Molding International and Engineering Inc. (MIE, Temecula, CA) is a medium-sized custom insert molding manufacturer. It serves the automotive, telecommunications, electronics and medical industries. Applications include high-precision insert molded components incorporating metal terminals and lead frames in material thicknesses ranging from 0.005 to 0.032 inch.
By the end of the 1990s, customer demand increased for products with tight tolerances and high quality. To produce insert molded connector housings for safety-critical automotive applications, MIE needed a way to load precision stamped terminal pins into the injection mold cavities. To minimize damage to the molds and inserts, consistent insert placement was critical. MIE also had to meet difficult molding cycles, place components within small tolerances and conduct 100 percent inspection. Additionally, the company wanted to reduce defects associated with repetitive manual operations.