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BPA-Free-Molding-Phthalate-Free-and-PVC-Free-Plastic Products

BPA-Free Molding, Phthalate-Free, and PVC-Free Products

BPA-Free-Molding-Phthalate-Free-and-PVC-Free-Products
There are so many choices when it comes to the type of plastic required for the job, and molding process that will best suit the end result. One of the latest and largest trends is the shift towards BPA-Free molding, and Phthalate-Free and PVC-Free products. At SPI Industries we believe it’s important to stay on top of the latest processes and healthy plastics to truly offer our customers the best service possible.

Below we dive into the reasons you may want to consider BPA-Free Molding, and Phthalate-Free, PVC-Free products for your next product mold.

Why Choose BPA-Free Molding?

Chances are you’ve seen a product labeled “BPA free” when you’ve gone to the store to buy a water bottle, or any type of food container. Studies have shown that BPA bottles have been known to leech BPA into the bottles when exposed to extreme temperatures. With the increase in studies that have shown the potential health risks of BPA, more consumers are now looking for a BPA-free option.

This is where BPA-Free Molding comes into play. This style of molding process will ensure your products are free from BPA. Although, the FDA hasn’t officially labeled BPA as being harmful for consumer use, a lot of companies are already switching their plastic products to BPA-free. Especially, if they produce children’s goods, or food related containers.

Plastic products produced using BPA-Free molding will be free of PVC, phthalate, and BPA.

Best Uses For This Style Of Mold And Plastic

Most plastics that are free from these chemicals are commonly found in products that come into human contact, or are used in food processing. For instance, a lot of children’s toys and baby food containers are produced using this style of molding.

A lot of food containers, water bottles, milk jugs, plastic cups, and bath toys are commonly produced using BPA-free molding as well.

When you’re trying to consider whether or not to use BPA-free molding for your next set of plastic products it’s important to think about how your products will be used now and into the future. If your plastic products will come into frequent contact with humans through physical contact, or will be used to house food-related products, then staying ahead of the consumer preference curve could be very beneficial for your business.

SPI’s Experience With This Type Of Plastic

At SPI our focus is on providing our customers with the molding processes and types of plastics they require for their business to succeed. Since conscious consumer trends point towards BPA-Free molding and the resulting plastics as the way of the future, it’s important for forward-thinking companies to be able to add this to their product lines.

Our processing capabilities and years of experience enable us to ensure your plastic mold meets all of your required specifications the first time through. A lot of facilities may have the right equipment, but without years of experience working with different types of molding processes, the results will be less than desirable.

If you’re a business owner who needs a new line of BPA-Free, Phthalate-Free, or PVC free plastic products, get in touch with our team of professionals today.

Blow molded, Rotationally molded, or Injection molded? How to make a Good Duck

Blow molded, Rotationally molded, or Injection molded? How to make a Good Duck

Which came first, designing the mold or designing the rubber duck? In the case of The Good Duck the bigger question was which process, blow molding, rotational molding, or injection molding, will result in the best rubber duck ever?

injection molded novelty items

Following through on a crazy idea, Craig Wolfe premiered Betty Boop Duck in 1997, and his company, CelebriDucks was born. Originally invented in the USA, this American icon had long since been outsourced over seas. CelebriDucks returned the art of rubber duck manufacturing back to the United States.

From NBA players, to Mr T, and KISS’s Gene Simmons, CelebriDucks are collectible rubber ducks fashioned after some of the greatest icons of film, music, athletics, and history. CelebriDucks was voted the top fan give-away by ESPN in sports stadiums all over the country.

Not easily satisfied, inventor and CelebriDucks founder Craig Wolfe, had to take the product to a higher level. His most recent invention, The Good Duck, is known as the safest rubber duck on the planet.

As most parents know, the first thing babies do when they grasp an object is to put it in their mouth. The Good Duck is made of medical and food grade materials that are soft and safe for teething children. FDA approved, PVC, Phthalate, lead and BPA free, The Good Duck is 100% Made in the USA, and it floats!

With all great ideas comes research and development. Knowing he wanted a safe, soft, rubber duck that floated, Wolfe knew BPA free and PVC free was the way to go. Hence, his tour of blow molding and injection molding plants throughout the United States. As he bounced from factory to factory researching processes and materials he noted SPI Blow Molding in Coloma, Michigan was already using a soft material that could work. Safety and softness was key for the cute duck.

SPI Industries won the development of the Good Duck

Wolfe explained the determining factor for choosing SPI Industries and SPI Blow Molding was the expertise of the people compared to other plastic manufacturing facilities in the mid-west.  SPI had the experience with reach and development to support The Good Duck project.

Still, that’s only part of the story. The softness of the material, the product safety, and the desire for ducks of different color took much trial and error. Choosing the correct material, one that would remain very soft and hold design detail into molds is challenging. Fine tuning CAD designs, re-molding, sculpting, testing and refinement of molds was time consuming and expensive.

