For plastic parts sold in the USA, the bulk of mold-making and plastic injection molding is done overseas. However, overseas mold-making and molding comes with important considerations, and significant limitations.
- Quantity restrictions -- Overseas manufacturing may be ideal for large corporations, but it may not accommodate the needs of small businesses. Many overseas plastic injection molders require large minimum part orders, on the order of hundreds of thousands.
- Pricing -- Though overseas manufacturing may seem more cost-effective up front, it is important to consider the "landed cost" of your product, which includes shipping costs, customs and import fees.
- Shipping -- Overseas shipping is growing increasingly expensive, and between port strikes, weather delays, and customs issues, products often arrive later than expected. Keeping your manufacturing in the USA will allow you to keep shipping costs low, and shipping timelines short.
- Communication -- Working across language barriers and time-zones sometimes leads to errors, delays, and increased costs. We promise rapid, consistent communication with a professional who knows the industry.
- Lead times -- Oftentimes busy overseas manufacturing companies require long lead times even for simple product alterations like color or material changes.
What determines the cost of a mold?
A mold is a one-time investment that, if designed well and maintained properly, can produce millions of parts. Many variables impact the cost of a mold:
- Material — Although the part may be small, the mold is large and heavy. Depending on the part size and number of cavities, molds can weigh thousands of pounds. The mold base and core/cavity material will be selected based upon your application. The mold size and material type will dictate your materials cost.
- Number of cavities — Your production volume and the size of the part will determine the number of cavities in your mold. One cavity yields one part each time the mold cycles. More cavities will yield more parts per cycle and a lower cost per part, but multi-cavity molds are more expensive to build.
- CNC Machining — Every mold is a custom design. Machining the core/cavity, EDM features, cooling lines, and ejector pins must be precise and within tight tolerance. Certain complex part designs such as deep ribs or evolved parting lines can be time consuming to machine.
- Part features — Features such as undercuts will require slides or lifters which will increase the cost of a mold. We try and avoid these during the product design phase, but features such as undercuts for snaps are sometimes unavoidable. Part surface finish also plays a role in cost and lead time.
What kind of plastic is best for your product?
When do you need to choose a material?
After reviewing your part design, we often recommend an ideal material for your product. Different types of plastic have different rates of expansion, so we can help you choose your material ahead of time to ensure the mold is made in a way that suits your material. Additionally, though certain plastics may be more affordable than others, choosing the correct plastic type for the part size, shape, and use can significantly improve the quality and durability of your product.
We often work with standard plastics that are readily available, but we also mold parts using a number of engineered or custom compounded materials specifically designed for our customer's needs. We will help you choose the plastic that is best for your product, order it directly, and store it at our facility.
We often work with standard plastics that are readily available, but we also mold parts using a number of engineered or custom compounded materials specifically designed for our customer's needs. We will help you choose the plastic that is best for your product, order it directly, and store it at our facility.