Toy Manufacturers

Do you have a toy to manufacture but don’t know where to start? At United Global Sourcing, Inc. we have been manufacturing toys through our established network of factories since our inception in 1981. In today’s toy industry, there are many factors which must be considered prior to selecting a company to handle your sourcing needs. There are several things to consider for toy production:
1) Is the toy supplier reputable? Do they have a list of references and how long have they been in business and how long have they been producing toys?
2) Is the supplier aware of all the rules and safety regulations involved in toy manufacturing? Gone are the days of lead based paint and plastics with high lead content and phthalates. The CPSC (Child Protection Safety Committee) has strict requirements when it comes to child safety that makes it critical to select the correct factory that is experienced in dealing with material certifications and inspections.
3) Do you have all of the necessary age requirement listings for your packaging?

4) Can your toy supplier work with multiple materials and do they have additional processes available to you to help lower costs or improve performance?
These are some key areas of concern anybody interested in producing toys needs to be aware of. If you are in need of toy production, please contact us or send us a request through our website.

Custom Toys

Looking to have custom toys made to your exact design specifications and quality requirements? When considering a custom toys to be manufactured out of plastic there are many things you must consider when custom injection molding is required. There is the mold making process in which all of the flow rates, temperature, material shots, runners, and material have to be considered. You also need to determine what life expectancy you want out of the mold which would affect the cost. If you go with a steel mold obviously take the most time to produce but would also give you the longer life expectancy or the most use (shots). While an aluminum tool would take less time to make and provide you with less life expectancy or less use (shots).
A lost aspect when using plastic molding to manufacture your toy is considering the flow rate. The more time it takes to make your toy the more cost is involved which is why the mold design is very important to cut down on the cycle time but also to make sure that material flows to all of the cavity of the mold. You will also want the mold to be designed so it will release the toy easily when cooling. If you have assembly requirements besides the plastic molding this would be an ideal toy to be made overseas because of the labor and the time to manufacture your toy. All of this must be taken into consideration when manufacturing custom toys.
You also need to determine what plastic material you want to use in the custom injection molding. Is this toy going to be used outside? If so you will want a material conducive to outdoor use and it will need to have UV protection to protect it from fading. What type of toy is it, do you need a more flexible material more pliant or soft like a polymer clay material or is a denser surface, then you are looking for something such as a Polyoxymethylene(POM) material? Also, a very important aspect when making toys from plastic materials is that they meet the Child Safety Act and the material must be Lead free and Phthalate free! Are there moving parts or is the item small? If so you will have to have age limits on your packaging and safety warnings.
Another very important step in making your custom toy is the packaging. You may have the greatest toy ever made but if you do not have a great retail package you will never sell your toy. The packaging must have colorful graphics and also depending on the type of toy you will want the package so the toy can be looked at and held or at minimum touched (action toys and athletic toys are especially sold on the basis of action or being able to use). The graphics used should be colorful and if it is a game or a stationary toy show how the toy is used, high resolution photos included in graphics are the best to display the product. If it is a large toy, usually the best method of packaging is a 4 color carton but there are many toys that are fully exposed but with a hang tag for hanging the product up (large water cannons are an example of this). Smaller toys can have many different packaging methods, 4 color cartons, blister package, clamshell package or just a hang card.
If you want help with your custom toy design and want to have it made as a custom injection molded toy and you also want help with packaging then why don’t you contact us at United Global Sourcing, Inc.? We have been manufacturing toys for customers since our inception of 1981 and we can definitely help you!