Should a Good Duck be blow molded, rotationally molded, or injection molded?

The Good Duck design was originally planned to be injection molded. Once Wolfe started working with SPI Industries, owned James Doster, advised him on a different direction. With injection molding the Good Duck would be in two pieces. The two pieces would need to be glued together. SPI engineers explained, “The plastic needed for the injection molding method would be too hard and would require welding.” Because a true rubber duck needs to float, it needed to be hollow. Blow molding it as one piece and sealing in the bottom was the solution.

The next challenge was determining wall thickness. The soft material they wanted to use with the characteristics that make the Good Duck safe and chewable doesn’t flow like normal resins. Getting the wall thickness exact took some time.

“SPI Companies do more than just manufacturer, they’re trail blazers. They’re making a difference in every way they can, creating jobs and producing innovative products with cutting edge technology.”

For the Good Duck to be completely safe, color needed to be molded right in the product. Adding color was a another challenge because colorant adds weight and effects the floating capability. Consistent balance was critical and very intricate. “Not easy technology, but SPI came up with a formula that is top of its grade with an age grading of 0 and up and thus completely safe for ALL ages!” reported Wolfe.

SPI also provided a great supplier for packaging services for The Good Duck. American gift boxes are usually very expensive and drive up price point. SPI staff helped to locate a gift box manufacturer right here in the United States, keeping cost in line and also ensuring The Good Duck is 100% Made in America.

Future plans are in place to expand The Good Duck line because it is so unique. Communities who hold annual duck races as fundraisers can now use American made ducks! The Good Duck may also be employed as a promotional piece with custom embossing or silk screening of logos.

Wolfe says. “What’s good for you and the planet is the right thing to do. The Good Duck should be done and we should be making it in America. We now have a niche as we’re the only ones making them here and The Good Duck cannot be duplicated anywhere. It’s a cute little duck!”

Wolfe insists on getting the best product out there and The Good Duck will come out of the gate very strong with the highest level of product safety. Watch for the blue, yellow, and pink Good Ducks on the shelves of your favorite stores as early as December, 2015. If you just can’t wait, you can pre-order Good Ducks on the website http://CelebriDucks..com, call 415-456-3452 or email info@CelebriDucks.com

SPI Expansion in the News

SPI Blow Molding Expansion in the News

Thanks to everyone at Tri-City Record for publishing SPI Blow Molding expansion in the news. Below is the recent newspaper article about SPI Blow Molding expansion published in the Tri County Record in Watervliet, Michigan. 

Please contact Karl Bayer, editor & publisher of  Tri-City Record P.O. Box 7  • 138 N. Main St., Watervliet, MI 49098 or call 269  463-6397.

SPI Blow Molding completes major expansion project in Hagar Township

SPI Expansion in the NewsSPI Blow Molding recently celebrated the completion of their 6,000 square foot warehouse addition with a formal ribbon cutting July 13, 2015.

John Doster, President of SPI and Izzy Dimaggio, Hagar Township Supervisor handled the honors.

The entire Hagar Township Board as well as some interested members of the community attended the ceremony, which was followed by a tour of the plant, an explanation of what SPI Blow Molding does, and in general, how they do it.

Thad Rieder of Cornerstone Alliance was also in attendance. Rieder was instrumental in assisting SPI with the tax abatement process, which was unanimously approved by the Hagar Township Board.

Doster commented on how pleased the company was with the support they have received from not only the Hagar Township Board, but the State of Michigan as a whole.

“The support we have been given by the State of Michigan is more than expected. It all started with Cornerstone Alliance putting us in touch with the various other agencies which could help us stabilize and grow.” Doster said. “Michigan Small Business Development Corporation (MSBDC) helped us get the ball rolling. Cornerstone Alliance pushed us along and the Hagar Township Board capped it off with tax abatement support.”

It takes a village and in this case, it looks like the village won. It is nice to see the various governmental sponsored entities come to the aid of private enterprise and make things happen. Though this is on a very small scale, it represents what a larger team can do. SPI indicated they have added 5 new jobs since the approval of this new project.

SPI Blow Molding is a Custom Blow Molder of hollow plastic parts. They are an extrusion blow molder specializing in low to medium volume work, requiring a fairly large array of materials.

Their customer list includes major manufacturers such as GE Healthcare, making arms for MRI Beds, down to the small single product entrepreneur such as Best Bins, making bulk food dispensers.

They process basic polypropylenes and ethylenes to more difficult clear polycarbonates. SPI has molding size capacity from a single pound head through 40 lb head machines.

SPI is capable of assisting customers with product design, tool design, tool building and the ultimate production of finished goods. They are located at 3930 Bessemer Rd., Coloma, Michigan, 49038. They can be contacted at 269-849-3200 or visit their web site at moldedparts.com

SPI’s mission is to provide the best custom molding experience for the injection and blow molded requirements of its valued customers. This experience involves flawless support culminating in successful global product delivery.

