Polyverse Solutions Launches NOVA-60 Desktop Injection Molding Machine with 3D Printed Tooling Support

Austrian plastics processing equipment manufacturer plasticpreneur has expanded its product offerings under the Polyverse Solutions brand with the introduction of the NOVA-60. Designed to operate within laboratory and desktop environments, the system aims to bridge the gap between rapid prototyping and conventional manufacturing by integrating additively manufactured mold inserts into small-batch injection molding workflows.

Bridging Prototyping and Production

Standard additive manufacturing allows rapid iteration of component geometries, but typical 3D-printed polymers often fail to replicate the isotropic material behavior, surface finish, and mechanical stresses found in injection-molded production parts. The NOVA-60 utilizes a Universal Mould System that accommodates both machined aluminium and 3D-printed mold inserts, allowing research and development teams to evaluate parts produced from actual engineering-grade polymers earlier in the design cycle.

The compact desktop unit features a maximum shot weight of 60 grams and can generate injection pressures of up to 200 bar using a manually operated rack-and-pinion mechanism. Operating temperatures reach up to 350°C, enabling the processing of demanding polymer compounds. For safety and convenience in office or lab settings, the unit incorporates an extraction system featuring both activated carbon and HEPA filtration to capture processing fumes and volatile organic compounds.

Hardware Specifications and Ecosystem

Measuring 58 by 40 by 100 cm and weighing approximately 50 kg, the machine is built to sit alongside desktop equipment such as 3D printers. It runs on standard household power inputs of 200 to 240 volts with a maximum power consumption of 920 watts. Plastic melting takes approximately seven minutes, yielding a maximum throughput of about 0.5 kg per hour depending on cycle configurations.

The manufacturer intends for the NOVA-60 to form part of a broader desktop plastics development ecosystem. Planned additions to the product line include a laboratory-scale granulator for material recycling, specialized mold temperature-control units, and modular mold sizes to scale up the in-house prototyping workflow.

What This Means for South African Makers

For South African engineering studios, design consultancies, and advanced maker spaces, the integration of 3D printing with desktop injection molding presents interesting new workflow possibilities. While standard desktop 3D printers excel at geometric verification and functional prototyping, producing short runs of end-use plastic components traditionally requires expensive commercial tooling or outsourcing. Combining desktop additive manufacturing for mold inserts with compact manual injection machinery allows local developers to test true production plastics, such as ABS, PP, and engineering compounds, directly in-house during the final stages of product development.

DC3D’s Take

Using 3D-printed molds for low-volume injection molding is a clever hybrid approach that addresses one of the primary limitations of desktop rapid prototyping—material authenticity. While high-temperature engineering filaments and high-strength resins have improved significantly, they still behave differently under load compared to injection-molded thermoplastics. Systems that lower the barrier to desktop tooling give smaller teams greater control over their iteration cycles. However, makers adopting 3D-printed mold tooling must carefully consider insert durability, thermal management, and polymer selection, as printed molds generally experience wear much faster than traditional metal tooling.