Most insert molding asks more of a machine than a standard injection molding job does. Operators need reliable access to place inserts by hand or through automation. Cycle after cycle needs to repeat, with metal components, connectors, or electronics embedded precisely into the shot. And the platform underneath all of it must be flexible — different insert types, loading methods, production volumes — so that a full re-engineering effort isn’t needed every time a job changes.

For many plastic processors their current equipment simply wasn’t built for this complexity. Many operations are still running decades-old vertical clamp presses that are no longer supported by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). So, when a control board fails or a hydraulic component wears out, the fix isn’t always straightforward.

This gap was the starting point for QSI Automation’s Atlas line.

A Platform Built from the Inside (of the Problem)

The Atlas vertical injection molding machines didn’t start as a product concept. It grew out of QSI’s Plastics Machinery Group (PMG), the team responsible for remanufacturing, reconditioning, and retrofitting injection molding machines. That work put QSI’s engineers inside machines that had reached the end of their supportable life, giving them a first-hand look at where aging platforms fell short on parts availability, control flexibility, and adaptability to newer insert molding applications.

Atlas is QSI’s response to that pattern: a purpose-built vertical clamp platform specifically engineered for insert molding, rather than a general-purpose press adapted after the fact.

Credentials from the Floor

Building a molding machine is one thing. Building one that holds up on a real production floor, for the specific demands of insert molding, is another. That’s where QSI’s background as a machinery rebuilder and custom automation integrator gives Atlas an advantage over machines built by others lacking similar experience.

QSI’s PMG is led by Rich Taube, who has spent more than 34 years working with vertical injection molding machines across service, engineering, and product development roles at QSI and Autojectors/Milacron. That hands-on history, combined with QSI’s ability to pair Atlas with its own mold design, custom machining, and automation integration services under one roof, means the machine isn’t being designed in isolation from the rest of the production cell it will ultimately run in.

For QSI, the decision came down to necessity, not ambition. Good used machines were getting harder to find to remanufacture, so Rich and the PMG team decided to design their own. That same practical, floor-level reasoning to build what the market could no longer reliably supply is what shaped Atlas from day one.

What Actually Drives the Right Configuration

Manufacturers evaluating a new insert molding platform, whether from QSI or elsewhere, are generally working through the same set of decisions:

• Insert loading method. Will inserts be manually loaded, by an operator working close to the mold, or through automation? That choice drives whether a stationary platen, a side-to-side shuttle, or a rotary table configuration makes the most sense.
• Cycle time and volume targets. Higher-volume programs typically justify more automation and a rotary or shuttle configuration; lower-volume or prototype work often doesn’t need it.
• Tonnage and part complexity. Clamp force should match not just today’s parts, but the range of parts likely to run on the machine over its life.
• Control platform and data needs. How much recipe storage, trending, and process visibility does the operation need to manage recurring jobs and catch process drift before it becomes scrap?
• Integration with the rest of the cell. An insert molding machine rarely runs alone. It’s usually one station in a larger automated cell. How well a platform’s controls and mechanical layout integrate with upstream and downstream automation matters as much as the press itself.

What Makes Insert Molding Its Own Challenge

Insert molding carries risks that a standard injection molding job doesn’t. A metal insert incorrectly placed, or a mold that doesn’t securely hold an insert through the injection cycle, can scrap a part that already has a non-plastic component built into it — a more expensive failure than a bad shot of resin. Operators need physical access to the mold for loading, which shapes machine architecture in a way standard injection molding work doesn’t. And because insert molding often serves connector, wire harness, and electronics applications, tolerances and repeatability requirements tend to run tighter than general-purpose molding demands.

That combination of access, precision, and repeatability applied to parts that already carry cost before the shot is even made is what a platform specifically built for insert molding must solve.

A Practical Platform, Grounded in Field Experience

For manufacturers evaluating their next insert molding investment, whether that means replacing aging equipment, adding capacity, or building out a new automated cell, Atlas reflects what QSI has learned from years spent inside other people’s machines.

In the end, the machines worth building are the ones shaped by the problems worth solving first. Atlas is QSI’s answer to a problem it spent years living inside of.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the QSI Atlas line of injection molding machines?

Atlas is QSI Automation’s vertical clamp injection molding platform, engineered specifically for insert molding rather than adapted from a general-purpose press. It grew out of QSI’s Plastics Machinery Group (PMG), the team that remanufactures, reconditions, and retrofits vertical injection molding machines.

Why did QSI build its own vertical injection molding machine instead of remanufacturing existing ones?

Good used machines were becoming harder to find to remanufacture, so the PMG team decided to design their own. Years spent working inside aging, unsupported presses showed QSI’s engineers exactly where those platforms fell short on parts availability, control flexibility, and adaptability to newer insert molding applications – all of which helped shape Atlas platform.

What makes insert molding different from standard injection molding?

Insert molding requires reliable operator or automated access to place metal components, connectors, or electronics into the mold, and the cycle has to repeat with tight precision. A misplaced insert, or a mold that doesn’t securely hold one through the injection cycle, scraps a part that already has a non-plastic component built in — a costlier failure than a bad shot of resin. Tolerances and repeatability requirements also tend to run tighter than general-purpose molding demands.

What factors determine the right insert molding machine configuration?

Five factors typically drive the decision: insert loading method (manual vs. automated), cycle time and volume targets, tonnage and part complexity, control platform and data needs, and how well the machine integrates with the rest of the automated cell it runs in.

What insert loading configurations are available on a vertical clamp platform?

Depending on how inserts are loaded, a stationary platen, a side-to-side shuttle, or a rotary table configuration may make the most sense. Manual loading close to the mold typically favors a stationary platen, while higher-volume or automated loading often justifies a shuttle or rotary setup.

 

About the Author

Author: Rich Taube, Plastics Machinery Group Manager

Rich leads the team responsible for remanufacturing, reconditioning, retrofitting, and now building vertical injection molding machines, including the Atlas line. He earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Purdue University.

Rich has been with QSI Automation since 2002 and has extensive knowledge in hydraulics, electrical, and control systems. Over his career he has held a variety of positions related to the business, including Service Technician, Training Coordinator, Service Supervisor, Manager of Contract Services, Engineering Manager, and Operations Manager.

His decades of experience with vertical injection molding machines have equipped him with knowledge in manufacturing, programming, service, retrofitting, rebuilding, safety training, and designing standard and custom machines, as well as developing new products.