SPI’s core software, mechanical, and human technologies insure future profitability and growth to its employees, community and customers. SPI’s commitment is embodied in its value statement and quality policy.

SPI Blow Molding molds the HDPE Buzz Ball Football game table that was awarded 2nd place at the Annual Society of Plastics Engineers’ (SPE) Awards.

The award was granted in the Industrial Blow Molding Division of the 2nd annual blow molded parts competition. The ABC, SPE Blow Molding competition showcases the latest innovations and advancements in the blow molding industry. The competition was held in conjunction with the 30th Annual ABC and SPE Blow Molding Conference in Chicago, October 5-7, 2014.

SPI BLOW MOLDING COMPLETES EXPANSION

SPI Blow Molding ExpansionSouth West Michigan

SPI Blow MoldingRibbon cutting July 13, 2015. John Doster, President of SPI and Izzy Dimaggio, Hagar Township Supervisor handling the honors.

Coloma, MI, SPI Blow Molding recently celebrated the completion of their 6,000 square foot warehouse addition with a formal ribbon cutting July 13, 2015.  John Doster, President of SPI and Izzy Dimaggio, Hagar Township Supervisor handled the honors.

The entire Hagar Township Board as well as some interested members of the community attended the ceremony which was followed by a tour of the plant and an explanation of what SPI Blow Molding does and in general how they do it.  Thad Rieder of Cornerstone Alliance was also in attendance. Rieder was instrumental in assisting SPI with the tax abatement process, which was unanimously approved by the Hagar Township Board.

Doster commented on how pleased the company was with the support they have received from not only the Hagar Township Board, but the State of Michigan as a whole. “The support we have been given by the State of Michigan is more than expected.  It all started with Cornerstone Alliance putting us in touch with the various other agencies which could help us stabilize and grow.” Doster said.  “Michigan Small Business Development Corporation (MSBDC) helped us get the ball rolling. Cornerstone Alliance pushed us along and the Hagar Township Board capped it off with tax abatement support.”

It takes a village and in this case it looks like the village won.  It is nice to see the various governmental sponsored entities come to the aid of private enterprise and make things happen.  Though this is on a very small scale it represents what a larger team can do.  SPI indicated they have added 5 new jobs since the approval of this new project.

SPI Blow Molding is a Custom Blow Molder of hollow plastic parts.  They are an extrusion blow molder specializing in low to medium volume work, requiring a fairly large array of materials.  Their customer list includes major manufacturers such as GE Healthcare, making arms for MRI Beds, down to the small single product entrepreneur such as Best Bins, making bulk food dispensers.  They process basic polypropylenes and ethylene’s to more difficult clear polycarbonates.  SPI has molding size capacity from a single pound head through 40 lb head machines.  SPI is capable of assisting customers with product design, tool design, tool building and the ultimate production of finished goods.  They are located at 3930 Bessemer Rd., Coloma, Michigan, 49038.  They can be contacted at 269-849-3200 or here on the website.

______________________________________________________

SPI’s mission is to provide the best custom molding experience for the injection and blow molded requirements of its valued customers. This experience involves flawless support culminating in successful global product delivery. SPI’s core software, mechanical, and human technologies insure future profitability and growth to its employees, community and customers. SPI’s commitment is embodied in its value statement and quality policy.

  ###

Media Contact for SPI Blow Molding
John Doster
269-488-2752
3930 Bessemer Rd Coloma, MI 49038

molded plastic parts manufacturing 3D prototype

Understanding Molded Plastic Parts Manufacturing: From Concept To Fulfillment


Molded-Plastic-Parts-Manufacturing-3d-prototypeWhen you’re looking to design a plastic part or entire plastic product, the process generally follows a simple series of steps. However, the method of production you end up using may be any one of several which is determined by the geometry of the part and the functional requirements placed upon it. It’s important to understand molded plastic parts manufacturing.

Fortunately, the steps are pretty straightforward once you understand the sequence of events needed to take a project from an initial idea to a final part design and manufacturing process. Below is a simple road map to consider and some examples of a couple of the most common molded plastic parts manufacturing methods.  Go from initial design to a completed product.

1. Coming Up With A Design 

The first step is coming up with a design for your plastic molded part. This can begin with something as simple as a sketch on the back of a napkin. Your initial design should ultimately incorporate enough detail to have an engineer draw up a 3D Model of your proposed plastic part. This is the beginning point from which you will make all the changes and refine the initial ideas into a working representation of your parts. Also from this drawing you may want to get an actual prototype built.

During this phase it is very helpful to work with a design team, which generally includes engineering, sales and manufacturing technical expertise, to assist with finalizing your design and preparing it for the next phase of the process. It’s important to define what type of testing needs to be done to prove out the feasibility of your part design and functionality.

