These machines , we call it Injection molding machine，Think of this machine as a giant, super-precise 3D printer, but way faster. We feed the materials in, they get super hot and melt.
The components inside a mechanical keyboard, especially those made of plastic, are mostly injection molded, though the raw materials used may differ, such as ABS, PC, and PBT. However, each different component requires a different mold: the keyboard top cover needs a top cover mold, the keyboard bottom cover needs a bottom cover mold, the keyboard feet need a foot mold, and the positioning plate needs a positioning plate mold. Each time, a crane is needed to switch between the molds.
Here’s the the MOLD. This heavy steel block has a cavity shaped exactly like our keyboard case.
First, we need to add the prepared raw materials into this large bucket, and then melt the materials in to liquid shape at high temperature.
10 seconds later,the mold opens, and a finished shell is removed by a robotic arm. The shell may still be slightly warm.
Then we need to use this clamp to press each shell for about 30 seconds to shape it, manually remove the burrs, and then an appearance inspection. If there are any defects, such as small black spots on the shell or deformation, we will scrap it to ensure that the products received by the customer are perfect. We will then bag them to prevent scratches, put them in the warehouse, and put them on the assembly line next time.
Every time we change colors, we need to clean the molds. This cleaning process involves both the machine and the molds. It doesn’t involve washing with water; instead, we need to rinse the molds with the color of the next batch of material until the color is completely flushed to the desired color. This is why our MOQ for each color starts at 2000, because the cost of cleaning and changing the molds is simply too high.
