Davies Molding Blog — Insights on Custom Plastic Molding, Knobs & Handles

Thermoset plastic molding is an advanced manufacturing process that enables the creation of highly customized parts with enhanced design flexibility, superior strength, exceptional durability, and excellent chemical resistance. Unlike thermoplastics, thermoset products maintain their structural integrity over time, making them ideal for demanding environments where quality is crucial. Additionally, the minimal shrinkage exhibited by thermoset products during the curing process allows for intricate details and precise customization options, further expanding their versatility. Thermoset plastic parts are produced by utilizing heat and pressure to transform raw materials into precisely shaped parts. In contrast to thermoplastic molding, thermoset molding involves the application of high pressure to room temperature pellets or powders, which are then introduced into a heated mold. Within the mold, the polymers in the material undergo cross-linking during the curing process, resulting in an unbreakable and irreversible bond. The pellets or powders used in this type of molding commonly consist of epoxy, phenolic, or polyester resin. While thermoplastic molding has traditionally enjoyed greater popularity, manufacturers are increasingly embracing thermoset molding due to its array of advantageous features.

What are the key benefits of thermoset molding?

1. 1. Design Flexibility: Thermoset molding allows for a wide range of design options. Including the ability to produce complex shapes along with details not available in traditional molding. This makes thermoset products an ideal choice for custom molding project.
   2. High strength: Thermoset plastics are known for their high strength and stiffness. This makes them ideal for producing thinner parts, parts with longer ribs, and other features that require high strength-to-weight ratio. Parts produced using thermoset molding can withstand high stress, making them suitable for applications where durability and reliability are required.
   3. High and low temperature resistance: Thermoset plastics are capable of withstanding high and low temperatures without melting, becoming malformed or broken. This means that parts produced using thermoset molding can be used in high-temperature or very low temperatures applications, where other plastic materials would not hold up 
   4. Low shrinkage: Thermoset plastics are ideal for applications where tight tolerances, precise measurements and details are critical. During the curing process, thermoset plastics experience minimal shrinkage allowing for more complex dimensions and details which are difficult to achieve with other molding processes. Plus, thermoset parts will retain their shape and size over time and in harsh environments.
   5. Chemical Resistance: The resins used in making thermoset parts are resistant to acids, alkalis, solvents, and oils making these parts ideal for more demanding environments.

What are some use cases for Thermoset?

Thermoset molding is a rapidly expanding option across many industries as companies look for parts that can hold up under extreme conditions. Below are some of the industries where you will find thermoset molded parts:

1. 1. Electrical: Thermoset parts are used for insulators, circuit breakers, transformers, and other electrical components where there may be high temperature or stress.
   2. Industrial equipment: Thermoset parts are used in pumps, valves, and compressors.
   3. Energy and power generation: Thermoset parts are used in wind turbine blades, solar panels, and power plants.
   4. Consumer goods: Thermoset parts are used in electronics, appliances, and sporting equipment.
   5. Construction: Thermoset parts are used in pipes, fittings, and roofing materials.
   6. Marine: Thermoset molded parts are used in boat hulls, decks, and interiors.
   7. Automotive: Thermoset molded parts are used extensively in the automotive industry for engines, electrical systems, and different components on the inside of the vehicle.
   8. Aerospace: In the aerospace industry, thermoset parts are used for aircraft interiors, engines, along with structural components.
   9. Medical devices: Thermoset parts are used in many different types of medical devices, including surgical instruments, diagnostic equipment, or implants.
   10. Military equipment: Thermoset parts are used in weapons, vehicles, and aircraft.

Thermoset molding companies offer this advanced manufacturing process that produces parts with a range of benefits over traditional plastic molding including better details, greater strength, higher durability, and superior chemical resistance. Thermoset molded parts are the perfect solution for companies seeking high quality customizable parts that will outlast standard plastic parts.

Thermoset and thermoplastic material is often used for making various plastic parts, including knobs, handles, controls, containers and more. While these two types of plastic materials are alike, they are different in their chemical properties and therefore used in different applications, Each type has unique advantages and disadvantages in how they can be used and we will review each below.

We are excited to share our new logo and new look with you!  We announced earlier this month that we updated the Davies Molding logo to a more modern look.  We chose a new logo that is symbolic of our standard product line, knobs.  We are a molding company and the molding process was in mind when we created the letter D in the D hex symbol.  The lines are designed to represent the molding process and flow of plastic material into the mold cavities. Even though our look has changed, we are still remain experts in injection and compression molding with over 80 years of experience.

The beginning of August brings a close to The Heico Companies' summer internship program. For the last eight weeks, Jacqueline DeWitt worked at Davies Molding as the Marketing Intern. It has been a great learning experience for her.

We are pleased to welcome Yusuf Waxali to Davies Molding. He has recently started the position of Mechanical Engineer. After graduating from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2016, he worked at the Intec Group, a tier-two automotive plastic injection molding company. There he developed strong skills in CMM programing and injection molding simulation. 

The Heico Companies interns recently took a tour of the Davies Molding plant to learn how our knobs and handles are manufactured. Geared up in closed toe shoes and safety glasses, they saw the injection and compression molding process firsthand. The tour, given by Derran Smith and Jenny DuPrey, was rich with manufacturing knowledge applicable to the interns. It was a great opportunity for them to see the products that are made in the industry they are a part of this summer.

Jacqueline DeWitt, the Marketing Intern for Davies Molding, was excited to show her fellow interns where she's been working for the past few weeks. After the tour, she asked them what they thought of Davies:

“I was truly fascinated by the variety of methods with which Davies manufactures their products. However, I was most impressed with how well they are keeping pace with increasingly sophisticated prototyping technology like 3D printing.” - Preston Chloupek, Executive Finance Intern for Pettibone LLC

“I loved interacting with the materials produced by Davies Molding’s and seeing what great detail is put forth during the production stages. Being a consumer, it is rare to see an item before it is completely polished so I found this new perspective to be very fascinating.” - Jermell Shackelford, Finance Intern for The Heico Companies Mergers and Acquisitions.

We always look forward to giving the interns a tour of our plant. We had a great time teaching them about the manufacturing process and we hope they enjoyed learning what Davies is all about.

Davies Molding employees participated in a tornado/severe weather drill during June, National Safety Month. Everyone in the plant and offices practiced the precautions to be taken in case of an emergency. Everything ran smoothly during the drill—we're so lucky to have such a great team who cares for each other! Does your company have a plan in case of an emergency? Follow the link above to learn more what your company can do to be better prepared in the case of an emergency.

Davies Molding welcomes Erin Masterson, our new Assistant Project Manager. Erin successfully completed a marketing internship program for Ohmite and Davies Molding during the summer of 2017. She brought great qualities to the office, and her diligence was extremely evident to our team. 

We are pleased to introduce Adel Davish, the new Tooling Manufacturing Engineer at Davies Molding. Adel has hit the ground running and has already been making great contributions to the company. 

It is our pleasure to welcome Eduardo Favela to Davies Molding! Eduardo just joined the company as Senior Accountant at the end of May. We are lucky to have him as a member of our team because of his unique skill set that will positively impact the organization's overall vision.