2. Determine the molding process to be used.

injection molded plastic parts

Screw Driver Set — Tools/Hardware

blow molded plastic bellows

Bellows

During this phase you’ll need to decide which type of molding method will be best for your product. The type of plastic molding process selected will depend upon your initial design, quantities needed and overall functionality of the part. There are several plastic molding processes available.  Five of the more common general broad categories are Injection Molding, Blow Molding, Rotational Molding, Extrusion Molding and Thermoset Molding.  Each of these processes have more specific sub groups of processes within them.  The general category is all you will need at the beginning of your project. From these categories you will quickly narrow to the primary molding process most appropriate to your part.

Two of the most common forms of molding plastic include blow molding and injection molding. Injection molding is used to produce parts made with a simple open and close function of the mold. Wall thickness and close tolerances can generally be held more consistent with injection molding than blow molding.  Blow molding is used to produce hollow plastic parts and can accommodate unusual shapes.  Both injection molding and blow molding can use a very wide range of resin materials that exhibit a similar wide range of physical properties, both visually and to the touch.  Impact strength, flexible toughness, pliability, and many other characteristics can be achieved by both injection and blow molding.

3. Prototype Your Design

During the prototyping phase, if your budget allows, you’ll develop a plastic prototype that will resemble the final molded plastic part. The plastic prototype may be created using rapid prototype resin printing, soft tooling, or use single cavity pull-ahead tooling.  There are many prototype processes available today.  The design team will determine the best fit for your project.

The budget for your project will also influence the number of times you can afford to go back and forth between your mock-up design and initial prototype. You want to keep the number of iterations to a minimum.  You will be working closely with the designers and product engineers at this stage.  The manufacturing team will play a large role in guiding what can and cannot be molded using the various plastic molding technologies.

Once you’ve finalized your prototype you’ll move forward to getting the final mold designed for your plastic part or product. You will now be working with tool design engineers to determine the most appropriate way for your part to be arranged in the actual tool, also referred to as the mold.  This process should, if at all possible, include the manufacturing technical team to determine how a tool, or mold, should be designed to run properly in the molding equipment from which the part will ultimately be produced.

4. Manufacture Your Item

The plastic manufacturing company you use to produce your final plastic part will depend upon many factors.  The type of molding you’re going to use for your final product, such as size of part and annual projected quantities will lead you to the group of processors for consideration. Most manufacturing facilities have specific specialties at which they excel.  Some plastic molding companies do just the part manufacturing.  Others do secondary assembly.  Some manufacturing companies take the process all the way to finished goods.  Fulfillment including packaging and shipping is not available from all molded plastic part manufacturers. You will also want to discuss the volume of parts each plastic manufacturer can handle. Small plastic manufacturing plants may not be suited well for large volumes.  Others specialize in short run, highly technical molding.  SPI Blow Molding is one of the Custom Industrial Molders capable of very difficult challenges.  We range from high volume parts for the agricultural industry to low volume parts for the Medical Industry.  Large tanks for the recreational vehicle industry to small injection molded parts for the electronics industry. SPI Industries’ injection molding resume covers a very diverse range of products from plumbing fixtures to freight securement systems.

Early discussions with potential manufacturers about volume, turn around, types of plastic resins available and fulfillment is highly recommended. It’s important to work with a plastics manufacturing facility that has experience producing similar style plastic parts, or is proficient in the style of plastic molding your product requires. You will also want to consider if you simply need parts or if you need the project handled from concept to completion. You may consider location of a plastic molding facility. SPI Industries and SPI blow molding are located in the South West Region of Lower Michigan and North West Region of Indiana. SPI Plants produce plastic molded parts for companies located in more than simply the Great Lakes Region. Our customers are located throughout the country.   Depending on the needs of the customer, location is not always the most important criteria.

5. Package The Goods

Once your molded plastic parts haplastic product fulfillment. products in boxes ready to shipve been produced they may then be packaged and delivered to your facility for assembly and further distribution, or could be delivered directly to your customers.  Discuss in detail your overall need for assistance with any and all steps in the manufacturing process.

Determine the role of your molded plastic part in the overall production of your finished goods. For instance, if the molded part is just one of many components and requires additional assembly or further steps in the production process, a decision must be made as to who will do the additional work. It could be the molder or it could be you as the customer. Talk to your plastic parts manufacturer about assembly capabilities offered. Secondary operations are now offered by most plastic molders. SPI Industries and SPI Blow molding offer assembly and final processing for several customers.  From single part production to total contract manufacturing and fulfillment, whereby we ship directly to your customers from your orders supplied daily.

If the molded plastic part is a standalone product you’ll be able to immediately distribute the parts to your customers. This is generally not the case.

Some manufacturing facilities will handle all of the shipping for you, while other facilities will simply deliver the finished product to you, and you will have to handle the delivery and shipping to your customers.

If you’re ready to make a mock-up design, a plastic prototype, or have a question about the manufacturing process, get in contact with SPI Industries or SPI Blow Molding today. We can help guide you through the entire molded plastic parts manufacturing process.

