Flashless Molding

Flashless molding is a process of manufacturing parts with no excess material, or flash. Flashless molding can be more expensive than more traditional molding processes, but the benefits are often worth it.

With no excess material to be removed from the final product, flashless parts are removed from the mold as a finished product. This reduction in wasted material helps cut down on material costs.

The process is also fully automated, so there is no secondary operation to remove flash. This eliminates labor costs required by non-flashless tooling. An obvious benefit is significantly reduced cycle time.

Flashless molding makes the most financial sense when higher quantities are needed. The added up-front cost of flashless tooling is quickly offset by the reduction in labor and material. If the quantity is low volume, a more standard method of manufacturing may be indicated.

There are other reasons for choosing this process:

Rubber-to-Metal: The flashless process achieves a stronger chemical bond during molding than using cold adhesion. Additionally, using a secondary process to remove flash could damage the chemical bond and adversely affect part performance.

Eliminating Defects: High-precision products are also better suited for flashless molding. Parts that need flash removal can cause the component to rip and tear. Flashless molding will eliminate that risk.

TMI will work with you to decide which parts are candidates for flashless molding. Talk to one of our experienced engineers today.