Plastic injection molding is an extremely versatile production process, capable of simple or complex designs in a range of volumes with fast turnarounds. To begin, plastic material is melted and injected under pressure through runners into the mold cavities. Here, the melted plastic takes the form of the mold and cools into a solid, at which point it is ejected from the casing.
Injection-molded products and components are found in nearly every industry, thanks to the design flexibility, the speed at which high volumes can be produced and the range of materials from which to choose. This manufacturing method can create medical devices for hospitals, pharmaceutical, defense, safety and industrial applications.
Another major advantage of injection molding is the price — it is often the most cost-efficient technique to manufacture parts, especially at higher volumes. There are still, however, many expenses to consider when using injection molding for your project.
How Much Does Plastic Injection Molding Cost?
When creating a product, injection molding cost factors are varied. However, the most significant percentage of plastic injection molding cost lies in the fabrication of the mold itself. Below, we will look at the options that influence the price of a mold and discuss other expenses to consider for your project.
Custom plastic molding cost factors include:
Part complexity: Injection molding is as effective for simple parts as it is for complicated components. However, higher intricacy involves more time, effort, and expertise in the manufacture of the mold, which means a greater cost. When complex molded parts are able to replace multi-component assemblies, however, that higher cost can be justified. Features such as side holes or ports, interlock or snap features, latches, threads or any other indented or protruding section of a part can increase costs. The more complex the part features the more a part will cost due to increased cycle times and the requirement of a dedicated full time operator.
Cavitation: The size of a mold depends on the part itself, as well as how many cavities need to be in the cast. In turn, the number of cavities dictates how many parts will be produced in each cycle. The more cavities an injection mold has increases the upfront tool cost, but will decrease the part pricing. The specific project requirements and production volumes will determine if the addition of cavities is a justified expense.
Runner System: If your injection mold uses a hot runner system, the hot runner will have an increased up-front tooling cost, but a lower per piece cost. This is because there is less material waste due to the fact that there is no runner system that needs to be scraped like it would be in a cold runner system. A cold runner system is a less expensive tool, but will have a higher part cost.
Read "10 Factors that Impact Your Injection Mold Costs"
In addition to the above factors, your plastic injection molding cost would also include expense such as:
- Resin Raw Material
- Machine Setup
- Labor Costs
- Production Time
- Assembly / Kitting
- Secondary and Finishing Processes
- Inspections and Testing
- Shipping
At Crescent Industries, we specialize in high-quality injection molding services that provide the best value for our customers. We will work to determine the right mold for your project, providing the quality, quantity and cost-efficiency that you need. By understanding your product, production requirements and business considerations, we are ready to provide exceptional service to get your project started. For more information, contact us today.
Resources:
https://crescentind.com/custom-injection-molding/
https://rexplastics.com/plastic-injection-molds/how-much-do-plastic-injection-molds-cost