Liquid injection molding (LIM) is an industrial fabrication process, generally used to make broad range of products. LIM differs from normal injection molding processes, as it depends upon mechanical mixing rather than impingement mixing by pressure. Mixing process in LIM is mainly focuses on liquid silicon rubber (LSR), fluoro silicon rubber (F-LSR), and similar elastomeric materials. Due to the superior quality of end products with durability, flexibility, accuracy, and tensile strength, the demand for LIM has increased among many producers of rubber parts.
Silicon rubber has the highest demand in medical equipment such as flow control valves, syringe stoppers, and infusion pumps. This drives growth of the liquid injection molding market. Properties such as chemical inertness, ability to withstand high temperature, and electric resistance, make LSR (Liquid Silicon Rubber) a unique raw material in liquid injection molding process, for adoption in many industries such as automotive, electrical & electronics, medical. This in turns, drives the liquid injection molding market growth. High demand for medical equipment and advancement in molding technology are expected to fuel growth of the market for liquid injection molding over the forecast period. Fluctuation in prices of raw materials pose as a major restraint for market growth.
Liquid Injection Molding Market Taxonomy
On the basis of process, the liquid injection molding market is segmented into:
- LSR (Liquid Injection Molding of Silicon Rubber)
- F-LSR (Liquid Injection Molding of Fluoro Silicon Rubber)
- Other (Elastomeric Materials)
On the basis of application, the liquid injection molding market is segmented into:
- Medical Application
- Infusion pumps & Dialysis
- Skin Contact Devices
- Flow Control Valves
- Syringe Stoppers
- Sterilized Parts
- Others
- Automotive Applications
- Self-Lubricating components
- Harness components
- Membrane & Valves
- Dampers & Noise Reduction Folds
- Seals & Gaskets
- Others
- Electrical & Electronics Applications
- LED Light Components
- Light panel Buttons
- Electronic Potting
- Other
- Consumer Goods Applications
- O-Rings & Gaskets
- Knife Holders
- Spatulas
- Baking Molds
- Ice Cube Trays
- Drinking Water Cans
- Infant Nipples
- Others
- Others Applications
- Agricultural Equipment Application
- Building & Construction
- Industrial Components
- Cosmetic Applications
- Aerospace & Aeronautics
On basis of end-use industry, the liquid injection molding market is segmented into:
- Medical
- Automotive
- Electrical & Electronics
- Consumer Goods
- Others
Liquid Injection Molding Market Outlook
- North America is a lucrative market for liquid injection molding products. The U.S market consumes and manufactures a significant amount of the world’s silicon rubber due to its large applications in medical devices, automobile, and electronics devices. According to International Trade Administration (ITA), the U.S. is the largest end user of medical device. The U.S medical device market valued over US$140 billion, which accounted for nearly 45 % of the global medical equipment market in 2015. Apart from this U.S, Canada, and Mexico have large markets for automotive parts, which employ liquid injection molding. Therefore the increasing demand for medical equipment and automobile along with daily consumer goods, has increased the demand for liquid injection molded products, in turn projected to fuel market growth over the forecast period.
- Asia Pacific is the fastest growing market for liquid injection molded products. China, India, and Japan are the major countries of the Asia-Pacific region that consume and manufacture these products. According to CAAM (China Association of Automobile Manufacturers), in 2015, China reached a sale of around 21.1 million passenger cars. Most vehicle parts employ injection molding process, which in turn, is expected to boost growth of the liquid injection molding market over the forecast periods.
- Europe is the largest region in terms of value. Increasing demand for electrical appliances and automotive components fuels the growth of the injection molding market in Europe. Moreover, increasing globalization and production have led to the steady growth of the market in the region. Manufacturers operating in the liquid injection molding market are focusing on and largely investing in research and development to expand their product portfolio in Europe. According to FDA, validation is a prerequisite for injection molding. The process is fully verified by subsequent test and inspection.
Key Player in Liquid Injection Molding Market
The major players in Liquid Injection Molding Market are Dow Corning Corporation (U.S.), Wacker Chemie AG (Germany), China National Bluestar Co. Ltd. (China), Shin-Etsu Chemical (Japan), Specialty Silicone Products (U.S.), Nissei Plastic Industrial Co., Ltd, (Japan), Engel Austria GmbH (Austria), KCC Corporation (South Korea), Reiss Manufacturing Inc. (U.S.), Zhenjian Xinan Chemical Industrial Group Co., Ltd. (China), and Momentive Performance Materials Inc. (U.S.).
Liquid Injection Molding Market Key Developments:
- On 26th April 2019, Nissei Plastic Industrial Co., Ltd., developed a hybrid type vertical injection molding machine “TWX220RIII25V,” which offers one of the industry’s lowest machine heights along with a 2,110kN (220ton) clamping force. This machine was made available to the customers from the 1st of May 2019. This launch helped the company in attracting automotive and electronic part manufacturers from the nearby region.
- On 13th November 2017, Wacker Chemie AG launched ELASTOSIL LR 5040, its non-post curing liquid silicone rubber grade for medical applications at the 21st international Trade Fair for Plastics and Rubber K 2019 in Düsseldorf, Germany. ELASTOSIL LR 5040 is easily processed by injection molding. This launch contributed towards facilitating rapid, and efficient production under all conditions.
- On 11th April 2016, Momentive Performance Materials Inc. announced the launch of Silopren LSR 7180 liquid silicone rubber, at LIGHTFAIR International (LFI) in San Diego held in the last week of April 2016. The launch of this next-generation ultraclear liquid silicone rubber helped the company in expanding its product portfolio.
