June 20, 2021

How are things made? In this video I take a look at the different types of manufacturing processes – forming, casting, molding, machining, joining, and additive manufacturing – which are used to create the everyday objects that surround us.

Using animations, the video explores a number of different specific manufacturing techniques, like rolling, injection molding, investment casting, sand casting, and 3D printing, and gives an overview of the pros and cons of each, to help better understand how to select the correct manufacturing process.

Bill details the key engineering principles underlying plastic injection molding. He describes its history and, then,  reveals the intricate details of the process. He shows viewers where to found, on any injection molding product, the markings created by injection molding. He closes with a description of one of the finest examples of injection molding: the Lego brick.