Plastic Molding Manufacturers

There are many plastic injection molding manufacturers in out there in the world today and there are certain attributes you need to consider when choosing the appropriate plastic injection molding companies. At United Global Sourcing, Inc. we have been involved in plastic injection molding since our inception of 1981 and want to give you a few pointers when choosing the appropriate plastic injection molding company.
1) Make sure that you have a defined 3D drawing specifying the draft angles, surface textures, and maximum allowable flash. Be sure to include all design specifications, shrinkage allowance, and other pertinent details in the drawings.
2) Obviously cost is also very important and making sure that you receive the value plus receiving the absolute lowest cost possible when considering a plastic injection molding company. However, stay away from the cheapest, always go for value research the supplier you’re dealing with and make sure to get customer references.
3) When looking for custom plastic molding make sure you are using someone who has experience in your product or component. If you are in aerospace, you will not want to use a plastic molding supplier who supplies toys. What is their history and what do they make?
4) Do you have additional add-ons or inserts or assembly that is required? Can your injection mold manufacturer provide all of this service? The one stop shop is always more convenient and usually the best value when considering your source for customer plastic molding.
5) Make sure that your custom plastic molding company meets your quality requirements whether PPaps or just standard first article inspection requirements. Is your plastic injection molding manufacturer set up to handle your quality requirements?
6) Does your injection mold manufacturer meet all of their delivery schedules as required? Obviously this is very important requirement for you and you need to make sure that the injection mold manufacturer performs and is consistent in meeting deadlines.
7) Is your customer plastic molding company certified and do they do control charting and understand flow rates and how to use runners? Also, are they fully responsible for the molds and do they have their own tool shop to make molds and do repairs? If not how is this handled and do they have control over their mold maker?
Obviously there are more factors to consider when choosing your plastic molding manufacturer but these are some of the critical criteria that one must consider when choosing your custom plastic molding company. One suggestion that we have is to consider UGS to be your plastic molding supplier we have some of the best overseas plastic molding manufacturers available and we can quote your project for you and provide you with the service and dependability that you need along with the value and quality to exceed your expectations. Please contact us and let us know how we might be able to help you.

Why Use Plastic Injection Molding?

Plastic injection molding can be a very cost effective way to produce your plastic part. Plastic injection molding is not only the best way to process a plastic part but it is very accurate and will provide you with high quality components. It is a process in which you inject plastic resins into a steel mold to form a product or component in virtually any shape or size.

Wide varieties of products are made through the injection molded process and can vary in size, complexity and application. The process requires the use of an injection molding machine, raw plastic material, and a steel tool/mold. The plastic is melted into the mold, where it cools and solidifies into the final part. The process cycle time for injection molding can be very short, typically between 2 seconds and 2 minutes.

The complete process consists of 4 stages:

1) Clamping – This happens before the material is injected into the mold and is precisely what is stated. It is 2 halves of the tool clamped together by the injection mold machine. One half of the tool remains stationary and the other half is on a slide and moves together hydraulically and held together by force that keeps the halves together. The time to clamp the molds depends on the size of the machine. The larger the machine and item to be injected, the longer the cycle time to clamp.

2) Injection – Plastic pellets are fed into the injection mold machine and advanced towards the mold by the injection process. The material goes from pellet form to melted form through pressure and heat as it is being injected. The melted material is then injected into the mold very quickly and the buildup of pressure packs and holds the material in the mold. The amount of material that is injected is referred to as the “shot”. The injection time will vary due to the changing flow of the material.

3) Cooling – The melted plastic that is inside the mold begins to cool as soon as it makes contact with the mold. As the plastic cools it will obviously take the shape of the desired part. During cooling, some shrinkage takes place which is why during the injection stage more material is packed into the mold to reduce the amount of shrinkage. The mold doesn’t open until the required cooling time has elapsed. The cooling time is estimated from the type of plastic being used and the maximum wall thickness of the part.

4) Ejection – After the part has cooled, it will be ejected by an ejection system attached to the rear half of the mold. When the mold opens, a mechanism is used to push the part out of the mold. Force must be used to eject the part because during the cooling process, the part shrinks as well as sticks to the mold. To assist with ejection of the part, a mold release agent can be sprayed on the mold surface prior to the injection process. Once the part is ejected the mold can be clamped shut for the next shot to be injected.

After the molding process is finished some activity may yet need to take place on the part such as removing the flash or excess material or trimming the part of excess material. While there is much more that can be written about injection molding of plastics we hope that you get a familiarity of the process and see that it is probably the most accurate form of molding plastic and is great if you intend to have a high volume of usage. We welcome your comments or feedback and also if you have a plastic component that you are interested in having manufactured overseas, we suggest you fill out the ‘contact us’ form and tell us your specifics of the product or component you want us to quote for you. Thank you for your interest in United Global Sourcing, Inc.

