Following the last two materials technology special articles, we now spotlighting injection molding technologies. The four core development trends in the injection molding sector are: intelligence, automation, precision and sustainability.

The advanced technologies submitted for “The Top Ten Technology Trends in Plastics and Rubber in 2025” campaign, initiated by Adsale Plastics Network (www.AdsaleCPRJ.com), showcase advancements in the following areas:

∎ Intelligent injection molding

∎ Liquid silicone rubber (LSR) injection molding

∎ High-precision mold technology

∎ Digital solutions

∎ Additive manufacturing technology

Intelligent injection molding

Driven by the demand for lightweight automotive components, miniaturized consumer electronics and high-precision medical devices, intelligent injection molding technology is rapidly overcoming the limitations of traditional manufacturing in terms of precision, efficiency and the formation of complex structures through equipment innovation and process upgrades.

Industry pioneers such as Haitian, WELLTEC and Wittmann Battenfeld leverage high-precision control, multi-process integration and full-chain coordination to provide technical solutions that balance high-strength lightweight design with scalable, stable production across multiple industries.

∎ Haitian

Technology: MA 5th-Gen Injection Molding Machine

With comprehensive performance upgrades, the entire series enhances every aspect from injection components to plasticizing parts and mold clamping structures. The ongoing evolution of hardware configuration brings a new exterior, establishing a performance and quality benchmark in the industry and ensuring readiness for future technological advancements.

Equipped with multi-layered intelligent functions, this injection molding machine boosts efficiency while accommodating customized, flexible production requirements. Its newly upgraded electric pre-plasticizing unit, combined with state-of-the-art energy-saving and information technologies, delivers a more energy-efficient and efficient injection process to create a next-generation intelligent molding ecosystem.

∎ WELLTEC

Technology: 1100HD Ultra-Large Electric Injection Molding Machine

The 1100HD Ultra-Large Electric Injection Molding Machine is designed for the automotive, home appliance and optical lighting industries, enabling high-precision and complex large-mold production, thus driving high-quality development in these sectors.

This machine is a large, high-rigidity electric precision injection unit with an injection position accuracy of ≦ ±0.03 mm and a product weight variance of ≦ 0.1%, enabling high-precision manufacturing. The high-rigidity mold clamping structure is optimized using CAE software to minimize deformation passed to the mold, fulfilling precision mold production standards and extending mold lifespan.

∎ Wittmann Battenfeld

Technology: All-in-one Intelligent Injection Molding System

The Wittmann all-in-one intelligent injection molding equipment integrates injection molding machines, robotic arms, automation systems, mold temperature controllers, dehumidifying dryers, blenders, crushers, water discharge systems, MES production management systems, raw materials handling conveyors and central feeding systems. Utilizing the proprietary Wittmann 4.0 smart integration communication technology, it enables comprehensive management and control, delivering efficient and intelligent injection molding solutions.

Powered by the proprietary Wittmann 4.0 smart technology, this system enables seamless connectivity, intelligent management and full-chain optimization, significantly enhancing production efficiency and product quality. Its highly customizable services cater to diverse demands and are broadly applicable in various sectors, allowing businesses to rapidly adapt to market demands while minimizing investment risks.

∎ Yizumi

Technology: Parallel Four-Color Multi-Layer Injection Molding

This solution features a dual-layer parallel injection layout, enabling three-layer and four-layer products to be molded in a single cycle. It is particularly suited for multi-color applications, allowing the simultaneous injection of four different colors in a one-shot molding process. 

This technology supports both large- and small-volume materials configurations through four independent plasticizing units, which makes modular customization of color and material volumes possible. The layered injection molding can boost production efficiency and optimize materials distribution for more stable and efficient production.

∎ Demag Plastics Machinery (Ningbo)

Technology: ActiveFlow Balance

Utilizing low-inertia servo motors and leading direct drive technology, the system, upon activating the proprietary Active Flow Balance function, enables the screw to immediately enter a “locked” position once it reaches a designated injection point. This facilitates accurate cavity filling by leveraging the natural pressure differentials between high and low melt pressures inside the mold.

