A Colorado-based company called ShopBotix has created a desktop injection molding machine. Ten inches deep, and 34.5 inches wide and ten inches tall, the MicroMolder plugs into a regular 120V outlet on a 15-amp circuit, and can crank out parts as either single-shot or in an AutoRun mode; just load the hopper with nurdles and go.

The MicroMolder can use molds that you 3D print yourself (SLA or PolyJet), or you can use aluminum molds. As for materials, at press time the company confirmed they've successfully used "Polyethylene (PE), Polypropylene (PP), Polystyrene (HIPS), Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), Acrylic, Polycarbonate (PC) and Thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) and we have more plastic types scheduled for testing."

Injection molding plastic over a 1/4-20 bolt to create a thumb screw fastener.

You're undoubtedly wondering "How big of a part can I produce?" Their answer:

At press time the MicroMolder, which starts at $3,599, was killing it on Kickstarter with $120,660 in pledges on a $35,000 goal, with 25 days left to pledge. They expect to start shipping in June of 2021.

I’m a lapsed industrial designer. I was born in NYC and figured I’d die there, but a few years ago I abandoned New York to live on a farm in the countryside with my wife. We have six dogs.

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