Mold Cables: The Ultimate Guide to Buying (2020)

When talking about mold cables, we should also know the fundamental structure of the molded lines. The molded cable structure is a structural and straightforward method that creates the cable industry’s needed systems. Usually, rigid shield connectors are introduced within a cable system to maintain a high level of continuity.

This article will present the ultimate guide to mold cables, focusing on over-molded lines, advantages, applications, and misconceptions.

What are Mold Cables?

Overmolding is a process used to combine at least two materials into one object. When it comes to the molding of cables, materials to be converted are carefully selected. This selection must meet the requirements for transferring the required data safely, and it is also carefully checked to meet the stress demand of external environments.

This molding is a very distinct process done sensitively. To every molding, there are two major concepts to be known. These are:

The Substrate

The Overmolding material.

The Process of Injection Molding

In the process of injection molding, the substrate part gets molded first. Next, you should follow one of the following two steps to combine it with the over-molding material:

It would help if you used a different mold to combine the molded substrate with the over-molding material.
The part was placed into the mold, and then the over-molding material was added to it.

You can achieve this process after cooling the mold down and removing the material from the mold.

The Process of Insert Molding

Insert molding is also another susceptible process. Unlike the injection process of molding, both the substrate and the molding materials heat simultaneously. During the substrate molding, the molding material is added to it directly.

(Molding Process)

Design Considerations of Overmolding

It would help if you carried out design considerations for over-molding with the provision of durability and flexibility in mind.

Overmolding Cable Material Selection

Thermal bonding is the critical factor in selecting the best cable over-molding material. You can achieve thermal bonding due to the application of heat in the process of molding the materials.

Some of the over-mold materials commonly used include:

The Materials of Cable Overmold Tooling

Molds typically consist of various metals. The choice of metal depends on the quality of the expected product. Steel is the most reputable material for mold production. Nevertheless, it is one of the most expensive metals.

The working environment of overmolding

• Determine the best combination of substrates to achieve the best adhesion between the substrate and the over-molding material.
• Maintaining the melting temperature of the substrate is also critical. This activity helps determine how easily the substrate flow during the molding process.
• Another thing to be cautious of during the substrate’s melting process is its surface. The surface must be immaculate, clear, and free of contamination. You must eliminate dust particles, foreign substances, excessive moisture, and skin oil.
• The working environment must be checked to know the humidity level for the process. Also, the use of gloves when handling anything during this process is highly advisable.

NOTE: – The slight contamination of the substrate could weaken the bond strength between the substrate and the over-molding substance. This weakness is because the moisture content of both substrate and over-molding material negatively affects bonding strength. Therefore, you must dry both the substrate and the over-molding material before molding. 

Overmold VS Pre-mold

The pre-mold and the over-mold are two different parts. Their explanations are as follows:

The Pre-mold

Just as the name implies, it means “before molding” with the prefix “pre = before.” This design is an initial molded design of a cable before over-molding, and it might consist of fasteners and screws to hold components together.

The over-mold

This prototype has a design that reduces the use of fasteners and screws to hold components together. When done correctly with a suitable substrate, the molding process can confer strong bonding to materials.

Overmolding VS Two-Shot Molding

The over-molding is different from two-shot molding, and this difference is because the cables drawn from the over-molding are more durable. Wires drawn from over-molding can withstand harsh conditions. The two-shot injector needs a specific injector tool.

Single vs Multiple Cavity Molds

The multi-cavity mold designs are for large-scale and general industries.
In contrast, the single mold design works just for a single small production.

The Finished Product Appearance

The molding process is perfect. However, some of the substrate’s little solidification coming through the finished products’ mold causes challenges. Sometimes, some machines might touch the surface, thereby creating a mark on the cable. These marks are typically unique to the product and hard to prevent. The only preventive measure to be taken is making tight dimensions of tolerance when designing molding tools.

The Applications of Over-molded Cables

The Typical Uses of Mold Cables are:

For Medical Appliances

The use of customized cables in medical instruments is of high importance, and these cables have proven to stand resistant against UV rays and corrosive solvents.

