Overview of Injection Molding Workshop Management
Injection molding processing is a 24-hour continuous operation involving plastic raw materials, injection molds, injection molding machines, peripheral equipment, fixtures, sprays, pigments, packaging materials, and auxiliary materials. With many positions and complex labor divisions, how can we ensure smooth production operations and achieve "High Quality, High Efficiency, and Low Consumption"?
This is the goal every injection molding manager strives for. The quality of workshop management directly affects production efficiency, defect rates, material consumption, staffing, delivery times, and production costs. Injection molding production primarily relies on control and management. Different managers have different ideas, styles, and methods, leading to vastly different—and sometimes drastically contrasting—benefits for the enterprise.
The injection molding department is the "lead" department of any enterprise. If its management is poor, it will affect the operations of every other department, resulting in quality/delivery issues that fail to meet customer requirements and a decline in corporate competitiveness.
Workshop management mainly includes: management of raw materials/pigments/regrinds, crushing room management, batching room management, use and management of injection machines and molds, use and management of fixtures, employee training, safety management, quality control, auxiliary material management, establishment of operational processes, formulation of regulations/job responsibilities, and management of samples/documentation.
I. Scientific and Rational Staffing
The injection molding department handles numerous tasks, requiring scientific and rational staffing to ensure proper labor division and clear job responsibilities. This achieves a state where "everything is managed by someone, and everyone manages something." Therefore, a solid organizational structure with reasonable division of labor and clearly defined job descriptions is essential.
II. Management of the Batching Room
1. Formulate management systems and work guidelines for the batching room.
2. Raw materials, pigments, and mixers in the batching room must be placed in designated areas.
3. Raw materials (including regrinds) must be categorized and properly labeled.
4. Pigments should be placed on pigment racks and clearly labeled (name, code).
5. Mixers must be numbered/labeled, with proper records for use, cleaning, and maintenance.
6. Provide cleaning supplies for mixers (air guns, kerosene, rags).
7. Batched materials must be sealed using a sealing machine or tied securely, with a label indicating: raw material, pigment code, machine ID, batching date, product name/code, batcher name, etc.
8. Use batching kanbans and notification slips, and maintain batching records.
9. Use dedicated mixers for white or light-colored materials and keep the environment clean.
10. Conduct training for batching personnel on professional knowledge, job responsibilities, and management systems.
III. Management of the Crushing Room
1. Formulate management systems and work guidelines for the crushing room.
2. Regrinds in the crushing room must be placed by category and zone.
3. Crushers must be separated by partitions to prevent cross-contamination from flying debris.
4. Crushed material bags must be sealed promptly with a label indicating: material name, color, pigment code, crushing date, crusher name, etc.
5. Crushers must be numbered/labeled, with proper records for use, lubrication, and maintenance.
6. Regularly check and tighten the mounting screws of crusher blades.
7. Transparent, white, or light-colored regrinds must be processed on dedicated machines (ideally in separate rooms).
8. When switching between different materials, the crusher and blades must be thoroughly cleaned, and the environment kept tidy.
9. Ensure labor protection for operators (earplugs, masks, goggles) and maintain safety management.
10. Conduct training for crushing personnel on operations, responsibilities, and systems.
IV. On-site Management of the Injection Workshop
1. Plan the workshop layout and zone divisions. Define areas for machines, peripheral equipment, raw materials, molds, packaging, qualified products, defects, regrinds, and tools, with clear labeling.
2. Display "Status Tags" on injection machines.
3. Implement "5S" management at the production site.
4. Define single-shift output for "Urgent Orders" and display urgent status signs.
5. Mark "Loading Lines" on hoppers and define loading times.
6. Monitor raw material usage, control regrinds at the machine site, and inspect waste levels in regrinds.
7. Conduct on-site inspections during production and strictly enforce regulations (Management by Wandering Around).
8. Arrange staffing rationally and strengthen on-site labor discipline inspection/supervision.
9. Manage staffing during meal times and handle shift handovers properly.
10. Ensure cleaning, lubrication, and maintenance of machines/molds, and handle abnormalities.
11. Track product quality and production quantity, and handle deviations.
12. Control post-processing methods and packaging for plastic parts.
13. Conduct safety inspections and eliminate hazards.
14. Manage on-site samples, process cards, work instructions, and related data (inspection, collection, clearing).
15. Supervise and check the completion of reports and kanbans.
V. Management of Raw Materials, Pigments, and Regrinds
1. Packaging, labeling, and classification of raw materials, pigments, and regrinds.
2. Maintain requisition records for these materials.
3. Promptly reseal opened bags of materials.
4. Train staff on plastic properties and material identification methods.
5. Establish regulations for regrind addition ratios.
6. Set rules for pigment storage (racks) and usage.
7. Define material consumption indicators and procedures for material replenishment requests.
8. Perform regular inventory counts to prevent material loss.