of the company’s quality policy, and know how their role in the organization contributes to the overall business goals.  

3. Improved Efficiency Produces Improved Profits  

Improving efficiency always equates to an improved bottom line.  Time is money, and continual improvement projects like Value Stream Mapping can improve efficiencies and profits for any business process.   

4.  Utilizes Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) business improvement process.   

·         Plan – Establish your objectives and a plan to achieve them 

·         Do - Execute your plan with a structured framework 

·         Check - Audit results against your objectives  

·         Act - Make corrections and improvements. 

The PDCA system Can be applied to any process and is utilized throughout the entire ISO process. 

5.  ISO Certification Focuses on One End Result – Total Customer Satisfaction

Conformance to each and every standard ultimately leads back to total customer satisfaction.  Why does a business do what they do?  Customer Satisfaction is required for any business to survive, let alone thrive and grow.  With focus always on customer satisfaction, one of the major benefits of ISO Certification is that the business has the framework to keep current customers delighted and grow with referrals by providing continued exceptional customer service. 

Michiana Global Mold is Registered to ISO 9001:2015, implementing our Quality Policy throughout the organization with top down management involvement.  We have been top-quality, custom precision injection mold makers for over 52 years.  Contact us today to see how we can assist you with your injection mold building needs.   

History of Plastic Injection Mold Making

History of Plastic Injection Mold Making

Plastic Injection Mold Making has been around since the late 1800’s when a man named John Wesley Hyatt first invented a way to inject celluloid into a mold to make billiard balls.  In 1872, John and his brother improved the process and patented the first injection molding machine, which was quite primitive by today’s standards but the concept of injecting plastic through a heated cylinder into a mold was born.  Plastic injection molded parts grew in popularity during the 1940’s as World War II created a huge demand for mass-produced, inexpensive products.

In 1946, James Hendry built the first screw injection molding machine, revolutionizing the industry.  Plastic Injection Molding has evolved over the years and today this manufacturing process supplies products for all industries including consumer, toys, plumbing, packaging, construction, automotive, aerospace and medical. 

Part Design

As mentioned above, a wide variety of parts are made out of plastic and more and more parts that are currently made of another material are moving to plastic as a more economical option without jeopardizing part functionality.  For example, law enforcement and military agencies use plastic bullets for target practice, gun parts that were historically made of metal are now being molded in plastic.

Plastic has the rare ability to take the shape and form of almost anything you want it to be.  Parts can be molded with glass filled nylons for added durability.  Some plastic parts are used in engine and braking systems in automobiles and can withstand extreme temperatures.  Some plastic injection molded parts feel more like rubber and are used in a variety of items.  Plastic can be colored to mold in any color desired, UV protection can be added to avoid color distortion.  Very complex moving interior parts with several precise geometric designs are usually manufactured with plastic injection molding. 

Tool Design

Once a molder has the part design, the next phase is to design the tool that can produce the part.  A mold built for mass production should always be built with class A hardened steel, but some prototypes are made of less durable steel as they are interim molds.  A reputable plastic injection mold maker will help guide their customer to choose the best type of mold for the job.  In some cases, just one cavity can be completed in a full size mold to be used as a prototype, allowing time to perfect the process prior to building all cavities in a multi-cavity mold.  Michiana Global Mold uses only Class A steel for the majority of their tool builds.

Michiana Global Mold’s engineering mold designers and tool makers can help to guide the customer throughout the mold build phase.  Using CAD software along with decades of experience, Michiana Global Mold knows the best way to tackle even the most complex of tool designs, specializing in injection molds for the automotive industry. 

Horizontal and Vertical Plastic Injection Molds

The majority of injection molding machines are horizontal, which means the mold opens and closes on a horizontal path.  Molten plastic is injected into the mold along the horizontal path through a heated barrel and screw.  When the mold opens and the parts eject, gravity assists with the parts falling out of the mold to the staging location.  These presses can often run without an operator once the mold is set and the process is running smoothly.  These are less labor intensive than vertical molding machines, which usually require an operator or a robotic arm.

