16 Dec In-House Secondary Processing for Plastic Injection Molding
Manufacturers today are under constant pressure to deliver high quality while reducing costs and lead times, all while managing complex and increasingly unstable supply chains. As a leading U.S. injection molding company, Quantum Plastics helps our customers accomplish this by offering a comprehensive suite of secondary processing capabilities ranging from prototyping to assembly, to nearly everything in between.
With the molding process and all secondary services expertly performed by a single provider, production is streamlined, becoming more efficient and more predictable. This approach minimizes part handling, reduces transportation and labor costs, and simplifies quality assurance at every stage.
A Broad Range of In-House Secondary Processes
Secondary processing refers to the value-adding steps that follow the molding phase. These include decorating and finishing services like hot ink stamping, pad printing, and silk screening, in-mold labeling, painting, and many more.
Also available are a variety of value-adding services like 3-D printed prototypes to speed the way into production; assembly, kitting, and packaging to streamline the post-production process; and a long list of specialty processes in between to make certain your finished product is ready for use right out of the box.
Quantum has a particularly extensive range of secondary processing capabilities, including:
3-D Printed Prototypes (FDM/UV curing photopolymer)
In Mold Labeling
Assembly
Painting
Decorating
Hot Ink Stamping
Pad Printing
Silk Screening
Solvent, Sonic, Hot Plate and Vibration Welding
Heat Staking
Trimming
Mechanical and Multi-Component Assembly
Plastic Spin Welding
Linear Vibration Welding
Fully Equipped Quality Lab
Laser Etching
Kitting
Packaging
EMI/RFI Shielding
Pressure Decay Leak Testing
The Strategic Advantage of Integrated Services
Consolidating molding and secondary operations helps eliminate redundant transportation, packaging, and inspection steps. In-house processing also strengthens quality oversight. Because molding, finishing, and assembly occur within the same organization, teams can monitor and adjust processes in real time, ensuring consistent specifications and traceability. Reducing the number of outside suppliers simplifies logistics and reduces the chances of costly delays or communication errors.
DFM: Designing with Secondary Services in Mind
Design for Manufacturing (DFM) plays a critical role in making integrated molding and secondary processing successful. The best outcomes occur when DFM considerations for downstream operations, such as welding, assembly, or decoration, are incorporated early in the product design.
For example, designers may adjust wall thicknesses or add locating features to support ultrasonic welding, or specify surface textures and geometries that enable consistent pad printing or in-mold labeling. When assembly steps are anticipated during DFM, engineers can build in alignment points or fastening features that simplify post-molding operations and improve yield.
Prototyping and functional testing are often used during this phase to validate how molded parts perform once secondary operations are applied. Identifying and resolving potential challenges before tooling begins not only saves time and cost but also ensures a smoother transition into full-scale production.
Putting It Together
Combining plastic injection molding, in-house secondary processing, and thoughtful DFM planning leads to shorter lead times, lower costs, and finished components of higher quality. Quantum Plastics makes sure every stage of every project under our roof is approached with the same unassailable level of care and expertise.
By integrating molding, secondary operations, and DFM services under one roof, Quantum helps customers streamline production and maintain control over quality and performance, all within a single, coordinated process.
Get in touch with Quantum today to find out more about our integrated manufacturing strategies.