Administration & Operations Blog: Using injection moulding simulation to develop environmentally friendly products.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency is working in implementing new sustainable techniques using injection moulding simulation. The main goal is to use recycle material and develop sustainable and environmental friendly products. According to the article it will also reduce the material consumption, production scrap, and better quality product. Injection moulding simulation reduced consumption of natural resources and use of processes that are environmentally friendly will, reduce the need for landfills, improve air and water quality, and fight pollution and global warming.” It is important to have this new initiative due to the fact that it “helps to control the increasing issues related to the health of our planet. Our planet deserves a better treatment that is why each human being needs to self care about the way we are treating the earth. It is necessary for the manufacturing fields to incorporate this initiative of moulding.
According to Thomas this are some of the environmental impact:  
·         Recycle ability: this is an important consideration, how a product can be reused needs to be evaluated in the design process, to meet the increasing demands of legislation, and to be an alternative to natural resources
·         Degradability: this is the ability of a product to reduce itself back into natural resources, once outside of the operating conditions for which it has been designed.

The picture above shows how the injection of recycle material is inserted by pressure to the mold. Then shows what quality products can be achieved.

http://hicksplastics.com/Injection_Molding_Hicks_Plastics_MI.html

Thomas, A. R., Speight, R. G., & Annareddy, M. M. (2008). Using injection moulding simulation to develop environmentally friendly products. Plastics, Rubber & Composites, 37(2/3), 184-189. doi:10.1179/174328908x283276