Customization of mass-produced parts by combining injection molding and additive manufacturing with Industry 4.0 technologies

Two trends are currently in evidence among plastics processing companies: On the one hand, the complexity of systems is increasing, while on the other, customers are seeking flexible solutions owing to ever faster product changes, increasing variant diversity and, consequently, ever smaller unit volumes per order, down to one-off parts. These requirements can be met, for example, by combining injection molding, additive manufacturing and “Industry 4.0” technologies to individualize large-volume products in order to create single-unit batches in a cost-effective manner using an automated, digitally networked cyberphysical production system.