If you’re interested in injection molding, but you feel as though you need more information on the subject, Design-Tek is here for you. We’ve thought of the most commonly asked questions about injection mold design and have answered them below.
FAQs About Injection Mold Design
Q: How do I know if injection molding is the right process for my product?
A: The geometry of the part, the amount of parts needed, your tooling budget, and the application the part is being used for will all influence your decision to injection mold design.
Q: How much does an injection molded part cost?
A: Typically an injection molded part can cost anywhere from a fraction of a cent to a few dollars. The cost of an injection molded part is dependent on many factors such as size and complexity of the part which will affect production rates, the plastic resin being molded, the number of cavities in the mold just to name a few.
Q: What material should I use for my project?
A: Most material is application specific. If you don’t have a material selected for your product, we can help offer some guidance. Often several resins can be sampled but the customer has final approval before proceeding.
Q: What is the process of a new project?
A: To start, we will evaluate your part design and modify it to be efficiently injection molded. Then, we will build the mold for the part. Lastly, your mold will be put into an injection molding press to make production parts.
Q: How long does it take to build an injection mold?
A: The whole process takes about 8-10 weeks on average. This depends on the complexity and cavitation of the mold.
Q: What is the typical life expectancy of an injection mold?
A: Most mold makers build molds to industry standards such as SPI Class 101, which should guarantee a mold life of 1M Shots. This means if your mold has 4 cavities you should get 4M parts from your mold without any problem. Depending on the complexity of the part and the plastic resin used, this amount may vary. It is not unlikely for your mold to last for well over 1M shots. If your part is complex and the mold has small intricate steel inserts or you are using an abrasive plastic resin such as a glass filled polycarbonate, mold wear will be more progressive shortening the life of your mold.
To learn more about plastic product design and the injection mold design process, contact Design-Tek Plastics today by clicking here or calling us at 801-393-4400.