Insert molding is a specialized type of injection molding that allows the inclusion of metal components in a plastic part. For example, you could have a plastic cabinet-door knob with a metal fastening screw embedded during the molding process instead of having to assemble it later.

A wide range of metal components can be used in the insert molding process, including screws, limiters, threaded fasteners, magnets, filtering screens, tubes, clips, mounting brackets, and more. These components can be made from stainless steel, brass, copper, aluminum, nickel, or bronze. Delaney will work with you to select the best combination of metal and plastic based on requirements.

Why Use Insert Molding?

There are several reasons to choose insert molding:

1. It reduces the post-molding assembly required with separate metal elements, which can be costly. Separate installation of these components increases production time, and involves additional equipment and labor. Insert molding saves those assembly and labor costs.
2. It enables designers to integrate features into plastic parts that will make them stronger, more durable, and more reliable.
3. It allows enhanced product design by integrating features not possible with plastic alone: for example, a stainless-steel screen insert can provide a filtration area in a plastic part.
4. It is useful in metal to plastic conversion to make parts more efficient. There is increasing demand across industries to produce parts in plastic instead of metal — to lower weight, reduce production costs, and eliminate corrosion. Insert molding allows retention of essential metal elements within a plastic part.

Insert molding provides the best of both worlds: it retains the strength and functionality of metal parts by embedding those elements into a more economical and efficient plastic part.