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.
When WrapOn Tools of Asheboro, North Carolina, invented a new product for vinyl applicators, they decided to manufacture it in house rather than outsource. WrapOn Tools designs, manufactures and distributes products specifically for the vehicle wrap industry. The business sells through its website, Amazon and select distributors.
One of its core products is the patent pending KnifeTucker, a tool designed to help installers tuck vinyl around edges during the finishing stage of a vehicle wrap. The tool replaces the standard clip on industry standard snap-off blade knives, giving wrap and graphics installers a built-in tucking tool that stays attached to the knife for faster, more precise film installation.
The product began as an idea from inventor Scott Decker, but it required extensive design and development before it could become a reliable production part.
With no formal manufacturing background, the team began looking for a practical way to move from prototype to production. APSX, a company that provides compact, affordable benchtop plastic injection molding systems, a desktop CNC Swiss lathe, CNC accessories, and wireless CNC control solutions, offered a more accessible path with significantly lower capital investment and a reduced operating burden.
With a properly designed aluminum mold, users can inject and evaluate parts the same day, update the CAD model, re-machine the cavity, and return to molding within hours. Mold installation is straightforward, allowing users to produce an initial part shortly after setup.
Because WrapOn Tools already had experience with desktop 3D printers, the idea of using a desktop injection molding machine felt familiar and achievable. The smaller format made the equipment less intimidating and gave Decker and his business partner and equipment operator Josh Lambert the confidence they could learn the process.
Once the process was dialed in, Lambert was able to produce a batch of four parts in about 90 seconds and roughly 200 parts in a day. The parts require very little post-production work, allowing them to be boxed and shipped within minutes of coming off the machine.
“To be able to get the precision that we are getting, it is hard to believe we can do that on a desktop machine,” says Lambert.
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.