Both injection blow molding and extrusion blow molding processes are integral in many manufacturing applications. These techniques are used to create many disposable and recyclable plastic parts, including products used in medical and research applications. Both processes feature unique functions to produce different results, which is why it’s important to understand each process to determine which is suitable for manufacturing a particular product. To help you better understand the differences between injection blow molding and extrusion blow molding, we’ll go over how each process works so that you can determine which is best for your needs.
What is Injection Blow Molding?
Injection blow moulding process can be separated as injection moulding process and blow moulding process.
1. Injection molding process: The injection molding is finished by a plastic injection molding machine. In this process, we will produce a semi-finished product called preform or parison. The raw material is melted in a barrel and fed to the nozzles, injected into an injection mold, then we have the perform with kinds of bottle neck types.
2. Blow Moulding process: Blow molding is when we put the performers or prisons to a blowing mold and use high-pressure air to blow it up as bottles or other hollowed containers.
The injection blowing molding process can be finished with horizontal injection-blowing molding machines. This optimized injection blowing moulding system can be run with 28 cavity molds of tablet bottle mold in about 25 seconds of cycle time. This is high speed, energy-saving and stable for 24 hours running. Can beat the production line running vertical injection blow molding machines and extrusion blow molding machines very easily, but the investment cost is lower.
What is Extrusion Blow Molding?
Extrusion blow molding process starts from the material is melted and plasticized in the barrel. And then extruded from the head of the extruder with the conventional downward tube. When the tube parison reaches a predetermined length, a section of the tube embryo is intercepted and placed in the blow mold while still hot. The mold is closed catching and holding the neck end open and pinching the bottom end closed. the compressed air is blown into the parison through the air-blowing nozzle. The tube prison will be precisely inflated to the desired shape of the mold cavity. After the mould is completely cooled and then mold can be opened to take out the product.
The Key Differences Between Injection and Extrusion Blow Molding
In general, the biggest difference between the injection molding process and the blow molding process lies in their process, raw materials, and applications. If you want to buy blow moulding machine in China, feel free to contact us if any questions.
Blow molding uses gas pressure to make the hot blanks, close in the mold blowing into hollow products, or tube blanks without mold blowing into tube film. Injection molding, on the other hand, melts the plastic material and then injects it into the film cavity after molding.
Speaking of raw materials, Blow molding uses raw materials like polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, polystyrene, thermoplastic polyester, polycarbonate, polyamide, cellulose acetate, and polyacetal resin. Among these, polyethylene is the most used. Injection molding uses raw materials like thermoplastic or thermosetting materials.
Blow molding is widely used in bottles, jars, baby products, sporting goods, and other industries. Injection molding is widely used in cell phones, portable computers, many kinds of plastic housings, communications, micro motors, computers, electrical appliances, electronics, toys, clocks and watches, lighting, locomotives, and other industries.
Comparison between Extrusion Blow Moulding and Injection Blow Moulding:
Extrusion Blow Moulding | Injection Blow Moulding |
---|---|
More easy for production | More difficult to produce |
One step forming process | Two steps forming process |
Lower cost | Higher cost |
Recycle Materail is used | Mostly Brand new material |
Multi-layers | One layer only |
Product size from few ml up to hundreds liters | Product size from few ml up to dozens liters |
Slow production | Fast production |
Cheap or good quality | Good quality only |
Bigger leaking risk | Smaller leaking risk |
Have parking lines | Almost no parking lines |
Poor precision | Better accuracy |
Have flash and trimming | No flash and trimming |
Not Energy Saving | Energy Saving |
Thickness depends on extrude head/parison controller | Thickness depends on the core and cavity of the mold |
Only one set blowing mold | Have injection mold and blowing mold |
All cool runner mold | cool and hafe hot runner mold |
More difficult for automatic running | Easy for automatic running |
Cavities number depends on die-head number | Cavities number depends on mold cavities |
Wide range of materials | Narrow range of materials |
Partner with YOULI
It is important to consider your product when determining whether injection blow molding or extrusion blow molding is right for your needs. At YOULI we can help determine which process is best suited for your application. With our extensive experience manufacturing a variety of bottles, tubes, and other consumables, we are here to help guide you with your packaging needs from design to production. Contact us today.