Vertical presses are used to mold plastic around an insert of another type of material, usually steel or another hardened part.  This process is referred to as overmolding, or insert molding.  In this type of press, the mold open and closes on a vertical path, allowing the operator to reach in and grab the parts out of the cavities, and load inserts in cavities to prepare for the next overmold cycle. 

Michiana Global Mold. is a plastic injection mold maker with extensive experience in both horizontal and vertical molding.  With a wide selection of state-of-the-art milling centers, we’ve got what it takes to construct quality complex molds, on time and in budget. 

Michiana Global Mold has been in the plastic injection mold making business since the 1962, and employs a cross functional staff with extensive knowledge in part design, tool design, and the molding process regardless of the type of mold, resin, or press needed.  Contact Michiana Global Mold today to see how we can reduce your plastic injection molded project costs.

What is Precision Injection Mold Making?

What is Precision Injection Mold Making?

Not all injection mold making is precision injection mold making.  Some examples of products that do not require such precise molding would be toys, bottles, combs and other miscellaneous items that do not necessitate a stringent level of quality.  Products made for industries such as Automotive, Aerospace, and Government / Military and Ordnance will demand the expertise of a precision mold maker. 

Experience is Necessary

Precision mold makers must be familiar with meeting tight geometric tolerances, as narrow as +/- .001 of an inch.  Experience with the plastic injection molding process, especially tooling, is required for a molder to accurately meet rigid tolerances.  Some parts for the above mentioned industries are quite complex with several gates and cam action occurring in the mold.  Expertise in complex molds is required for precision work.

Technology

Automation is also a necessity to consistently meet meticulous requirements.  A process monitoring system is a software program with sensors attached to each press that monitors things such as the pressure, temperature, cycle time and shots molded.  The sensors work with a computer program to keep track of all molding information for each press, contains a scheduling module, and stores all pertinent information for each production run.  While molding, If any of the critical settings should falter out of an acceptable level, an alert system would sound and let the process technicians know to check the process and make any alterations before molding defective parts. 

Material Management

With so many different engineering resins to choose from, there are a number of different molding conditions that apply to specific situations.  Some materials are molded with water lines cooling the process, and yet other materials require a hot temperature that can only be reached with a hot oil. The hydrolysis (water content) of the material will also affect the molding process.  Some projects require a complete drying of the material to achieve optimal results. 

Controlled Environment

The molding environment must be controlled to maintain a consistent process. Temperature affects the molding process in several different ways, and the experienced precision injection molder knows how to maintain consistency with maintaining a controlled environment.

Quality Practices

Precision Injection Mold Making for demanding industries requires the company to follow necessary quality procedures.  Michiana Global Mold is registered to ISO9001:2015, providing assurance that your mold will meet required tolerances.  These quality standards dictate how a mold maker performs all day to day operations, not just the mold making process, and are enforced from top management down, practicing a stringent quality policy throughout the entire organization. 

By practicing quality control procedures such as Statistical Process Control (SPC), and Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP), Michiana Global Mold  provides customers with required data to support required specifications.

Value Stream Mapping (VSM) is performed for optimal efficiency and cost reduction initiatives are shared with customers. 

If your project requires precision injection mold making, consider partnering with Michiana Global Mold to add value to your supply chain. 

