Micro molding is a highly specialized manufacturing process that produces extremely small, high-precision thermoplastic components with micron tolerances. Micro molding is a unique injection molding process that requires specialized molding equipment that can deliver accurate shot control, high injection speed/pressure, uniform melt temperature, and ultrafine resolution using sophisticated controls and servo-electric drives. It is one of the key technology designed specifically to mold micro-miniature components. Therefore, there is an increasing demand for micro-molding materials in various end-use industries, such as aerospace, automotive, military, electronics, medical and healthcare, and telecommunication, among others.
This in turn is expected to augment the growth of the micro-molding materials market around the world. Micro-molding manufacture plastic components with tolerances in the range of 10 to 100 microns. This molding process permits the manufacture of complicated small geometries with maximum possible accuracy and precision. Moreover, the advent of nanotechnology has led to the rampant implementation of miniaturization across various industries. Nanotechnology, micro-sensors, micro-implants, and medical applications are the key applications for the use of micro-molding materials, which in turn increase the demand for micro-molding materials from various end-use industries, driving the growth of the micro-molding materials market.
For example, in June 2021, Westfall Technik opened a medical molding facility near Chicago. The new 40,000 square-foot facility features three Class 8 cleanrooms that can accommodate a couple of dozen injection molding machines. The company also planned to install three of its M3 micro-molding machines in the plant and make it a micro-molding center of excellence. Micro-molding, in the healthcare/medical industry, is used to manufacture various parts such as tubes, sensors, micro-optics, catheter tips, and implants. Moreover, micro-molding products are now replacing machine molding products at a higher rate.
Furthermore, the increasing trend of miniaturization and the increasing number of invasive surgeries are increasing the demand for micro parts from medical device manufacturers. This in turn is also expected to accelerate the growth of the micro-molding materials market. Micro-molding requires less raw materials and takes less time to mold the parts, compared to machine molding, hence results in high-cost savings. Thus, with the rapid growth of the automotive and pharmaceutical industries, the demand for micro-molding materials is also increasing at a rapid pace. Miniaturization is as important in medical electronics as in space electronics and other applications. The small size and weight are benefits of hybrid microcircuits; they have been used for a long time in pacemakers and defibrillators.