Compression Molding Services
Fuming: Compression Molding Services
Our compression molding teams utilize advanced equipment to produce components in various sizes, weights, and materials for projects of any scale, ranging from small prototype runs to large-scale production jobs.
Our compression molding equipment consistently produces a wide array of products, including lightweight fiber dash insulators, molded cargo management systems, trunk trims, cast foam dash insulators, and more.
We also provide injection molding services, which differ from compression molding as they involve melting plastic and injecting it into a mold. This method is typically used for producing small to medium-sized quantities of plastic components.
As a dedicated compression molding company, Fuming ensures that our engineers and designers possess extensive experience in transforming traditional sheet metal or aluminum components into lightweight composite alternatives. In many cases, we can take an assembly consisting of 20 different part numbers and compress it into a single finished component. Our compression mold manufacturing team now incorporates complex ribs and attachments directly into the molded design, delivering cost and weight savings while eliminating the need for secondary assembly.
Who Needs Compression Molding Services?
Compression molding is an ideal process for producing large, complex components that demand high strength and rigidity. This method accommodates parts across a broad spectrum of sizes, shapes, and complexity levels. Compression molded composites are particularly valued for their excellent dimensional stability, making them well-suited for applications requiring tight tolerances.
Tooling for compression molding is generally more economical than tooling for alternative processes and can be produced quickly. Our team of compression molding specialists possesses the experience and expertise to manufacture high-quality, intricate parts efficiently and with fast turnaround times.
Get a Compression Molding Quote Online
Our customer-first approach ensures that our manufacturing facilities produce compression molded parts exactly to your specifications, at a competitive price, without requiring design compromises. We offer expert consultation with every compression molding quote and assign a dedicated project manager to each order, guiding your part seamlessly from design through to production.
Introduction to Compression Molding
Compression molding is a forming process that heats and softens a plastic material to achieve a desired shape. It involves placing the material—either in pellet or sheet form—into an open, heated metal mold. The mold then softens the material and forces it to conform to the cavity shape as pressure is applied during closure, allowing the curing phase to take place. Once complete, excess material protruding from the mold, known as “flash,” can be removed to achieve a clean finish.
Originally developed to manufacture composite parts for metal replacement applications, compression molding is commonly used to produce larger flat or moderately curved components for the automotive industry. These include parts made from Long Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastics (LFT) and Glass Fiber Mat Reinforced Thermoplastics (GMT), such as hoods, fenders, scoops, spoilers, and smaller, more intricate components.
A key advantage of compression molding is its ability to mold large, relatively complex parts, as well as ultra-large basic shapes that would be impossible to achieve with extrusion techniques. It is also one of the most cost-effective methods compared to transfer or injection molding. Additionally, waste reduction is maximized, which is especially beneficial when working with expensive materials. However, drawbacks include potential inconsistency in product quality, difficulty controlling flash, and limited suitability for certain part types.
Compression molding can accommodate a wide range of materials, including polyester fiberglass resin systems such as Bulk Molding Compound (BMC) and Sheet Molding Compound (SMC), polyamide-imides (e.g., Torlon), polyimides (e.g., Vespel), Polyphenylene Sulfide (PPS), Polyether Ether Ketone (PEEK), phenolics, thermoset polyester vinyl ester, epoxy, Diallyl Phthalate (DAP), and silicones.
The benefits of compression molding include:
Product uniformity
Compression molding enables part geometries and configurations that are difficult to achieve with other casting methods.
Dimensional stability
It is well-suited for applications requiring tight tolerances and low durometer materials.
Cost-effective process
With compression molding, secondary operations such as grinding or finishing are often unnecessary.
Material choice
Urethane Innovators specializes in compression molding a broad range of urethanes, rubbers, and silicones.
Materials and Composites
- KEVLAR
- AZDEL
- PET (POLYETHELENE TEREPHTALATE
- GMT (GLASS MAT THERMOPLASTIC)
- EVA (ETHYLENE VINYL ACETATE)
- INSULATION/ FOIL
- S-GLASS
- E-GLASS
- SMC- SHEET MOLDED COMPOUND
- CHOPPED CARBON FIBER
- CARBON FIBER PRE-PREG
Compression molded parts we produce
We Work with Nearly All Industries
Fuming’s compression molding services are ideally suited to meet the diverse requirements of various sectors, including automotive, medical, and consumer goods industries.