<![CDATA[Plastic waste is one of the environmental problems that requires practical processing technology, particularly at laboratory scale. This study aims to fabricate and evaluate a laboratory-scale injection molding machine using waste High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) as feedstock. The research employed an experimental engineering-design approach consisting of design, component preparation, fabrication, assembly, material preparation, machine testing, observation, and descriptive analysis. The fabricated machine uses a vertical construction with a manual hydraulic-jack pressing system and consists of a frame, heating system, barrel, nozzle, plunger, temperature-control system, and mold. Testing showed that the machine operated at 200–250 °C and required approximately 12 minutes to melt the HDPE material. The molten material flowed through the nozzle into the mold without jamming or leakage, indicating adequate injection performance. The molded products generally followed the mold geometry, although surface texture was not fully uniform, with smooth, rough, and mixed areas. The machine was fabricated during 11 May–28 July 2026 with a machine fabrication cost of Rp3,500,000 and a mold cost of Rp1,100,000. The results indicate that the machine is feasible as a low-cost laboratory tool for plastic-waste processing, while temperature distribution, cooling, and material-size uniformity require further improvement.]]>
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