Difference Between Injection Molding and Blow Molding

Difference-Between- Injection-Molding-and-Blow-MoldingMost people in the plastics manufacturing industry are familiar with both blow injection molding and blow molding these days. However there is still some confusion by product designers and engineers new to the industry about the difference between injection molding and blow molding . The blow molding process has become a standard for specific applications and understanding the differences between these two plastic molding processes can save design, prototyping and production time. This of course results in money savings and increases the speed of completion and delivery of your plastic part.

There are several significant differences between injection molding and blow molding:

  • manufacturing process itself
  • tolerances and margins of error
  • design considerations
  • role of the process for intended result

Main difference between injection molding and blow molding:

  • Injection molding – produces a part that is solid such as a reusable coffee cup lid
  • Blow molding – produces hollow parts such as water bottles

The blow molding process can produce plastic parts with very complex shapes. However to achieve this the wall thickness may vary from place to place depending on how much the material has to stretch when it is being blown. The thickness of a plastic part created through injection molding is determined by the relationship of the mold and the core.

You will be farther ahead if you are able to determine the best molding process for your plastic product in the product development stage. 

Be prepared to answer a lot of questions from plastic mold engineers:

  • How is your plastic part going to function?
  • Is it a stand alone item?
  • Is it a part that connects to other parts or works in tandem with other parts to achieve a result?
  • Does it need to pivot, move, expand, condense?
  • Is the weight critical to the function?
  • Will the part need to withstand extreme levels of cold or heat?
  • Does the item need to adjust to specific pressure levels or PSI?
  • Will the part hold fluids?
  • Does it need to be food safe?
  • Does it need to be flexible or does it need to be solid and rigid?
  • What length does the part need to be, width, depth?

Answering these questions when designing and manufacturing any item is good a idea. With items requiring plastic molding the large variety of plastics to choose from, the importance of accuracy, and the difference between injection molding and blow molding it’s best to determine these answers as soon as possible. When one millimeter size difference can make the item usable or unusable for its intended purpose, accuracy and creative solutions are required. That’s why we have engineers, right?

Custom Plastic Molding Solutions

Because of the many variable in producing molded plastic parts, nearly every part we produce requires a custom solution. Engineers review all variables based on the end use of the product.

Variables to consider in Molded Part Production:

  • type of plastic used
  • flexibility or strength
  • psi pressure rate required
  • withstand temperatures levels – hot or cold
  • wall thickness
  • product dimensions

Once these variables are considered the whole process will go much smoother and quicker. The use of 3D printers in the prototype stage helps to reduce time too. Designing molds and fine tuning them to perfection can take a few tries but once complete production can begin.

When injection molding is determined to be the best process for your plastic part once you have an approved mold you’re practically golden. The injection molding process begins, the product is produced and there is very little concern of production issues with the injection process.

Therein lies another difference between injection molding and blow molding. In the blow molding process getting the mold perfect is only part of the battle. During the blow molding production process there are many variables manufacturers must pay attention to. The iterative nature of the blow molding process lends itself to production variables.

Periodically checking the production line is important for quality control. If the plastic is stretched too much small pin holes or cracks in seals can result. Checking for wall thickness uniformity to ensure they are within the tolerances needed for the part to behave as it is intended is also critical. As an example, a plastic bellows is made to collapse when pressure is applied and then expand back to it’s original form once pressure is released. Consistent wall thickness helps the bellows to function correctly. If the plastic bellows collapses on one end faster than the other because the wall is thinner your plastic part may wear out quicker and may not function smoothly. Having sold process control systems in place will produce consistent parts with high quality function.

Blow Molding Production Concerns:

  • pinhole leaks
  • leaking seals
  • flexibility or strength
  • velocity or pressure of blown air
  • speed of the mold closing
  • process temperature
  • wall thickness
  • poor function
  • consistent product dimensions

You can learn more about the various plastic molding processes that are applicable to your product or new invention at Plastic news.

Do you have a new plastic product invention and you aren’t sure about which plastic mold process is the best solution for your item? Give SPI a call today, our engineers love a challenge! We will help guide you in the most appropriate and cost efficient plastic molding solution for your unique requirements.

New Outdoor Product Manufacturers Benefit from Multiple Generations of Outdoor Enthusiasts

New Outdoor Product Manufacturers had blow molded at SPI

New Outdoor Product for New Outdoor Product Manufacturers

New outdoor product manufacturers are feeling supported by studies that show increases participation and spending in the outdoor recreation industry. Even during the economic recession from 2005-2011 the outdoor recreation economy grew approximately 5% each year.1 In the United States there are 198 million adults between the age of 18-65 and of those, 60% qualify themselves as outdoor consumers.2 With it’s undeniable impact on economic, social and health benefits, outdoor recreation is getting attention from leaders and consumers alike. Last month (February 2015) the Obama administration’s announcement for “Every Kid in a Park” and the new national monument designations brought attention to the importance of the outdoors and introducing outdoor recreation to a new generation.

