When a company needs real molded plastic parts before investing in expensive hard tooling, a benchtop plastic injection molding machine can provide a practical middle ground between hand-pull molding systems and industrial injection molding equipment that can cost $35,000–$60,000 for even a small-to-mid-sized model.
With an approximate footprint of 4 ft. × 1 ft., a desktop injection molding machine can be installed on a workbench or shop table while delivering many of the production capabilities expected from full-scale injection molding equipment. It supports repeatable molding cycles, consistent part quality, automated operation, controlled injection and clamping functions, and the use of production-grade thermoplastic materials and molds.
Benchtop equipment also serves as a practical training platform, helping operators develop a clearer understanding of resin selection, mold procurement, processing parameters, cycle optimization, part quality evaluation, and basic troubleshooting.
This makes it an ideal solution for short-run manufacturing, pilot production, product validation, and in-house part production without the capital investment, floor space, utility infrastructure, or operational complexity.
For Brian Finch, Chief Operating Officer at brightz, a benchtop injection molding machine was the ideal entry point for bringing some plastic production in-house. Brightz offers LED light kits and accessories, as well as lighting products for games, outdoor use, wearables, cornhole, camping, canopies, and more.
The initial application involved shooting plastic clips that could be used to mount LED lights onto bicycle handlebars. The goal was to learn the injection molding process directly, test production assumptions and understand what would be required before making a larger investment.
“We didn’t have a lot of expertise in-house, but we wanted to do it ourselves,” says Finch, who purchased the APSX-PIM, an automatic, heavy-duty desktop plastic injection molding machine for continuous or single-cycle production. “The machine met our requirements for being easy to set up and use by someone with technical experience, even without prior injection molding training. At the same time, it was good enough to support our production needs. For us, it proved to be a strong entry-level machine.”
The APSX-PIM can process a wide range of thermoplastics, including polypropylene, polyethylene, nylon, polycarbonate, acetal, ABS, and blends that meet its melt-flow guidance.
For more PR information, contact APSX at phone (513) 716-5992, email info@apsx.com, or visit the web site at www.apsx.com. The company is located at 11121 Kenwood Rd. Blue Ash, OH 45242 USA.