In part one of this two-part blog series, we went over some of the important factors impacting the cost of a given plastic injection molding project. There are several variables at play here, from the materials involved to part complexity and a few others to consider.
At EnviroTech Custom Injection Molders, we’ll happily walk you through pricing structures and related factors for any of our plastic injection molding services, from standard projects to bulk injection molding and many other specialized processes. In today’s part two of our series, we’ll go over a few additional themes that often play a big role in the final cost of your molded materials.
Tool Material
We mentioned resin material in part one of this series, and a related factor that’s very important in many jobs will be the tool material chosen. Standard options include metals like steel and aluminum, and which you choose will depend not only on cost but also on several other factors, like strength, availability, quality with heat transfer and others. Our pros will be happy to discuss the ideal tool material for such projects.
Part Tolerance Factors
Another major factor involved in the heating and forming processes for a given injection molded part is the tolerance of parts involved in the process. Those with tight tolerances, for instance, will generally require some additional steps taken by manufacturers during the molding process.
And as we went over in part one here, such additional steps lead to more time, which leads to increased tool costs. Like several others, however, this is an area where spending a decent amount up front tends to have long-term value – parts with tight tolerances perform more efficiently in general, to a point where their increased initial cost is a worthwhile investment.
Cycle Time
Once again, we see the importance of time when speaking about the costs of a given injection mold process. Tools being made require uniform cooling throughout any impressions made to achieve the kind of fast machining cycle required, which in turn means a more complex build. This increases tool construction and maintenance costs for the project.
Location
Finally, there are often major cost differences for plastic injection molding between onshore companies within North America and those overseas. Foreign companies may offer very low up-front prices, for instance, but these are before considering not only shipping costs, which can be significant, but also several other factors that end up making them costlier – and often lower quality. Generally speaking, it’s best to use local manufacturers like our team of plastic injection molders, who combine both quality and transparent pricing.
For more on the factors involved in plastic injection molding costs, or to learn about any of our custom plastic injection molding services, speak to the staff at EnviroTech Custom Injection Molders today.