With America’s youth spending less time outside than ever before, many parents who grew up enjoying the outdoors are working to expose their children to outdoor activities. 43% of outdoor consumers have kids at home.3 Studies by the Outdoor Industry Association show this renewed interest in outdoor activities increases outdoor product purchases by this growing sector. From bicycles and accessories to hiking, swimming, sports and camping gear, outdoor recreation product manufacturers are diversifying their product lines to meet the demands of families getting outdoors and active. Whether outdoor sports enthusiasts or backyard barbecuers, outdoor consumers are all ages, shapes, sizes, ethnicities and income levels. New outdoor manufacturers can assist in raising the next generation of outdoor enthusiasts by developing innovative products that can fit family budgets and lifestyles.

The recent OIA Consumervue study identifies clear consumer segmentations in the outdoor recreation industry. These consumer segmentations can help new outdoor product manufacturers develop specific products that help people participate in outdoor recreation more easily and often. New outdoor product manufacturers can strategize business growth by developing new product lines for existing consumers, discover new consumers with an existing product line and capture new customers with new product lines. A clear example is with the aging baby boomer generation. Many baby boomers grew up enjoying outdoor recreation and still want to enjoy the outdoors. Health and mobility can be limited with this group and they need products that will assist them in continuing to engage comfortably. New outdoor product manufacturers who create products that will help this generation stay active and comfortable while enjoying the outdoors not only increase the aging populations lifespan and well-being, healthier communities and reduced medical expenses result.

• more than 140 million Americans make outdoor recreation a priority in their daily live
• outdoor recreation consumers spend $646 billion on outdoor products and activities,
• Outdoor recreation industry employees over 6.1 million Americans.

Although electronic gadgets are in the hands and homes of preschoolers and the elderly alike, consumers actually spend over twice as much on outdoor recreation as they do on their household utilities annually. A recent study on the frequency and types of camping equipment consumers purchased showed these otherwise distracting electronic devices are often used to research camping equipment purchases in advance of camping trips. From sleeping bags to portable sewage disposal products for campers. consumers read about products online, reviewed them in a store and most often purchased them in the store.

As the generations of American’s who grew up enjoying the outdoors continue to actively engage the younger generations in outdoor recreation more outdoor products will fill their homes, garages, and mini-vans. From sports water bottles to baseball bats, kayak oars and plastic lawn darts new outdoor product manufacturers must find cost effective solutions to meet the demand. As the baby boomers strike out with their lightweight walking canes, sunshade umbrellas, and activity trackers, new outdoor product manufacturers can develop innovative solutions to keep them active in style.

As America heads into Spring and the most active months for outdoor recreation are upon us consider what’s missing in your biking, barbecue, sports or camping gear. Search online or in stores for the outdoor recreation products you need. If you don’t find what you are looking for maybe it hasn’t been invented yet. If you have an idea for a new outdoor recreation product you can contact a local manufacturer to create a plastic mold or a 3-D printer prototype and try to develop it on your own. If creating a small business is not your goal, search for an outdoor product inventor club or ask a molding manufacturer if they have customers who produce similar product solutions. You never know, your invention could help countless people in multiple generations step out into the great outdoors in comfort and style.

 

1. Consumervue Executive Summary, 2014, Outdoor Industry Association

2. Consumervue Executive Summary, 2014, Outdoor Industry Association

Plastic blow molded parts assembled and packaged for shipping.

More Questions to Ask When Choosing a Michigan Plastic Blow Molding Company

Plastic blow molded parts assembled and packaged for shipping.

Plastic blow molded parts assembled and packaged for shipping.

The previous blog entry covered five top questions when researching a Michigan plastic blow molding company. This blog entry covers some of the other considerations when looking for a local plastic blow molding company. We have specified Michigan blow molding company because that is where we are located. However the information isn’t specific to any one state or province. Blow molding companies in southwest Michigan and blow molding companies in China and elsewhere can held to the same standard.

