4 Reasons Why Plastic Parts Manufacturing Boosts Automotive Industry

The automotive industry is larger than it has ever been. This growing industry is expected to expand by 2.6% and bring in a staggering $100.9bn in 2022 in the US alone. When including the rest of the world, it is easy to see why automotive manufacturing is a giant resource consumer. One of the most used materials in vehicles is plastic. The interior and exterior of every car or truck produced in today’s market include some plastic parts made using injection molding. Injection-molded components can account for more than half of a car’s build.

Plastic molding companies play a crucial role in the automotive industry supply chain by providing injection molded parts. Plastic parts manufacturing is valued at more than 28.7bn and is expected to top that amount in 2022. There are several reasons why plastic parts manufacturing boosts the revenue of the automotive industry.

The Automotive Industry Has Work to Do

Manufacturers in the automotive industry have been mass-producing vehicles since 1908. The industry has grown and evolved for over a century and has enjoyed many technological advancements. However, there are still problem areas that need to be addressed for plastic parts manufacturing to provide a greater service to this industry.

• Efficiency

The automotive industry varies in production efficiency, which can be a significant problem impacting cost and the supply chain. Higher efficiency will result in more vehicles leaving the assembly line. The supporting plastic molding companies can produce parts more smoothly. Efficiency in the automotive industry is measured by the number of cars manufactured in a day and the hours required to complete a vehicle in a given hour. Of the seven big automakers in the USA, one of Jeep’s assembly plants can build a vehicle in 13.57 person-hours. On the contrary, Hyundai is producing cars at 35.1 employee hours. This range of efficiency hinders the plastic molding company’s ability to deliver consistently.

• Quality

Quality is another area of concern for many car manufacturers. Poor quality hurts sales, and low sales impact plastic parts manufacturing, resulting in the supply chain being hurt. Jeep may lead the way in efficiency, but they also lead this category. They averaged 167 issues per 100 cars manufactured, significantly higher than industries average of 118.

• Cost

The price of cars is rising, partly due to efficiency and quality. When it takes longer to build a vehicle, costs skyrocket. Longer lead times equate to more employee hours, which can add up quickly. Poor quality impacts customer confidence and brand loyalty and hurts sales. Both can affect the cost of producing vehicles, which impacts plastic parts manufacturing.

• Precision

The precision of design is of the utmost importance to plastic molding companies. A plastic parts manufacturer must have accurate measurements for parts to match up with the vehicle during installation. If dimensions are precise, parts are manufactured correctly, resulting in material waste and rework. This fact adds to the increasing cost that is being felt across the industry.

The car industry is investing in engineering and process improvement and showing progress in these areas.

Benefits of Injection Molding for Plastic Parts Manufacturing

There are benefits to leveraging plastic parts manufactured by injection molding. These benefits can solve many of the issues facing the automotive industry.

Mass Production of Parts

Plastic molding companies can help ease inefficiency concerns by mass-producing injection-molded parts and having those parts on hand, so productivity is maintained. A strong partnership between plastic parts manufacturers and automotive companies is required.

High Uniformity

When a vehicle is engineered and mass-produced, it is essential that each car that rolls off the production line be identical in build. Functionality, durability, and performance must work as expected. Uniformity is vital when producing an exact product. High uniformity is an advantage of injection molding. The very nature of injection molding refers to creating a mold that, when used, all plastic parts manufactured using molding will be identical. Injection molding ensures a consistent and highly uniform product every time.

Cost Effective

Custom injection molding is highly cost-effective. Creating an injection mold for the plastic part needed is set in motion and repeated until the required components are produced. All that is needed moving forward are raw materials for the manufacturing process. Plastic parts manufacturing using injection molding has low overhead and low material waste. Low overhead benefits the cost concerns facing the automotive industry.

High Precision

The precision of the injection molding process is one of the best benefits. High precision allows plastic parts manufacturers to confidently produce with confidence that the parts being manufactured meet the provided specifications. Once a mold is machined for the car part, the dimensions are set, and precision is locked in.

 

Injection Molding is the Best Choice for Car Parts

The automotive industry can manufacture plastic parts, but that choice comes at a cost. Given the benefits of plastic part manufacturing, the best choice for mass production of car parts is injection molding. By choosing this process, the stress of making high-quality parts is left to the plastic molding company.

Abery is a cost-effective choice for custom injection molded automotive parts. We are one of the industry’s most reliable plastic molding companies, with more than a decade of experience and a vast customer portfolio. We have the experience and expertise to rise to any industry challenge.

Conclusion

Plastic parts manufacturing boosts the automotive industry’s efficiency, quality, precision, and revenue. As more automotive manufacturers lean on the abilities of plastic molding companies, car owners will also benefit by owning higher-quality and more reliable products. The possibilities are endless when partnering with a dedicated plastic molding company like Abery. Abery produces some of the highest quality plastic parts and serves customers worldwide. If you are searching for a plastic molding company, Abery can be your last phone call.