Thermoplastic Molding

Injection Molding with Thermoplastic Resins
Thermoplastic molding refers to the process of injection molding thermoplastic resins.  Thermoplastics is a type of polymer that melts and becomes pliable when reaching a certain temperature, allowing it to be molded into various forms.  This type of polymer can also be ground up and reused after hardening, as opposed to thermoset polymers, which cannot be melted and used again.  The third type of polymer is elastomer, which can also be thermoplastic, in which case this type of material is referred to as thermoplastic elastomers.  Thermoplastic resins are the most common type of material used in the injection molding process.
The Molding Process
The equipment required for thermoplastic molding is the same: a press, a steel mold, and plastic resin.  The resin is poured into a hopper on top of the press, and is then drawn into the press where it is heated in a barrel and injected into a steel mold where cavities carved out by journeyman mold makers form the molten plastic into the shape desired.  The steel mold is usually equipped with water lines running through it to cool the parts before the mold opens and parts are ejected.  Each time the mold opens, molds parts, and ejects them is called a cycle.  The typical injection molding cycle is measured in seconds.  Decreasing the cycle time can lead to improvements in efficiency and the bottom line, as long as it does not jeopardize the functionality of the part.
The Mold
The mold is the steel frame that contains the carved out cavities to actually form the part.  Every injection molding job requires a steel mold to form the molten material into a usable functional part.  There are different types of molds for different applications, but the most common is a class A hardened steel mold, capable of producing hundreds of thousands or millions of parts without wearing out. 
For the typical thermoplastic molding process, a steel mold will run in a horizontal molding press, meaning the mold will open and close on a horizontal plane.  In this case, when the mold opens and ejects the parts, the runner is also ejected.  The runner is the residual molten plastic that hardened in the channel getting the plastic to the cavity in the mold.  This is true of a cold runner mold, which is the most common injection mold.  A hot runner mold, in contrast, injects plastic directly into the cavity from a nozzle, and therefore has no runner.  A hot runner mold can assist with automation, but it is more costly than the more common cold runner mold. 
Equipment Required for Automation
While the necessary equipment is the same, a molder can invest in auxiliary equipment to automate the process and run parts without an operator, and sometimes even in a ‘lights out’ environment.  A vacuum conveying system sucks the plastic resin while in pellet form from a drum or gaylord into the hopper on the press.  As long as enough resin material is in the drum the conveying system will automatically supply a steady stream of thermoplastic resin into the press.  There are ways to regulate the amount of pellets drawn into the hopper at a time.  Some molders even have ways to measure the moisture content of material, and dry it accordingly before it enters the press.  Some molders use a moisture analyzer when required. 
Sprue Pickers Assist with Automation
When a cold runner mold is used in a horizontal press, the runner will eject with the parts and either drop to a bin below, or be grabbed by a robotic arm called a sprue picker.  A sprue is another term for a runner.  Sprue pickers assist in the automation process because it separates the parts from the runners, allowing the parts to collect in a tub by themselves and not need to be sorted or separated from the runners. 
Process Monitoring Adds Consistency and Reliability
A Process Monitoring System should be utilized for automated molding as it will monitor, as the name implies, the process as it is happening.  If something began to run out of spec, such as temperature or pressure, an alarm would sound to alert a technician.  These monitoring systems also function as material resource planning software, allowing the user to input specific job information and schedule production. 
These are some of the ways a molder can automate the injection molding process. If precision parts manufacturing is required, automation could assist to provide to a consistent and reliable process. 

Contact Michiana Global Mold today to see how we can reduce costs on your plastic part requirements.  

Injection Mold Types: Insert Molds

Insert molds are one of the more difficult types of injection mold types. Injection mold makers have to consider several different areas to complete the final mold. Insert molds can combine plastics and metals (and some other types of materials) so that the final part can connect to different parts of the final product. Custom mold makers typically have to ensure the insert mold is wear resistant, has a reduced weight, conductivity, and tensile strength.

Insert mold makers must create parts that can be molded into other plastic components. There are a wide range of applications for insert molds, such as screws, studs, pins, rivets, tubes, bushings, and surface mount pads. The custom injection molds have to be able to create parts that are more durable and sturdy than other molds because they will be used with metal, which can be very harsh on plastics.

The purpose of insert molds is to reinforce the final product. They reduce the amount of time required to assemble parts, the cost of labor, and improve the strength of the final product. As they are meant to be made of durable plastics, they also help to reduce the weight of the part.

This particular mold type follows the same process as other injection molds. The primary differences are the design and QA processes. The design has to meet strict requirements to ensure the insert will be able to function as intended. The following are the two most common considerations during the design process:

●                Determine the means for holding the insert during the custom injection mold process

●                Any required undercuts or bosses required to strengthen the final product

Insert molds also tend to have a more rigorous QA process to ensure the final part provides the necessary durability and strength.