Plastic Injection Molding

The injection molding process utilizes molds or tooling to produce the part or component correctly and to the quality standards you require. Molds are typically made from steel or aluminum depending on how many ‘shots’ or cycles you want to get from the mold. The mold consists of many components but can be split into two halves. Each half is attached to the inside of the injection molding machine and the rear half is on a hydraulic slide so that the mold opens and closes along the molds parting line. Two main components of the mold are the mold core and mold cavity that are filled with melted plastic to create the desired component or product. Multiple cavity molds are sometimes used in which the mold can have more than one component or product cavity in the mold.

The mold core and cavity are each mounted on the mold base which is then fixed to the platens inside the injection molding machine. The front half of the mold base also includes a support plate to which the mold cavity is attached, the sprue bushing which is where the material will flow from the nozzle of the bin holding the plastic material, a locating ring used in order to align the mold base with the nozzle. The rear half of the mold base will have the ejection system to which the mold core is attached and another support plate. When the clamping unit separates the mold halves the ejector bar will activate the ejection system. The ejector bar pushes the ejector plate forward inside the ejector box, which in turn pushes the ejector pins into the component or product. The ejector pins push out the finished part.

In order to get good flow rate into the mold cavities, several channels are integrated into the mold design. The melted plastic enters the mold through the sprue. Channels referred to as runners are added which carry the melted plastic from the sprue to all of the areas of the cavity that must be filled. At the end of each runner, the melted plastic must enter the cavity through a gate that directs the flow of the melted plastic. The melted plastic that solidifies inside the runners is attached to the finished part and must be separated after the part has been ejected from the mold. There are a couple of things that can change on this mold process regarding the runners: 1) Hot runner systems can be used which independently heat the channels and allows the material to be melted and detached from the part; or 2) a channel can be built into the mold that cools the channel. These channels allow water to flow through the mold walls and cool the melted plastic.

In addition to runners and gates, there are many other things that need to be considered in the design of the molds. The mold must allow the melted plastic to flow easily into all of the cavities. Also important is the removal of the finished part from the mold, so a draft angle must be applied to the mold walls. The mold must also accommodate any complex features of the part, such as undercuts or threads, which will also require additional mold pieces. Most of the pieces slide into the mold cavity through the side of the mold and are known as slides, or side actions. One of the most common side-action is a side-core which allows the external undercut to be molded. Other pieces enter through the end of the mold along the parting direction, such as internal core lifters which allow and internal undercut. To mold threads into the part an unscrewing device must be added which can rotate out of the mold after the threads are formed.

These are just some of the things to consider when working with molds for plastic injection molding. If you have a need for molds and want to save anywhere from 30 – 70% on your mold costs, why not contact us at United Global Sourcing, Inc.? We have been working with plastic injection molding since 1981 and with our tool makers overseas we can supply all of your mold needs. Fill out the ‘contact us’ form and let us quote you on your mold needs!

Sheet Metal and Process of Sheet Metal Fabrication

Metal is an element that is a good conductor of electricity and heat. Manufacturing metal that is formed into flat pieces is called sheet metal fabrication.  These metal sheets can be bent into any shape that you desire and can be used in the manufacturing of several items. A metal sheet that is very thin (below 6mm) is called a foil or leaf. Anything thicker than 6mm is called a plate. United Global Sourcing specializes in sourcing fabricate sheet metal components. This process can convert Nickel, Aluminum, Brass, Bronze, Copper, Magnesium, Stainless Steel, Steel, Tin, Titanium, and Zinc to metal sheets.

Cutting, bending, and assembling metal is called metal sheet fabrication. The process for sheet metal fabrication includes:

a)      Utilizing saws, shears or chisels for cutting the manufacturing metal. Both the manual as well as the powered variants can be used. Oxy-fuel torches or plasma torches or other similar torches may be used for the torching process. CNC cutters (using a laser, mill bits, torch, or water jet) are also used.

b)      Manual as well as powered hammers are used for bending the metal. Press brakes can also be used for metal bending purposes.

c)      After the pieces are cut and bent, they need to be assembled. This is done by welding, binding with adhesives, riveting and threaded fasteners. Typically for starting material for fabrication, structural steel or sheet metals are used. These are used in conjunction with welding wire, flux and fasteners. This process is done by our production facilities across Asia. What results from this process is called a fabrication.

