26th April 2023
Micro injection molding is a manufacturing process that involves the production of small, high-precision plastic components. This process is widely used in the production of micro components that are typically smaller than a few millimeters in size. The micro injection molding process involves injecting molten plastic into a mold cavity under high pressure and temperature, creating a highly detailed and accurate part.
The application for manufacturing a small part or component made of plastic molded through a micro injection process varies based on the requirement of Industries and components that need high precision and accuracy. For instance, to produce a wide range of medical devices, including surgical instruments, catheters, and drug delivery systems, a variety of electronic components are connectors, sensors, and switches, and production of small automotive components such as sensors, connectors, and switches.
There is a growing demand for the health industry, which is considered the largest end-users of micro injection molded plastic that are used for developing medical products such as syringes, catheters, and implants. Further, advancements in the plastic materials that could be molded using the micro injection process expanded the market for various ranges of applications. For instance, materials such as liquid crystal polymers (LCP) and bio-based polymers are increasingly being used in micro injection molding. Hence, the advancement in micro manufacturing technology, the need for lightweight materials in the automotive & aerospace industries, and microsensors production in the electronic industry drive the market of micro injection molded plastic in the upcoming years.
The Global Micro Injection Molded Plastic Market has reached a value of $1106.4 million in 2022. This market is projected to grow from $1232.53 million in 2023 to $2624.18 million in 2030 with a CAGR of 11.4% in the forecast period of 2023-2030. This market is estimated based on different key pointers that attribute to the growth which are material types including Liquid-Crystal Polymer (LCP), Polyether Ether Ketone (PEEK), Polycarbonate (PC), Polyethylene (PE), Polyoxymethylene (POM), Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA), Polyetherimide (PEI), Polybutylene Terephthalate (PBT), Others, and applications such as Medical, Automotive, Optics, Electronics, Others. Leading companies such as Accumold LLC, Isometric Micro Molding Inc., Makuta Micro Molding, Precimold Inc., MTD Micro Molding, Microsystems Precision Medical Moulds, and Sovrin Plastics are having specialization in micro injection manufacturing process of molding plastics.
The polycarbonate product segment holds the largest market for micro injection molded plastic. Since they are widely used in today’s advanced medical devices, microsensors for electric vehicles, and other components in the electronic industry. Further, the current market is driven largely by the medical segment due to the need for highly advanced medical equipment for various applications that require small and intricate parts. Moreover, the trend towards miniaturization in medical devices, such as insulin pumps, catheters, and surgical tools, has increased the demand for micro injection molded plastic components. The ability to create complex geometries with high precision and accuracy makes micro injection molding an attractive option for medical device manufacturers.
Asia-Pacific region is a significant market for the micro injection molded plastic market. Since this region is home to some of the fastest-growing end-user industries for micro injection molded plastic products, including healthcare, electronics, automotive, and aerospace. Further, this region has relatively low labor and manufacturing costs compared to other regions, making it an attractive location for micro injection molding manufacturers, which has led to an increase in the number of micro injection molding companies specific to the Asia-Pacific region. Increased consumption of products such as medical devices, electronics, and automotive components due to significant urbanization and a rapidly growing population driven the market as expected in the coming years.
It is noticeable that the micro injection molded plastic market is continuously evolving based on the requirement of various industries. Hence, it is recommended that companies should invest in the latest technology and equipment that could help them to improve the quality of their products, increase efficiency, and reduce costs. Consider investing in automation and robotics to streamline your manufacturing processes and improve productivity. Further, it has to explore various opportunities in this market to establish a brand that could differentiate it from competitors and expand its production capacity by investing in new machines & equipment to meet the growing demand for its products developed using advanced micro injection manufacturing technology gradually led to the growth of micro injection molded plastic market in the coming years as predicted in the forecast years.