Project Background
The client is an industrial equipment manufacturer. They planned to develop a two-color equipment housing for their next-generation control equipment to improve product visibility and handling. The housing needed to be high-strength, wear-resistant, and slip-resistant. The two colors also needed to transition naturally and adhere firmly.
The two-color mold had a complex structure and required high precision from the injection molding machine. The client chose to collaborate with GBM to develop a two-shot injection mold, enabling one-step molding of both rigid and flexible materials.
Our Solution
1. Mold Design and Molding Process
The GBM engineering team used a rotary two-color injection mold design.
The first injection mold is a rigid ABS housing, providing structural support.
The second injection is a soft TPE material, covering a designated area on the housing surface to increase grip comfort and slip resistance.
The mold’s internal components utilize a high-precision guiding system and an automatic rotary positioning mechanism. The two materials are perfectly aligned, preventing misalignment and overflow.
2. Materials and Surface Treatment
Main Material: ABS (high strength, dimensional stability)
Overmolding Material: TPE (soft, non-slip, wear-resistant)
Surface Treatment: The mold cavity uses a combination of mirror polishing and texturing. This achieves partial glossy and matte finishes, enhancing the overall appearance.
3. Production and Quality Control
During the trial molding stage, GBM engineers optimized injection parameters and the cooling system multiple times. The two-color seam is smooth and seamless. The final product passed temperature resistance, wear resistance, and adhesion tests.
Project Achievements
- Mold Manufacturing Cycle: 38 days
- First Mold Qualification Rate: 98.5%
- Finished Product Yield: >99%
- Mold Life: 800,000+ cycles
- Customer Feedback: The appearance and structure are perfectly integrated, significantly improving the overall texture of the shell.