The sheet metal fabrication process could be one of two categories.

  • The forming process is one where the applied force causes the material to deform but not fail. This bends the sheet into the desired shape.
  • The cutting process is one where the force causes the material to fail and separate, and it allows the material to be cut. In the process called shearing, shearing force is needed to cut the metal. Other cutting processes remove material by using heat or abrasion, instead of shearing forces.

Forming, Bending, Roll forming, Spinning, Deep Drawing, Stretch forming, Cutting with shear, Shearing, Blanking, Punching, Cutting without shear, Laser beam cutting, Plasma cutting and  Water jet cutting are various types of methods we use in the process of fabrication.

Sheet metal fabrication involves cutting and burning the metal sheet using machines such as band saws to cut the sheet metal. These saws have special hardened blades and are capable of feeding the sheet metal to ensure that the cutting is even and consistent.

Hydraulic breaks are also used in the process of sheet metal fabrication. This creates bends at predetermined angles, thus simplifying the process of fabrication process.

After the metal parts are formed, they will need to be welded into place using one of many welding processes. These include using a stout fixture, welding in a staggered manner, and covering the metal with sand during the cooling process.

During the final step in the fabrication process, the metal is sand blasted, primed and then painted. Finishing touches are placed according to your specifications. The piece then goes through a rigorous inspection and is then prepared for shipment.

There are many advantages to the fabrication process. It helps in forming complex shapes. This allows for the use of several types of metals, thus leading to high production rates. Both lead time and labor cost is significantly lowered.

Get started with a quote today by calling 800-837-7501.

Alloy Steel and Stainless Steel Casting Manufacturing Processes

There are various types of steel and thus, require different methods for casting.  United Global Sourcing has experience working with many of these methods and processes for steel.  When cast iron cannot provide sufficient strength or shock resistance, steel casting is used.

Steel castings are broadly classified into two main groups:

Carbon Steel
Alloy Steel

So what is the difference between the two? Steel, in which the main alloy is carbon, is referred to as carbon steel. In fact, the AISI which is the American Iron and Steel Institute defines carbon steel as “Steel is considered to be carbon steel when no minimum content is specified or required for chromium, cobalt, molybdenum, nickel, niobium, titanium, tungsten, vanadium or zirconium, or any other element to be added to obtain a desired alloying effect; when the specified minimum for copper does not exceed 1.04 percent; or when the maximum content specified for any of the following elements does not exceed the percentages noted: manganese 1.65, silicon 0.60, copper 0.60.”

Steel, which is not stainless steel, is sometimes referred to as carbon steel.

Steel that is alloyed with various different elements is called alloy steel. The various elements range from 1% to about 50% in body weight. These elements are alloyed to increase the mechanical properties of steel. Alloy steel could be low alloy or high alloy, depending on the percentage of alloy. But in general, the term alloy steel means low alloy steel.

Steel is used quite often in everyday life.  From construction of bridges to cooking utensils, steel is utilized often.  For big constructions, predefined shape of steel casting is used. Foundries across the world use a casting process with steel alloy to make the predefined steel shapes. The process in which we get the desired solid shapes is called alloy steel casting process.

Molten metal is poured into a mold and is allowed to solidify within the mold. The mold is then broken, revealing a solid piece. This manufacturing process is called Casting. This process can yield both simple as well as more complex shapes and designs. Diffusion of carbon or alloying elements, softening, hardening, stress relieving, toughening, improve machinability, increase wear resistance, and removal of hydrogen entrapped at the surface of the casting are all brought about by high alloy steel casting.

The method of simulating the casting process was initially developed in the early 70s at universities, mainly in Europe and in the US. Since the late ’80s, there have been commercial programs that enable foundries gain new insight into what is happening inside the mold or die during the casting process.

The simulation process predicts the cast component’s quality up-front. The casting is designed keeping in mind the component properties. This not only reduces the wastage in pre-production sampling, it also predicts the precise layout of the complete casting system thus leading to energy, material, and tooling savings.

Get started with a quote today by calling 800-837-7501.

