Desktop Plastic Injection System

[tlfamm]

A new (?) HSM advertiser:

http://www.apsx.com/product-p/apsx_pim.htm

See the "about us" link:

http://www.apsx.com/aboutus.asp

which states: "We are made in Ohio-USA."

[Norman Bain]

Cute.

We had a run of 50 custom electrical enclosures (lids and bases) made recently using silicone moulds; cost came out at $50 per box plus design. One would not need many of those events to make an investment in the machine worthwhile.

Of course, having a decent CNC machine to cut the moulds would assist. Any excuse will do for "just one more tool".

[Westline]

I saw this advert yesterday and was nice to see another desktop sized Molder, just for interest sake how does this unit compare to the Babyplast?

[Jaakko Fagerlund]

So what's the advantage over Baby Plast machine? I noticed that the advertised machine takes a "standard" mold base, whereas the Baby Plast just needs the mold inserts and ejection plates, which are available readymade from just about any mold standard part supplier, thus making it easier and faster to get going and cheaper to produce the molds for.

[Westline]

So what's the advantage over Baby Plast machine? I noticed that the advertised machine takes a "standard" mold base, whereas the Baby Plast just needs the mold inserts and ejection plates, which are available readymade from just about any mold standard part supplier, thus making it easier and faster to get going and cheaper to produce the molds for.

Hi Jaakko

Do you have experience with the babyplast machines, I only saw them at China plast in 2014 but would love to hear from someone who has run these machines.

[Royldean]

injection pressure of 2.5 tons is really limiting, no? Seems like a several prototype tools at a real molding house would be much cheaper.

[edit] now I can't find where I even found that number... are they editing that website currently?

[Fasttrack]

injection pressure of 2.5 tons is really limiting, no? Seems like a several prototype tools at a real molding house would be much cheaper.

I dunno... I just dumped $185,000 on one. Of course, it needed an 1100 ton press, so maybe not quite comparable...

I actually agree with you. Seems like it would be hard to justify spending that kind of money on a machine... it's too expensive for most hobbyists and not quite useful enough for many businesses. Usually you're either a plastics place and need "real" machines or you're an R&D place where sending it out to have the tool designed and parts shot just makes more sense than trying to bring it in-house.

Definitely cool, though.

[Jaakko Fagerlund]

injection pressure of 2.5 tons is really limiting, no? Seems like a several prototype tools at a real molding house would be much cheaper.

[edit] now I can't find where I even found that number... are they editing that website currently?

You probably meant closing force and not pressure, right? That is vey good for all the small intricate little plastic parts that are done by the millions and a small machine like the Babyplast is just made for it.

[Royldean]

You probably meant closing force and not pressure, right? That is vey good for all the small intricate little plastic parts that are done by the millions and a small machine like the Babyplast is just made for it.

I can't even find where I found that number, but yes now I realize that 5000 lbs is not a "pressure", so unsure if I read something wrong or what.

[Paul Alciatore]

$12,500! I am not sure just where their niche would be.

Wouldn't a 3D printer or molding with pour-able plastics be a better way to go for small quantities? One to 5 or 10 would be 3D printer all the way. Up to 100 or even 1000, pour-able plastics would be a lot easier and less expensive. The molds would certainly be far less expensive to make. And after that I would look to a professional molding company.

Am I missing something?

[ikdor]

The market is r&d departments, government, universities or anyone else that is burning someone else's money.
Hey, that's cute, and only a at ten percent of the cost of a microscope. Lets just get one to play with!

[Royldean]

$12,500! I am not sure just where their niche would be.

Wouldn't a 3D printer or molding with pour-able plastics be a better way to go for small quantities? One to 5 or 10 would be 3D printer all the way. Up to 100 or even 1000, pour-able plastics would be a lot easier and less expensive. The molds would certainly be far less expensive to make. And after that I would look to a professional molding company.

Am I missing something?

Well, for one, castable thermosets and 3D prints are often not available in the resins you want to test. And even if they are (SLS nylons, FDM abs/pc/pla), the build methods introduce natural fault planes, lines, etc - so really the only way to know how an injection molded part is going to perform is to prototype with injection molding methods (like protolabs, quick parts, etc.)