  1. Combine molds for a variety of plastic shapes – Separate mold pieces combined for many different sizes & shapes.  Blow molding may not be the best option for your part, or possibly one element of you part requires blow molding and another part is best suited for injection molding. A consultation with an experienced engineer can offer the most efficient applications to produce a high quality product.
  2. Location – Finding a plastic blow molding manufacturer that has submitted the lowest cost but is located out of state or the country can quickly lose its’ advantage when packaging, freight costs and lead times increase. If the facility you choose has a considerable cost advantage but is located in a nearby state and once freight and shipping is determined still results in a cost savings and meeting shipment scheduling is guaranteed to meet turn around times, close proximity may not be a concern. Many Michigan manufacturers require tier suppliers to be within a specific mile radius which limits options in some cases. If for instance, you are an appliance manufacturer you may not have rules for suppliers location but the convenience of having your parts manufacturers close can reduce cost and valuable lead time.
  3. Turn around – As noted above with the location, turn around time can be critical in the manufacturing industry. The more time required to manufacture parts the more cost per part, thus increasing the cost of the final product. When comparing press capabilities, a penny difference per part of one million parts on a slower press adds up quickly. Considerations must be taken with the speed of design, prototyping, changes, production and fulfillment. If molded parts can be completed within other facilities at the same level of quality at a much faster speed it can reflect in a huge cost savings to the customer and more sales to the manufacturer.
  4. Assembly and Packaging – Often times blow molded or injection molded parts are just one piece of a larger item. For instance blow molding for manufacturers would include the tires on the 4-wheeler tote-a-long in the photo above . However, in this example the body of the product also requires blow molding. Bringing the components together to a completed product in one facility instead of shipping parts to be blow molded in one spot then assembled in another, then packaged in another location is time consuming and expensive. SPI Blow Molding and SPI Industries in Michigan produce the plastic molded parts, assemble, package and ship to the manufacturer or directly to the wholesaler or distributor.  Other items such as food bins that need micro sized parts added and attached can be assembled in SPI blow molding and injection molding facilities. All products will need to be packaged whether products are individual parts, partially assembled or complete products ready for sale. Determining packaging is an important step in the final stages of the manufacturing process. How products will be packaged, from large boxes that will be transported on skids, to small items placed in plastic bags and then into cardboard boxes for shipping or individually into customer provided point of purchase packaging all adds cost and time.
  5. Warehouse direct shipping – Once the plastic molded parts are complete and packaged what is the best method to get products to the next stage? Options from the blow molding manufacturer and injection mold manufacturer for shipping or delivery of items include shipping to warehouses, production facilities, or customer’s business. Some blow molding companies like SPI Blow Molding, offer warehousing and factory direct shipping, and even direct to retailer or end user shipping. This is a valuable service for companies who do not have a fleet of delivery trucks or a fleet service they retain. Keeping manufacturing, assembly, packaging and shipping within one facility reduces cost, staff, and liability. Time savings include, reduced order tracking, order placement, product receiving, staff management, reduced time monitoring and tracking of spending and payroll.

Have we answered all of your questions on blow molding? Hardly! Once you are ready, give us a call or shoot us an email. We can talk to you about your specific product or part and offer suggestions for the best production solution to fit your product application and your time and budget. Meanwhile take a peak at the article about our expansion covered by Plastics News!

example of plastic blow molded part for a toy

Questions to Ask When Choosing a Michigan Plastic Blow Molding Company

example of plastic blow molded part for a toy

Plastic blow molded part for a toy wagon.

Plastic blow molding allows product manufacturers to mass produce items with precision and cost efficiency. Utilizing skillful design and engineering is the first step in developing high quality plastic blow molded parts with lower production cost. There are many other considerations when choosing a blow molding company for your plastic molded parts.

  1. Standard & custom molds – If the blow molded part you need is a universal design such as bottles or jars there are often standard molds that can be used. Utilizing these readily available standard molds reduces time and cost in development. Unique shapes that require custom molds add additional steps to the blow molding process. Design, fabrication, prototyping, fine tuning and creation of the final mold takes time and increases cost. The benefits of developing a custom mold that will be used time and time again for a unique part will reflect savings in the long run. Attempting to fit a custom shape to fit the constraints of standard molds is often not feasible or can require changes in other parts of the end product to produce a high quality functioning part.
  2. Prototype – Prototyping helps you perfect your design before you move into the higher cost stage of production. Engineers develop a design that meets the part specifications and ensures process ability. Engineers create molds, fixtures and product designs on computer aided design (CAD) systems. Dependent on timeframe and budget prototypes can be created in a variety of stages to suit your needs. From standard engineering to a 3-D plastic molded part or a prototype with final finishes in place from chrome, to textures, to final coloring, etc. You can choose what stages of review that is required for your project from concept models to functional prototypes.  A popular prototyping option is 3-D printing. With quick results combined with inexpensive prototyping material costs, 3-D prototyping on 3D printers is revolutionizing product design and accelerating manufacturing lead time.
  3. Plastic Blow Molding Types: The three types of blow molding include Extrusion Molding, Injection Molding, Stretch Blow Molding. All of the blow molding processes include melting of resin otherwise known as plasticizing. They all have inflation and cooling phases within a mold and all are ejected from molds. All three have specific application advantages. Many blow molding manufacturers offer more than one options. It is important to discuss pros and cons of each process for the application of your plastic blow molded part. Generally extrusion blow molding can offer lower costs because of the lower cost of material per unit weight and is well suited for low production runs. Injection molding is capable of producing small intricate parts and more than one material can be sued when utilizing co-injection molding. Stretch molding works great for holding beverages and is used extensively in PET water bottles, seams are less visible or nonexistent.
  4. Industries – Blow molding serves the consumer and industrial product industries. Products for use by consumers are a large sector of blow molded products produced every day. From food storage, beverage bottles and cups, to agricultural sprayers, and garden equipment, games, beauty products, decorative gift items, household products such as chair bases used in furniture manufacturing, etc. Some blow molding companies focus on niche products or categories. It is not uncommon for blow molders and injection molders, to focus on a single industry, such as agricultural, lawn and garden or appliances. SPI Blow Molding and SPI Industries found combining these plastic molding service they could offer a more comprehensive package of solutions for their customers.
  5. Materials and construction – There is an enormous variety of plastic resins to choose from. A wide range of resins have become available over the years to fill the ever increasing demands as plastic part diversity has exploded. The function and finish characteristics of a part dictate the type of resin best suited for the specific part. You will need a molder and material supplier working in concert to solve the most difficult applications.  Do you need extreme light weight?  Do you need food grade that can tolerate high heat environments?  Do you need color fast UV stabilization, or a resin flexible enough to form a multitude of bellows shaped parts? Do you need a hard plastic resin for a theatre seat with double walled construction? From temperature, color, impact, flexibility, and life span an experienced plastic blow molder can provide guidance and recommend the best resin for your application.

