Injection molding is a widely used manufacturing process in the plastics industry, enabling the efficient and cost-effective production of complex components.This paper presents a comprehensive review of major thermoplastic materials used in injection moulding, including polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), and polyamide (PA). It also examines nine advanced moulding technologies, namely water-assisted injection moulding (WAIM), gas-assisted injection moulding (GAIM), microcellular injection moulding (MIM), variable mold temperature technologies (VMTT), microinjection moulding, rapid thermal cycling moulding (RTCM), multicomponent injection moulding, metal injection moulding, and reaction injection moulding (RIM). The effects of key process parameters on product quality, mechanical properties, and dimensional accuracy are reviewed. Environmental concerns, including energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and waste generation, are discussed along with sustainable manufacturing strategies. The paper further highlights emerging trends such as automation, digitalization, biodegradable materials, and intelligent quality control systems that are expected to drive future developments in injection moulding technology.
Gobind et al. (Fri,) studied this question.