Vote For Injection Molding Machine

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History

• Mailing List Announcement: 5/4/2015
• Officially Proposed: 5/4/2015
• To be Voted on: 2015-05-12
  • Yes: 0
  • No: 0
  • Present:
• Passed:

Background

Injection molding is a great way to make 100 plastic parts in less than 300 hours. Molds can be made out of epoxy resin using 3d printed objects. The molds themselves may even be 3d printable, no one has tried it yet! Aluminium molds can be made on the shopbot and better molds can be made on a milling machine.

Injection molding is great for making parts which need more durability than a 3d printed part. Parts can be created faster than 3d printing. A benchtop injection molder is a good middle point between making a 3d printed prototype and shelling out big $$$ for a full production run. It's less of an alternative to 3d printing, and more of a compliment.

Benchtop injection molders can be maunual, using a lever to injection the plastic; all the way to fully automatic. A fully automatic benchtop costs about $20,000 new. A semiautomatic costs $3500 new. Manual and used come a little cheaper but deals are rare and euipment not under warranty.

The space needs a small footprint benchtop injection molder.

Here is a video of someone operating a semiautomatic machine. https://youtu.be/kXmC75w3qTg

Language

Authorize the BoD to spend up to $3500 on acquiring a benchtop injection molding machine.

This authorization shall expire at midnight on July 31, 2015.