Product Development

When we say product development we are assuming that you have already covered the first two steps of the full product development stage which are the initial idea stage and the screening (where you ask some initial questions about the product concept and see how it is received). We are looking at the stage of product development where you want to take the idea that you have written on a napkin or a scratch pad and want to put it on paper as a design to get it ready for a prototype.
How often do we get to the stage of we have an idea now what? Obviously when you come up with an idea you need to write it down and run through it to see if it makes sense. The screening process is where you ask your colleagues, co-workers, even people on the street what they think and what might some of the drawbacks be or what might some of the advantages be? Always listen to their opinions and their feedback as it will only help to possibly improve your design and/or give you information that will help you in the future for marketing purposes.
When it comes to patenting, there are many suggestions that can be made, I would suggest taking all of your documents regarding the design and concept of the product that you wish to make and putting them in an envelope and mailing it to yourself and never opening it. Legally this means that this would be your idea and could be used in court as an action for protection. Why waste all of your time and money on applying for a patent when in some cases it might be rejected or need to be revised.
When looking for a design house or someone to put your idea into actual print and drawings make sure that you research them and even contact past customers who used their services. There are many types of design houses and some may not fit your need or are not experts in the product area you are looking for (for example: You have an electronic product but the design house you are working with only designs mechanical items). Make sure you do your research.

Quality Control for Product Outsourcing

When looking up the definition of quality control there are many diverse meanings that you can come up with but the general consensus would seem to be as follows: ‘A set of procedures taken to assure that a product manufactured or service delivered would meet defined quality requirements or customer’s needs.’ Or in a more general sense, what you specify should be what you get and there should be some processes in place that will assure this happens for you.
At United Global Sourcing, Inc. many of our customers before they started using our services had one common problem and that was not receiving product or components that met their defined quality requirements. Obviously you can receive lower pricing when utilizing overseas manufacturing but if you do not receive product or components that are substandard then the money you save in the purchase gets quickly eaten up by freight costs, time management in negotiating with the factory that you have been using over the quality issues, and even loss of money because you have no means of contacting the factory or they have suddenly disappeared when you receive your shipment and discover that the product or component you approved is nothing like what you just received as production to fulfill your order.
At UGS we will submit our first article inspection report along with the pre-production samples that are submitted for your approval. Once you have approved the samples and production begins we will have our own quality assurance people in place while your product or component is being manufactured which means that any potential quality issues will be found ahead of the final production and before your order is complete. In order for you to receive quality parts you must have confidence in the supplier you are dealing with, if you do not have confidence then you are dealing with the wrong supplier!
We serve many different industries and we supply everyone from small entrepreneurs to fortune 500 companies. Also OEMs to tier level customers which means that we have multiple quality standards that we must adhere to which also means that we can do anything from high level PPAPs to basic quality measurements. Give us your feedback about issues that you may have had and let’s see if we can help you?

China Exports – How Global Sourcing Can Give You an Edge

We live in a very competitive market place in today’s world but not only is it competitive in the United States but it is now a worldwide market gone are the days of local or regional sales in today’s world you must think globally.  With this in mind, what are some of the ways in which you can compete in this global economy?  You must consider manufacturing in China.

At UGS, we have been working with China manufacturing since 1981 and we have experience in working with the Chinese culturally and fully understand their work habits.  When manufacturing in China there are so many things that you need to know and that need to happen but if you do not have the right manufacturing in place it can cost you all of the cost savings and more to make it right.  This is when you need UGS to provide you with your China exports because we can answer the question of how global sourcing can give you an edge.  We will not only provide you with product and/or components to your design specifications, but we will also make sure that they are made to your quality assurance requirements.  Plus, we will take care of all of the logistics, provide  you with worry free China manufacturing and with approved credit we can give you extended net terms after receipt of your order!

UGS has extensive connections in China to take care of all your exporting needs.

We have experience, we have China export knowledge, we are the manufacturer’s importer, we are knowledgeable about freight and logistics, and we value you as a friend and partner and treat you that way.  So buyers are you looking to lower costs but at the same time improve your quality but do not have a lot of time to spend sourcing overseas?  Then you need to contact us at UGS, we will eliminate the worries and headaches of China manufacturing but give you very competitive cost savings and we will make all of you purchasing professionals look like geniuses.  Simply fill out the ‘contact us’ form on our website and we will respond within 24 hours.  We look forward to hearing from you!