Wholesale Injection Moulding Machine Suppliers

Injection moulding machine types and specifications

Injection moulding machines are classified by their clamping mechanism and drive technology: hydraulic injection moulding machines — the traditional design using hydraulic circuits to drive both the clamping unit and injection unit; most cost-effective capital investment, particularly at larger clamping forces (above 1,500 kN); suitable for most standard thermoplastic applications; higher energy consumption than all-electric designs; all-electric injection moulding machines — servo motors replace hydraulic actuators for all machine movements; energy savings of 50–70% versus hydraulic machines; cleaner operation (no hydraulic oil); faster cycle times and higher injection speed/pressure response; superior repeatability for precision parts; preferred for medical, electronics, and optical components; higher capital cost than hydraulic (typically 1.5–2.5× for equivalent clamping force); hybrid machines — hydraulic clamping with electric injection, or electric clamping with hydraulic core pulls and ejection; balance energy efficiency, performance, and cost; widely adopted in automotive and packaging applications; two-component (2K/2-shot) machines — produce parts from two different materials or colours in a single cycle, eliminating assembly operations; and micro injection moulding machines — specialised for very small parts (shot weights <1g) for medical implants, microfluidics, and micro-optics. Key specifications: clamping force (kN or tonnes — from 250 kN to 90,000 kN for large industrial machines), shot weight (grams of material injected per cycle), screw diameter (mm), injection pressure (bar, typically 1,500–2,500 bar), injection speed (mm/s), and dry cycle time (seconds). The SPI/EUROMAP plasticising capacity rating defines the material throughput capacity of the injection unit.