 

Did you realize there was so much information about plastic blow molding? There are actually plenty more and we’ll be covering them in the next blog entry. Be sure to check in. Meanwhile, what other questions are considering as you are looking for a plastic blow molding company? Please post them below and check back for answers or contact us directly, we’re happy to help.

SPI Blow Molding Breaks Ground Expands Fulfillment Services

SPI Blow Molding expansion - fulfillment services department  Coloma, MI, SPI Blow Molding LLC, a custom blow molding company is increasing building capacity to implement fulfillment services.

SPI Blow Molding is the sister company to SPI Injection Molding, a custom injection molder in South Bend, Indiana,

The expansion is taking place in two phases. The first is a smaller 2,400 square foot storage building meant to house fixtures and support equipment to the blow molding and fulfillment functions. Construction of this initial phase began in October of this year and should be completed by mid-December.

The second phase, which will be connected to the northwest corner of the current production plant, will be 6,000 square feet. Its primary uses will be secondary assembly, warehousing of work in process and finished goods as well as providing additional capacity for customer supplied components. All of these functions provide added capacity to perform complete fulfillment services for SPI’s valued customers. SPI hopes to begin construction on the larger structure during the spring of 2015.

When both phases have been completed, SPI Blow Molding will have enhanced its ability to mold, assemble, box and ship products to their customers. Products can be fully assembled and drop shipped to end users. Companies can then choose to have blow molded plastic parts shipped to another of their production facilities, a distribution center or directly to their customers. Multiple loading docks allow for ease in large shipments and receiving. Shipments will be transported throughout the United States and overseas.

SPI Blow Molding Fulfillment Services Capabilities:

  • Manufacture, assemble, inspect, package, and ship final products
  • Drop ship orders to our clients’ customers
  • Ability to warehouse products for our customers
  • Dock to stock shipping
  • Ability to use third party transport, mail and delivery systems

SPI Blow Molding provides fulfillment services for The Best Bins Company, headquartered in Minneapolis. SPI currently produces, assembles, warehouses and distributes their bulk food container product line. The bulk container is used for dispensing coffee beans, candies and a wide variety of bulk food items. Having all these capabilities and fulfillment services under the control of the SPI production plants has improved efficiency and saved Best Bin Company both time and money.

SPI Blow Molding provides custom molds and class-A molded parts in a variety of colors. SPI Blow Molding resin capabilities include: High Density Polyethylene (HDPE), Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE), Polypropylene, K-Resin, Styrolux, Ethyl Vinyl Acetate (EVA), Polyurethane, Nylon, PETG, and Polycarbonate. Nutraceutical and food products are blow molded from an FDA approved resin.

Along with manufacturing custom molds and molding parts, SPI Blow Molding is a complete manufacturing, fulfillment and distribution center. Newly installed equipment and warehousing space will allow SPI to comfortably offer manufacture, assemble, inspect, package and ship final products.

Expanding SPI Blow Molding’s current manufacturing plant footprint to house the new fulfillment services department will also open up several new jobs to the area.

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SPI’s mission is to provide the best custom molding experience for the injection and blow molded requirements of its valued customers. This experience involves flawless support culminating in successful global product delivery. SPI’s core software, mechanical, and human technologies insure future profitability and growth to its employees, community and customers. SPI’s commitment is embodied in its value statement and quality policy.

SPI Blow Molding molds the HDPE Buzz Ball Football game table that was awarded 2nd place at the Annual Society of Plastics Engineers’ (SPE) Awards. The award was granted in the Industrial Blow Molding Division of the 2nd annual blow molded parts competition. The ABC, SPE Blow Molding competition showcases the latest innovations and advancements in the blow molding industry. The competition was held in conjunction with the 30th Annual ABC and SPE Blow Molding Conference in Chicago, October 5-7, 2014.

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Media Contact for SPI Blow Molding
John Doster 269-488-2752
john.doster@moldedparts.com
3930 Bessemer Rd
Coloma, MI 49038
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