Assessing the Suitability of Freeform Injection Molding for Low Volume Injection Molded Parts: A Design Science Approach

Elham Sharifi, Atanu Chaudhuri, Brian Vejrum Waehrens, Lasse Guldborg Staal and Saeed Davoudabadi Farahani
Additional contact information
Elham Sharifi: Department of Materials & Production, Aalborg University, Fibigerstræde 16, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark
Atanu Chaudhuri: Department of Materials & Production, Aalborg University, Fibigerstræde 16, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark
Brian Vejrum Waehrens: Department of Materials & Production, Aalborg University, Fibigerstræde 16, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark
Lasse Guldborg Staal: AddiFab ApS, Møllehaven 12A, 4040 Jyllinge, Denmark
Saeed Davoudabadi Farahani: Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Institute, Southern Denmark University, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense, Denmark

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 3, 1-19

Abstract: Low-volume manufacturing remains a challenge, especially for parts that need to be injection-molded. Freeform injection molding (FIM) is a novel method that combines elements from direct additive manufacturing (DAM) and injection molding (IM) to resolve some of the challenges seen in low-volume injection molding. In this study, we use a design science approach to explore the suitability of FIM for the manufacturing of low volume injection-molded parts. We provide an overview of the benefits and limitations of traditional IM and discuss how DAM and indirect additive manufacturing (IAM) methods, such as soft tooling and FIM, can address some of the existing drawbacks of IM for short series production. A set of different parts was identified and assessed using a design science-based approach to demonstrate how to incubate FIM as a solution to address the challenges faced in short series production with IM. This initial process innovation was followed by solution refinement, involving the optimization of the FIM processes. Finally, a “cross-case” analysis was conducted using the framework of context, intervention, mechanism and outcomes to generate insights about the generalizability of the results. It is concluded that FIM combines the short lead-times, low start-up costs and design freedom of DAM with the versatility and scalability of IM to allow manufacturers to bring low volume products to the market faster, more cheaply and with lower risk, and to maintain the relevance of these products through easy customization and adaptations once they have been launched.

Keywords: freeform injection molding; additive manufacturing; injection molding; design freedom; material diversity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/3/1313/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/3/1313/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:3:p:1313-:d:487841

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().