In medical appliances, cables get used for their longevity and durability. Instead of getting an entirely new line, molding the subsequent ones will be more cost-effective.

Military Appliances

Military gadgets use these over-molded cables due to the harsh environments they get exposed to during use. The over-molding confers longevity and durability to these cables, and the lines proved to be reliable.

(Cables for Military Appliances)

Valuable for Electricity Transmission

The purpose of over-molding wires for electric transmission is to avoid loss of current. Most of the over-molding materials are segmented within to prevent the loss of wind, and this loss of current exists in the form of “day Current.”

Molding cables for this purpose offer longevity and durability in the harshest conditions. 

Home and Office Appliances

These cables are also over-molded for better use at home and offices. The molding process ensures the safe transmission of data for TVs and antennas, and personal computers. They have found use in printers, photocopiers, scanners, smartphones, microwaves, refrigerators, and many other appliances.

(Tv Cables)

Benefits to Using Custom Molded Cable Assemblies

Prototype tests Reduce Chances of Error

The pre-mold’s design and prototype and the post-mold / over-molded cable impact the final pproduct’s quality. The chances of making errors during production are very slim, as most of the process is automated.

Cost Savings

Custom molded cables are highly cost-effective, and this cost-effectiveness is a result of the production scheme used during manufacturing. Removing some of the normal off-shell ccables’elements is essential, and it creates a better bonding of the over-mold material and the substrate. In the long run, it also reduces the cost of production, thereby reducing the overall selling price.

Perfectly Fit your Project

How would you say you did not get a perfect cable to carry out your project? With the pool of custom cable manufacturers, there is more than one ideal fit for your device. You can always contact us at Cloom Tech to get you the best-customized cable.

Offer Quick Yields

Custom molded cable assemblies are known for their high yield. They are more reliable in every environmental condition, as there is various material (substrate) for different environments.

Assured Quality Products and Control

When talking about quality, the products will always depend on the manufacturer. The ssubstrate’stype and constituents affect bond strength, and all these indirectly affect the quality of the product. 

The best products are those made in the best environment. Standard organizations typically approve these products.

Special Customization is Possible

You may want cables based on your specification and requirements.

Industry Versatility

The product quality will always vary from one industry to another. This varying quality is due to the change in the strength of the substrate. A product from one company will never be the same as that of another. Every manufacturer has its unique design procedure and features.

Can Be Time-saving

Customized cables have the best capacity to save time. They are famous for transferring data at incredible speeds, and they can withstand the harshest environmental conditions.

Get High-Quality Component Materials

When settling for custom design, you should request the best substrates and an over-mold tool. This selection will go a long way to define the quality of your product.

How Cloom Makes Custom Molded Cable Assemblies?

It is a vital question when purchasing custom cables, and you will need to mold most industrial lines to offer longevity and durability. Cloom Tech will be the custom cable manufacturer you are looking for, and our customer service will be the best service you have ever encountered.

The Operator

The operator is an individual who oversees the mmachine’s function in both automated and manual manufacturing machines. This individual is more like the component of the device. Without the operator, the engines would cease to work.

In the cable assembly industry, the operator is essential. The things the operator must do are as follows:

• Know the basics of operation of the machines and tools under his care.
• Pay close attention to production variables to avoid production error.
• The operator must wear safety protective equipment at all times during production.
• Operators and manufacturers use common terms of use in an operating chamber.

Operator evaluations

This phenomenon refers to assessing the operator in the manufacturing site. The assessment is to ensure the individual correctly matches the requirements. 

Training in machine mechanics

The operator needs to know a lot more than just production, and he must also see how the molding machine operates.

During this IT training, the operator must understand the mmachine’stechnical parts and its working principles.

An ooperator’smajor qualities are to detect possible potential threats and devise a solution for better production.

Cable management

It includes keeping the cables away from where they can be damaged to avoid electric shock accidents. This management is more of a reason why molded cables get preferred in firms and industries.

