The history behind injection mold makers is actually quite fascinating and explains a lot of the changes to molds over the past 100 years. From the early days of the industry to the rapid changes in the 21st century, injection mold makers have continued to push the technology to do more and create better products.
When It All Began
In 1861, Alexander Parkes created the first types of plastic, although he called it Parkesine. It did not gain in popularity as it was expensive to produce and cracked easily. John W. Hyatt invented and patented the first injection mold machine. It used camphor and cellulose nitrate to make billiard balls, a product that had previously been made predominantly from ivory. His named this new compound celluloid, and it is still used today for motion pictures.
1907 – First Moldable Material
Celluloid was a great first step, but it couldn’t be molded into different shapes. Leo Hendrick Baekeland was the first to create a material that could be reshaped and was also durable. His material, called Bakelite, was very successful, from industrial and military use to domestic products.
20th Century – Evolution of Materials
During the 20th century, a lot of new materials were developed that offered a unique range of possibilities. From the creation of cellophane in 1913 to PVC in 1933 to Teflon in 1938, durable and versatile materials became very desirable during the two World Wars. By the time peace was again established by the 1950s, plastics had become one of the most sought after materials for an increasingly broad range of purposes.
Evolution of the Process
With new materials to work with, molds began to become more popular. Mass production using injection molds rose in the early 1940s as World War II raged. However, the injection process did not undergo serious changes until the 1970s when James Hendry designed and patented the gas-assisted injection mold process. This new method offered a way to quickly produce articles that were hollow and that could cool quickly. Hendry’s creation started a whole new way of thinking about plastic mold injections.
Following Hendry’s product, injection mold makers began considering molds in a new light. The rapid technological advances in the 1990s and early 21st century were quickly incorporated into the process. Today, injection mold makers continue to seek new ways to change and improve both the molding process and material.
Topics: Injection Mold Technology