Active Flow Balance effectively compensates for multi-cavity molding inconsistencies, while optimizing the injection-holding transition to address pressure spikes, flash, short shots, venting issues, deformation and residual stress. The 32-cavity 8ml syringe has an initial weight deviation of 0.2g. It compensates for discrepancies such as edge flash and underfilling in different cavities within 0.2 seconds, thus reducing the weight deviation to 0.05g.

Liquid Silicone Rubber (LSR) Injection Molding

Driven by intelligent manufacturing and materials innovation, LSR injection molding is rapidly overcoming production challenges in medical consumables, optical components and wearable devices, thanks to its high-precision molding and biocompatibility advantages.

Companies such as ENGEL, MULTITECH, Hongrita and Multiplus are redefining industry standards through modular design, intelligent control and process innovation, paving the way for a precise, flexible and sustainable production paradigm.

∎ ENGEL 

Technology: e-victory 100LIM Injection Molding Machine

With the e-victory 100LIM injection molding machine, the Liquid Injection Molding (LIM) process for liquid silicone rubber can attain higher production volumes by employing lower clamping forces. Unlike conventional machines which require a high clamping force, the LSR molding prioritizes larger mold spaces and post-molding processes for integrated functionality. 

With ENGEL’s tie-bar-less "e-victory" technology, the clamping force is reduced from 160 tons to 100 tons, allowing integration of multi-step processing such as cavity separation and secondary component finishing, while also minimizing factory floor space requirements.

∎ MULTITECH

Technology: All-Electric Vertical Rotary Table Injection Molding Machine

Optimized for energy savings and carbon reduction, this injection molding machine provides a cleaner and more operator-friendly workshop environment. It delivers a maximum injection speed of 500mm/s and an injection pressure of up to 350MPa, ensuring compatibility with over 90% of plastics and liquid silicone rubber for high-precision molding. 

By addressing structural and performance challenges in domestic all-electric vertical injection molding machines, its maximum injection velocity meets the increasing demand for micro-component molding, offering an exceptional combination of cost-effectiveness, precision and repeatability.

∎ Hongrita 

Technology: Silicone Cube Mold

This innovative silicone cube mold enables one-step injection molding of dual-material (plastic + LSR) products within a single mold. The integrated mold design reduces equipment investment, while an automated motor-driven rotation module facilitates automated part transfer. With direct injection from the moving platen top-mounted LSR injection unit, this solution enhances production efficiency and quality, while optimized flow channel and thermal insulation designs ensure consistent molding of multi-material components, thus significantly reducing production costs.

∎ Multiplus

Technology: Micro LSR Two-Color Auxiliary Injection Unit

By adding an independent LSR auxiliary injection unit, a single-color injection molding machine can be transformed into a two-color LSR molding system. The auxiliary injection unit’s micro injection module features an independent drive and control system, supporting micro-volume LSR injection molding with a plunger-based injection system. 

With a maximum injection capacity of 60cc, it is designed to be effortlessly connected to any brand and specification of single-color injection molding machines. Once quickly installed onto the mold, it facilitates two-color injection molding of engineering plastics and liquid silicone rubber.

High-Precision Molds and Hot Runner Technology

Driven by the dual demand for consumption upgrades and cost-effective, efficient manufacturing, high-precision molds and hot runner technology are reshaping mass production efficiency and quality standards across industries such as medical, packaging and automotive.

Through ultra-multi-cavity design, material innovation, and cross-disciplinary process integration, leading companies such as TK MOLD, Guangdong YUDO Hot Runner System and Shandong Dawn Mould Plastic are leveraging intelligent design, in-mold functionality integration and rapid delivery capabilities as core competitive advantages, to propel the manufacturing sector toward “ultra-precision, ultra-efficiency and ultra-flexibility.”

