The question about cost is usually important and stressful at the same time. A manufacturer or a client may feel overwhelmed when planning and budgeting for the purchase of injection molds. The price of the plastic injection molding service is generally expensive since it is the backbone of the whole injection molding process. However, after the purchase of a mold, the remaining part is simple because the mold carries a big chunk in terms of finances.
The injection mold price is not constant, it is affected by many factors that need to be put in mind before ordering your injection mold. Depending on the preference and specification of the client, the manufacturer should calculate accurately before deciding on the price. In this post, we are going to look at the prices of injection molds, factors that affect the pricing of injection molds, how to save on cost, design, and the building services provided by mold manufacturers.
Table of Contents
The Cost of Injection Mold
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Before paying for an injection mold, make sure to inquire from several manufacturers to get different quotes from them. The same approaches are not used in pricing hence you might be lucky and get a really good deal. Although, caution needs to be taken since cheap molds might cost you more in the long run. Some manufacturers give expensive estimates but this should not be overlooked because they may be offering value for your money.
The best approach for knowing the price is you need to be prepared in advance. Be aware of all the details of your preferred mould design and size and also have a prototype or at least a drawing. This makes quoting prices simple, also negotiations can be done because both parties have an idea of the end product. Also, do your due diligence on the companies that offer mold manufacturing services so that you can get the best quality products and services.
In terms of estimations, injection molds can cost from 3,000 dollars to 50,000 dollars or even more. Simple molds cost anything between 3,000 dollars and 6,000 dollars. These molds do not have any complicated designs or shapes and are also single cavity molds. For complicated molds with features like large, complexity in design, multi-cavity injection molds, and high production, they cost around 25,000 dollars to 50,000 US dollars and sometimes more.
Factors Affecting the Cost of Injection Molds
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If you already have a prototype or drawing of your ideal mold, taking it to your manufacturer for price estimation will be a bit easier. They will consult with their engineers and other experts and quote a price for you. The final price will be determined by several factors such as the materials of the injection mold, plastic materials of the molded products, and complexity of the plastics parts.
Material of the Injection Mold
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Plastic mold making invovles different kinds of materials, examples of these materials are steel, aluminum, and beryllium-copper alloy.
Steel: it is the most expensive material for mold making. Hardened or pre-hardened steel is used. Using steel on your mold increases the cost of production, however, steel is durable meaning it will need less replacement hence reduce cost in the long run. Steel can also be modified for design changes or repairs. Steel saves money if you are looking for a long-lasting injection mold.
Aluminum: it is a cheaper option compared to steel. It is suitable for short-term use and less production since it is not as durable as steel. Also, modification and repairing of aluminum molds are impossible meaning aluminum molds cost more over a long period due to regular replacements.
Beryllium-copper alloy: this is not commonly used.
Material of the Injection Mold
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The materials used on the products are plastics but there are various types of plastics. Each of these materials has different properties hence affecting the pricing of the injection molds. The types of plastics used are many but the most common ones are PP, PC, Acrylic, PS, PU, and many more. Some of these plastics cause wearing out of molds faster than others making it a crucial factor to consider in mold making. The properties of these plastics that determine costs are;
- High gloss and impact
- viscosity
- Fire retardant
- Temperature (low)
- Transparency level
- Resistability to UV
- Food grade
- Heat (high)
The Complexity of the Parts
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This is all about the design and size of the plastic parts. Some clients want complex designs and this will affect the mold-making process. The mold will require more elements to support the part complexity. As previously mentioned, you need to be ready with a sample of the final product either a prototype, drawing, or even a 3D image. These things come in handy in the quotation, making work easier for you and your manufacturer.
If the products need to be mass-produced, there will be a need for molds with more cavities. The number of cavities plays a role in the pricing of injection molds. Single cavity molds and fewer cavity molds cost less since the work and time put in them is less. multi-cavity molds need more work and time to be made leading to more spending. In addition, parts with tight tolerance also increase the cost of the injection mold.
Ways of Cost Saving on Injection Mold
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On cost saving, there are many ways you can reduce the overall cost of mold and part production. It might be not easy and may require sacrifices from both parties but it will help in the budgeting and financial plans. Some of these ways are;
- Choose a manufacturer that is both a mold builder and part producer.
- Minimize product characteristics. Molds with a lot of features lead to more spending. Ensure the mold is built with only necessary characteristics.
- Reduce product size. Size contributes to the cost hence reducing the size reduces cost.
- Choose the right mold material. Steel is better for long-lasting molds that will be used many times. If you only need a mold for a short period and small-scale production, then aluminum is recommended.
Immould Injection Mold Design and Building Services
Fow Mold is experienced in mold design and building. Their work is usually high-precision and high tolerance resulting in quality of products and uniqueness in design. The mold design process in Fow Mold is;
- Mold flow analysis: we use MoldFlow software to analyze mold design and this is done by project managers and other experts ( injection mold designers and engineers) in our company. Every step is checked to eliminate any errors and defects in the mold.
- DFM: we ensure your mold is efficient and viable. Our experts offer advice and recommendations on design.
- CAD: computer-aided designs like SolidWorks and MoldFlow are utilized in our company to enable us to produce high-precision molds for our customer’s satisfaction
For mold building, we always recommend steel as our preferred material due to its benefits. We use high-quality steel in our molds from brands like Groditz, ASSAB, LKM. These brands are the best in business. We always inspect our steel with a spectrograph. The machines we use are state-of-the-art machines that facilitate all operations. Our main products are bucket mould, auto molds, plastic box mould and etc.
Conclusion
You need to spend money to make money and this is so true for injection molds. It is quite costly when it comes to designing and building, however, with the right material and designs, it lasts long making more profits than anticipated. For those interested in mold design and building, ensure you choose the right manufacturer like Fow Mold to realize your dreams. Get in touch with us and learn more about our services and products at an affordable price.
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