Tennessee Injection Molding Services

Advanced Plastiform, Inc. Serving Tennessee Companies from Our Central Location in North Carolina

Tennesse Injection Molding

Since 1988, Advanced Plastiform, Inc. has worked hard to become the leading manufacturer of custom plastics for businesses across Tennessee. With our dedication to customer service that includes shorter lead times, competitive per-unit pricing, and most importantly, providing our clients with high-quality plastics, we are a trusted source for custom designed plastics for a multitude of industries, including automotive, medical, materials handling, and telecommunications.

At our modern plastics engineering and manufacturing plant, we use both thermoforming and injection molding to produce the custom plastics our clients need. Our design and engineering team will work with each client individually to determine the best manufacturing method for the design along with the right thermoplastic materials and customization options to use while taking into account timelines and budget constraints.

Our Injection Molding Process

API is a full-service plastics manufacturing company, so we are with our clients from start to finish, from the first design sketches through prototyping, all the way to creating a custom tool before we begin the final production to shape and customize the plastics for your order.

Though we use thermoforming to produce the majority of our plastics, some pieces can only be produced through injection molding. This is where we melt down thermoplastic pellets and, using a high-powered injection tool, force the liquid plastic into a custom made mold, where it will cool and set. Once the plastic is hard, the piece is ejected, and our team applies any finishing touches, like paint, silk-screening, or special coatings.

Choosing Injection Molding Over Thermoforming

Thermoforming is a more common method of shaping and manufacturing plastics because it offers a lower up-front cost and fast lead time, and it’s excellent for creating large pieces, like trunk tubs and shipping materials. However, it’s not ideal for every design.

There are times when injection molding is the only way to achieve the specifications dictated by the design. Typically, small pieces, like knobs and dials, items requiring varying thickness, and pieces that have intricate details and angles need to be molded instead of thermoformed.

Why Is Injection Molding More Complicated than Thermoforming?

Thermoforming plastics is fairly simple. A flat sheet of plastic is fitted to a single-sided tool, then a vacuum removes air between the tool and plastic, or it’s blasted from the outside with highly pressurized air to get the right shape. We can use aluminum to make the tool because of the relatively low pressure required.

Injection molding, on the other hand, is more complicated. We have to create a double sided tool that often has more detailing included. Also, more force is required to inject the plastic into the tool (our presses go up to 530 tons!), so the tool has to be heavier to withstand that pressure. Our molds are made from steel, heavy aluminum, or a beryllium-copper alloy.

Because the design and prototype phase is more complex, and the materials are more expensive, the upfront lead time and cost is higher than thermoforming. However, once the tool is made and final production begins, we can produce large quantities of products quickly and even fill replenishment orders and repeat orders efficiently. This leads to a low per-unit cost for our customers.

More Questions?

See our Frequently Asked Questions about Injection Molding

Contact Us for Injection Molding in Tennessee

If your Tennessee company needs custom plastics, Advanced Plastiform, Inc. can help! Whether your company is located in Nashville, Memphis, Chattanooga, Knoxville, Jackson, Kingsport, Clarksville, or any other areas of Tennessee, Advanced Plastiform is available to handle the design and delivery of your custom plastic products, parts, and pieces. With our dedication to customer service, we provide high-quality products on time and within your budget!

Advanced Plastiform Facility

Contact the Leaders in Injection Molding in Tennessee

We're here to discuss your custom plastic manufacturing needs.
Please call us at  919-404-2080 or email us now.