Today, I want to talk about a topic that is most frequently debated in our injection molding factory— the 'experience' versus 'science' in injection molding. A friend just mentioned that the current situation in China's injection molding industry is stuck in a tug-of-war between the ideal of 'scientific injection molding' and the practical conditions and costs. This statement is very true! We all know that scientific injection molding requires support from precision equipment, professional talent, and a data system among other aspects. However, many factories, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, are limited by funding and practical conditions, and can only struggle through the experiences of veteran workers.

Mold flow analysis is a typical example. We all hope that simulation results can accurately guide production, but what is the reality? Not to mention whether there is a complete Unified Database, sometimes we can't even guarantee the stability of material batches. The last batch of material might produce qualified parts, but this batch could have defects, and the 'optimal parameters' in the simulation report completely fail in the workshop. In such cases, it is the experienced craftsmen who have been working for decades, standing next to the machine, listening to the sound of the machine, and observing the surface of the plastic parts, who can tell whether the screw speed is too fast or if the mold temperature is not properly controlled. They are more familiar with the performance of the machine than with their own children; this intuitive experience is indeed more effective than cold theory in the short term.

So does this mean that experience and science can only be chosen one over the other? Not at all. The "practical methods" of skilled workers contain an abundance of unexamined rules. For example, when they say "if the temperature of the material is too high, lower it by 5 degrees instead of 10 degrees," they may be demonstrating a precise understanding of material fluidity; when they adjust back pressure based on their feeling, it actually aligns with the mechanical principles of melt flow. These experiences are not mystical but represent the "invisible data" that have been accumulated through countless trials and errors.

What scientific injection molding can do is to turn these 'invisible data' into 'explicit standards'. For example, transforming the ten key details that experienced workers focus on when adjusting machines into recordable process parameters; turning their experience of 'listening for faults' into vibration frequency alerts from sensors. Small factories may not be able to implement a complete smart system in one go, but starting from daily recording parameters and analyzing the causes of defects is a way to systematize experience. It's like the notebooks in our workshop; recording pressure, temperature, and cycles today provides a reference for when the same issue occurs next time. This is essentially a prototype of scientific management.

We often encounter situations like this in the workshop: new employees adjust the machine according to the operating procedures, but the products always come out with defects. Then the experienced worker comes over, points out a couple of issues, and the problem is solved. In these moments, we don’t say "theory is useless"; instead, we have the new employees follow the experienced worker to remember: which parameter was adjusted just now? Why was this number adjusted? Gradually, these experiences that can only be understood implicitly turn into knowledge that can be passed down.

The advancement of industries has never been about overturning experience or merely talking about science, but rather about giving experience the wings of science. Perhaps we may not be able to achieve full-process digitization yet, but as long as we record one more piece of data and summarize one more rule each day, we are moving towards a more scientific approach to injection molding. After all, even the most experienced craftsmen will retire, and a standardized knowledge system is what will allow our injection molding industry to go further and more steadily.