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3d printing Manufacturing
07 July, 2024
July 15, 2016 at 8:15 am
We get asked a lot how much injection molding costs. It can be pricey, but there are workarounds for that.
If you’ve done any research into mass product manufacturing you’ve undoubtedly come across injection molding technology. It is one of hte most common and cost efficient methods for producing a large number of product components. What’s harder to determine however is the cost of the process. You might be surprised to know that a lot of the upfront cost is in the creation of molds rather than the injection molding itself. In fact this is the part of the product development process where many people drop off finding that cost is a prohibitive factor. We have developed some processes to help you fund your mold making and manufacturing for precisely this purpose however, read on to find out more.
One of the reasons that it is difficult to find prices for injection molding is that it is difficult to put an exact price tag on it. No two jobs are the same, and your price will be tailored to your project needs including quantity of items being produced, material that you are using, material of the molds being made, whether you want your items produced overseas or in the USA and a range of other factors.
You might be surprised to find that when you factor in shipping you can get your products or parts manufactured in the United States for a price which is practically equivalent to that which you could get if you were to do your production in China. In many cases where you decide to have your product manufactured will be a matter of how important perception is to you. We have contacts with injection molding factories all over the world who produce the highest quality product available at the minimum possible price and in good working conditions. Products sourced from China can have a bad reputation, but in reality the quality whether produced at home in the US or overseas is comparable. Your customers may have a bias towards one or the other however, so when you know your ideal client well you will be in the best position to make this call.
Other than the country of origin, there are many other factors which can influence the total and final cost of injection molding. These are as follows:
If you are looking for shorter production runs, then the mold does not have to be as strong or resilient and the core metal used to develop it will be chosen accordingly, and will usually include aluminum. However, on the other hand, if you are looking for a mold that is durable, stronger core metals are used, increasing the final cost somewhat.
The number of cavities which are included in the mold also play a role in determining the final cost. This is because if fewer cavities are involved in the mold, then less tooling work is required, bringing the overall cost down. A higher number of cavities in the mold requires more experienced mold makers and will raise the price.
Lastly, the complexity of the part also needs to be considered. This includes the number of undercuts, surface finish and surface tolerance required of all the final parts. The more complex the part to be molded the higher the cost typically becomes.
Hopefully the above has not scared you away from the process. While it may sound complex, when you’re working with a professional company who spends their days in this field we will handle all the fuss and headaches for you. We have even put together a process to help you fund your projects.
With the advent of crowdfunding platforms like kickstarter and indiegogo it is becoming easier and easier for anyone to fund huge projects. At JCAD we have created a process to help you kickstart your kickstarter campaign, allowing you the greatest possible chance of successly funding your campaign, and therefore successfully funding your manufacturing. No more trial and error with reaching out to 100s of investors. If you have a great idea with the potential to go viral that in itself can go a long way to funding your manufacturing.
Learn more:
Is injection molding cheaper than 3D printing?
How much does it cost to buy an injection molding machine?
Jason Vander Griendt is a Mechanical Engineering Technician with years of experience working at major companies such as SNC Lavalin Inc, Hatch Ltd. Siemens and Gerdau Ameristeel. He is the CEO of JCAD – Inc., a company he started in 2006 after seeing a gap in the market for businesses who could assist clients through the entire product design and manufacturing process.
Jason has been featured in Forbes, has had his businesses analyzed and discussed in multiple start-up books, was a previous winner of the Notable8 Digital Innovator of the year award, and is a regular guest on business panels and podcasts. Email Jason at jason@jcadusa.com or follow him on LinkedIn.