The Tooling

During manufacturing, the appearance of the final products is essential to the marketing of these products. A ddesigner’swork is to determine the cavity method that is best for the nature of production.  Cavity methods could be single or multi-cavity.

We should know that an experienced tool designer has the capabilities to design elements that fit. These elements must also allow for the various efficient ejection of the finished part, and they will go a long way in determining the finished pproduct’sappearance.

The Equipment

In any industry, a proper equipment management system is an essential aspect of successful production. The act of doing proper Preventive maintenance is necessary to ensure molding machines. Having a new production line can also reduce the depreciation rate of the devices.

Process

Unlike the conventional molding technique, insert molding provides the best environment with fewer process challenges. It is common for an operator to take a break during production. With each of the processes of production, the condition required is specific for each product.

Assembled VS Molded Cables–What You Need to Know

Assembled cables are the pre-mold cables. They are also known as off-shield cables. Unlike the molded cables, the assembled cables consist of fasteners to hold parts together. Molded Cable are the over-mold cables that have undergone shielding with some other substrate. The molded cables are more durable and can withstand the effects of harsh environments than the assembled cables.

The Connectors of Molded Cable are Highly Customizable

Materials used for molding cables. They occur in different colors once the material melts.

We should know that the over-molding material can enhance mechanical and physical properties, just like the substrate.

They usually have high resistance to external factors.

The Cable Environment is Extremely Important

It would help if you considered the environment that the cable will expose. Some settings have harsh thermal conditions, and these environments require unique materials for cable manufacture.

Molds Can Be Expensive to Produce

There is an issue with the cost of manufacturing molds, and this issue typically exists only at the time of the first production. Once there is an assembly of production, the cost of production will reduce drastically.

3D Printing Can Be Rapidly Prototyped and Tested

The advent of 3D printing opens a new phase for the molding process. We are heading into the artificial super intelligent state of technology, and this phase is where most things are mechanized for a more accurate product.

Molded Cables Result in the Higher Quality Products

The mold covers the cables and confers the shielding effect from EMF and RFI effects.

Myths and Misconceptions about Custom Overmolded Cable

Custom Overmolded Cables Take Too Long To Manufacture

The above statement no longer holds for the manufacturing of custom cables. We are at a technological age, and production firms have adopted assembly line production. This production is where a specific section produces every part, thereby making the work faster and easier.

Custom Cables Are More Expensive

The above statement was true before the advent of the new technologies used in the over-molding process. Due to more unique molding processes, and they are also one of the most economical types of threads you will get in an electronic store.

Custom Cable Connectors Are Not High PriorityCustom cables are a high priority, continuously increasing demand.

Can Only Provide IP67 With Limited Materials

This statement is another misconception relating to over-molded cables, and people believe that over-molded lines can only provide waterproofing with unique materials. Nevertheless, if you want cables that can provide a waterproofing attribute, you should first contact the manufacturer, and we can help you with that.

Off the Shelf, Cables Have the Same Quality as Custom Cables

Different cables have different properties and qualities. A common misconception with most users is that all wires have the same rate, and this assumption is very wrong. Custom cables tend to be more durable than regular off-shell cables.

Overmolded Cables Are Not As Flexible As Others

Many users are quick to assume that over-molded cables are not flexible. This assumption is wrong because a custom ccable’sflexibility depends on the ssubstrate’sconstituent and the over-molding material. Overmolded wires are just as loose as other materials.

Overmolded Cables Do Not Provide in-depth customization.

This assumption is also very wrong. The only available customized cables with in-depth customization are the over-molded cables.

Custom Cables Have Much Larger Minimum Order Quantities

When talking about demand, it is pronounced that the demand for custom cables is very high. This high demand results from the emergence of new devices, and it is also due to the need to transfer data from older devices to new devices.

Conclusion

You now know that using over-molded cables reduces the costs of making and purchasing a product, and it also creates awareness in you that you can use a line more efficiently with durability. Contact Cloom Tech today if you have cabling needs, ranging from molding to purchase. Click here to see more.