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Potential business model for injection moulding
- This topic has 4 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 2 years ago by
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Hi PP’ers,
Lots of people want to do something with recycled plastic, many have the ability to build the machines, and eventually the capability to create injected products.
But what to make?
Often the people who are good at the first part – building machines and setting up a workshop- are not so interested in designing and marketing products. However there are many people out there who are, and increasingly want to do so with recycled plastics (I am currently in the second group).
Preamble- Industry 4.0
If you don’t know about Industry 4.0 yet look it up because PP will be a part of it. Essentially it describes the move from large scale manufacturing to ‘enterprise scale’ – yea that’s us. Because of the wide availability and tumbling price of technology, we all now have the ability to get the tools and knowledge to be able to design and manufacture our own products and market them directly.
One exciting example of a tool for this is http://www.3dhubs.com which allows users to upload 3d files to have them 3d printed or machined in various materials. It works on the principle of connecting users with 3d printing facilities and machine shops in their country/area. But as yet the injection moulding capabilities are limited and expensive due to the high cost of mouldmaking.
However, due to recent advances and cheap new printers, it is now possible to 3d print at home in a variety of materials, even metal.
A business idea for PP within the context of Industry 4.0
To set up independent recycled plastic injection services, using 3d printed moulds, connected via a hub to allow each workshop to communicate with online customers, and receive 3d files (similar to 3dhubs).
This hub could potentially generate income both for individual workshops and for the central hub operator.
nice nice, always happy to see folks watching over the plate’s end 🙂
as from our side & machine wise we’re getting there:
– ‘plastic grinder’ for PET is near finish – the printer is basically there too (@3dseed) . it’s basically the same housing as in v3 and you just plug it beneath the shredder
– injection addon for existing v3 extruders is coming slow but good – if it goes well, we have a near full automated injector – spitting parts out all day long 🙂
I haven’t thought yet about those things entirely but I fully agree, we need to get PP as drop in and one stop shopping solution for the mass :-))
3dhub btw. also enables to get molds for cheap.
@occupypp Definitely looking forward to seeing an automated injector, this is the dream for PP!
@3dseed (or @3d-seed ?) Maybe you could look into providing an online service of printing in recycled PET via 3dhubs.com? I looks like you already have the capabilities and everything almost in place..
@timberstar yeah we were on 3dHubs years ago and it was terrible.. now 3dHubs says this.. ¨For 3D printing: you operate at least an industrial additive manufacturing machine (no desktop 3D printers only ¨ link here
PM me for more info of how we can partner in the UK.
We have a couple of contacts there already 🙂
@3dseed That sucks… I’m sure it’s related to the legal side of things, probably also connected with their investors. I looked at those ISO codes at the bottom of that page, the first one is about quality control, but the others relate to medical devices and aerospace parts. That’s the type of thing which requires such high standards.
In that case, better to set up PP print farms independently, with injection services, and connect with customers through a central PP hub (which would also need some rules, quality control etc.)
In my mind there’s no doubt that 3d printing will play a central role in the future of this movement, and the barriers are not so big.
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