∎ TK MOLD

128-Cavity Ultra-High-Cavitation Medical Molds

Key Features:

 (1) Ultra-High-Cavitation Medical Mold: 128-Cavity TUBE Mold

Ultra-high-cavitation technology: Fully hot-runner 128-cavity configuration

Cycle time advantage: 9.0 seconds

Compact mold design: Fits within the same tonnage as industry-standard 64-cavity molds, doubling efficiency

 (2) Ultra-High-Cavitation Packaging Mold: 128-Cavity Threaded and In-Mold Automatic Closure Toothpaste Cap Mold

Ultra-high-cavitation technology: 128 cavities, exceeding the typical industry standard of 64 cavities

Cycle time advantage: 11.5 seconds

Compact mold design: Maintains the same machine tonnage as a 64-cavity mold, achieving a twofold efficiency boost

∎ Guangdong YUDO Hot Runner System

Technology: Multi-Layer System

The YUDO Multi-Layer System enables the injection molding of two or three-layer plastic sandwich components, gradient-colored parts and textured surface finishes, supporting applications in sustainable materials and enhanced material utilization rates. Guangdong YUDO’s co-injection solutions address challenges related to weight and rigidity, raw material costs and surface aesthetics, etc.

∎ Shandong Dawn Mould Plastic

Technology: Passenger Vehicle Project

The CX1E project marks the first large-scale SUV model, ZEEkr 7X, by ZEEkr Automotive. Initially introduced from Sweden in the second half of 2023, the model underwent domestic localization and was officially designated for molding production in November 2023. 

Within a mere 10-month timeframe - from project inception to mass production by August 2024 - Dawn successfully navigated the entire learning curve from zero experience in passenger vehicle molding to full-scale production. At each project phase, the company outpaced other suppliers in prototype delivery and documentation submission. As a result, Dawn secured additional automotive molding contracts from Grammer, including Mercedes-Benz V520, T167 and Xiaomi Automotive projects.

Digital Manufacturing Solutions

As manufacturing shifts toward quality enhancement, efficiency gains and sustainable transformation, digitalization is revolutionizing production responsiveness and resource allocation through end-to-end data integration, intelligent decision-making, and automated execution. 

Companies such as GoldenBox and Techmation are leveraging industrial IoT, AI algorithms and advanced control technologies to facilitate the evolution of traditional manufacturing into a smart production paradigm defined by “unmanned, adaptive and traceable” operations.

∎ GoldenBox

Technology: Intensive Intelligent Infusion Pipeline Automatic Transport System

The intensive intelligent infusion pipeline automatic transport system is designed with a fully automated workflow, incorporating six-axis robotic depalletization, belt-based weighing and defect rejection, sealed air shower and UV sterilization, sealed bag breaking and outer bag collection, negative pressure material transport with air-wash purification, inline weighing, metering, and metal detection with rejection mechanisms.

The air-wash purification system employs magnetic field-assisted suspension to eliminate static electricity and purify materials through air separation, ensuring effective powder-pellet segregation and purification.

∎ Techmation

Technology: AI-Driven Digital Networking Platform

Built on a cloud-integrated architecture, this platform intricately combines industrial automation with digital technologies to deliver an intelligent manufacturing solution that covers the complete “data-analysis-control-collaboration” lifecycle. 

The cloud platform supports real-time data collection and secure storage of production information. By integrating the analytical application modules of cloud services, it performs AI modeling and optimization predictions on equipment status, energy efficiency, and process parameters, allowing the digital control system to execute commands accurately and ultimately realize flexibility and intelligence in digital production.

Additive Manufacturing Technology

Driven by the demand for industrial customization, large-scale components, and integrated functional complexity, additive manufacturing is breaking traditional limitations in scalability, efficiency, and design freedom through material innovation, intelligent equipment, and end-to-end process integration. 

Companies such as KraussMaffei are pioneering modular architectures, high-precision control, and fully automated workflows, delivering cost-efficient, high-complexity production solutions across aerospace, automotive, and energy sectors.

∎ KraussMaffei

Technology: PowerPrint 3D Printing System

The PowerPrint system is an industrial-grade large-format additive manufacturing solution utilizing Fused Granulate Fabrication (FGF) technology. This extrusion-based system employs thermoplastic granules for rapid and precise low-volume production of large, complex components.

Designed for high productivity, efficiency, and reliability, PowerPrint features: large insulated, enclosed print chamber; continuous operation without downtime, heated vacuum printing platform, precision-guided extruder on a proven linear robotic system, automated retractable chamber roof, large-format touchscreen interface, and a high-performance extrusion system.