Overmolding is a quick process that not only enhances the durability and longevity of electronics but also helps you save money by lowering the costs of ongoing repairs. Read our complete guide to discover the custom overmolding benefits your next project can gain.
General Custom Overmolding Advantages
Overmolding is the process of injection molding a material into a certain shape around pre-existing components such as cables and connectors to establish a complete assembly that addresses specific performance attributes.
Custom overmolding tailors the overmold process by creating specific designs and customizations that will meet your product’s requirements. This can include the overmold color, presence of flanges, angles, LED indicator lights, materials, and more.
Overall, overmolding offers not only advantages for the product itself but for your production and business needs. Here is a chart that highlights some of the specific overmolding benefits that you’ll receive with the process:
| Why YOU Should Overmold | |
|---|---|
| Product Sealing | Overmolding is used to seal an assembly allowing for waterproofing and obtaining IP status. |
| Tamper Proof | All components of the assembly such as the contacts and wires are housed under the overmolded assembly creating a tamper proof product. |
| Strain Relief | The overmold process can allow for strain relief to be designed into the back of the overmold to ease the transition of the overmold to cable. This process minimizes the stress on the wires. |
| Shock Resistant | Overmolding covers the wire in specified materials creating a shock resistant assembly. |
| Color Coding | Overmolding allows for developing assemblies with many different color options. Color coding has multiple practical purposes. First, it assists in identifying similar looking cable to eliminate the possibility of installing the wrong cables. For example, color coding can assist in deciphering multiple products in the same project; a red assembly can be a transmitter and the blue a receiver. |
| Shape Options | Different shapes and sizes can add to the functionality and aesthetics of the final product, along with miniaturization. |
| Angle Options | Different forms are available to accommodate the application. The forms can be straight, right angle, 45 degrees or anywhere in between. This will also eliminate any stress on the cable. |
| Ease of Installation | The overmolding process holds the entire assembly together in one piece allowing for easy installation. |
| Insulation Options | By insulating the wires and contacts, any possibility of them shorting across each other is eliminated. |
| Strengthening | The wires are strengthened by encapsulating them in resin. |
| Molded in Indicators | The mold can be designed with keys. The keys are developed as visual indicators in aligning each pair to assist in the ease of mating during installation in difficult areas and intricate applications. |
A Breakdown of the Differences Between Low-Pressure Molding and High-Pressure Molding
Overmolding also offers different processes, namely low-pressure and high-pressure. Let’s take a look at a general overview of these separate processes.
The Low-Pressure Molding Process (LPM) is an ideal overmolding electronics method for delicate, low-volume electronic equipment. The LPM process is similar to HPM but uses less pressure to inject molten plastic into a mold. Because the pressure is reduced, this method requires more time than HPM, but—compared to potting—it offers a variety of benefits to help improve the cost, quality and time involved in overmolding delicate electronics like PCBs, connectors, sensors and cable assemblies.
The High-Pressure Molding Process (HPM) is the manufacturing world’s answer to many production woes. Instead of pouring liquid resin, this overmolding method injects the resin at high pressure into a metal mold. The extreme pressure presses the resin more tightly against the mold walls to create greater detail or produce parts with complex geometry. High pressure also makes this process fast, resulting in less production time and resources, a high production rate and, ultimately, a less expensive product.
But, not all products can stand up to the force of high-pressure molding. PC board assemblies and other electrical parts are delicate and require a softer molding approach that can still outperform potting but doesn’t damage product components.
According to IPC Association Connecting Electronics Industries, the demand for printed circuit boards (PCB) and electronics manufacturing services has increased year-over-year by 39%. This surge is expected to continue. To keep up with demand, manufacturers must develop newer, leaner production processes that result in a faster turnaround time without adding to the cost of ownership or compromising quality.
Traditionally, manufacturers used potting to encapsulate and protect electrical components. This process involves pouring liquid resin over electrical components, boards or assemblies to insulate and protect the product against thermal shock, moisture, corrosive substances, etc.
As opposed to the low-pressure molding process, the potting process involves many steps and requires a long curing period that increases the cycle time and can be conducive to shrinking, putting the electronic components at risk. Depending on the method used, potting materials and processes can also be quite expensive. For example, vacuum potting or using silicone rubber compounds.
The Benefits of Low-Pressure Molding Process for Electronics versus Potting
- Faster, Simpler Process/Reduced Development Cycle
LPM only involves three steps instead of seven or eight steps involved in traditional potting. The thermoplastic polyamide materials (also referred to as “hot melts”) are heated until they turn into liquid, are injected into a mold (which encapsulates the electronic part) and are left to cool and solidify. Unlike potting, LPM doesn’t require a curing process, which also substantially reduces the amount of time and risk involved in encapsulating an electronic part.
- Less Expensive
By using the simplified low-pressure molding process, manufacturers reduce the number of resources and manufacturing time involved in producing the product. This cuts down on the cost of labor and materials, and will ultimately lower the cost of ownership. Thanks to the lower injection pressure involved in LPM, mold sets can also be made using aluminum, which is an affordable material with excellent thermal conductivity.
3. Excellent Resistance and Protection
Despite a reduction in materials, time and cost, low pressure molding still provides delicate electrical parts with excellent protection and temperature or solvent resistance. Low pressure molding creates a watertight encapsulation and considerable room for customization, including the addition of logos and color coding.
4. Environmentally Responsible
The materials used for low pressure molding are non-toxic, non-hazardous and derived from natural ingredients. Additionally, the leftover materials are either biodegradable or can be recycled into new materials. The simplification of the production process also utilizes less energy than the traditional potting process.
Interested in learning more about overmolding electronics? Download our free guide.
How You Can Benefit from Custom Overmolding with iCONN Systems
With the various advantages that overmolding offers, iCONN makes it easy to implement overmolding into your next project, no matter the requirements needed.
iCONN offers custom overmolded connectors, as this is an ideal process for the production of connectors because overmolding safeguards the connector against water and dust. This also makes it a cost-effective solution and prevents the need for additional repairs.
Another key custom overmolding advantage is that iCONN offers flexible design options, as we can custom engineer the overmolded connectors to fit any application need. Our team of experts will work with you to craft your ideal overmolded connector.
Explore the Advantages of Overmolding in Your Next Project
If you’re interested in learning more about custom overmolding benefits and how your next electrical project can be enhanced, contact our team today!
