Injection molding is a process that converts a plastic sheet into a definite shape to produce a part or product. Plastic injection molding gives shape to various types of thermoplastic or thermoset materials such as polycarbonate, polyethylene, acrylic, nylon, and more. This is a very effective process which enables you to meet your quality standards and a good finish as well. Hence, it is a crucial part of the production stage in the product lifecycle. When beginning to make a new product, one always carries out a feasibility study, which also includes financial feasibility. Based on the product design and demand, the budget is decided. However, as the product enters the production stage, sometimes the costs start rising astronomically, and it may be due to the cost of new molds, customization, and so on. This post discusses how to reduce injection molding costs which helps keep the final product cost in check.
Ways to Reduce Injection Molding Costs for a Product
While complex custom parts are likely to raise costs in an injection molding project, however, the following tips will help you find answer for a key query how to lower Custom plastic injection molding costs:
- Structural analysis: DFM or design for manufacturing is an important concept gaining traction in various sectors from manufacturing machines and equipment to printed circuit boards (PCBs). A proper DFM analysis before the final design eliminates design flaws in terms of incorrect angles, extremely complex geometries, features which cannot be machined, and so on. It identifies all the other problem areas and offers opportunities for further design improvement. Also, it helps identify the crucial areas in terms of quality and operation. Redoing the design after it is finalized increases the costs. Additionally, there are certain areas which need not be solid. Using DFM, you can eliminate solid design and retain cavities. This will not only reduce the cost but also make the part lightweight.
- Product design flexibility: A flexible product design is mostly preferred by component manufacturers as it offers them the option of modifying the product based on future requirements. It is also essential that some unnecessary features are removed from the design because they add up to the costs and are simply redundant. They may be added later in case of new product versions or modifications done. This is where design flexibility plays a huge role.
- Choosing the right material: Unless you require the part for a product in the food, pharmaceutical, or medical sectors, you can choose a low-cost material depending upon your budget and requirement. Choose a superior-quality material only in case of the product being exposed to harsh weather conditions and extreme temperatures, or to meet certain legal mandates such as in the food sector. By this, compromising on the quality is not recommended. However, if your application does not require any special-grade material, simply do not use it as this is one factor that adds up to the costs.
- Reduce process addition: Do not add processes if they are not required. For instance, if you use colorless resins to make a part and consider painting them simply to add to their aesthetic value, it may be an unnecessary cost addition. This is because painting will add another process and costs. In this case, you need to take a call based on the application requirement and check if the part will be visible to the user or it would be embedded within a product.
- Reduce tooling costs: An efficient process would always require minimum tools and molds. So, this reduces the number of tools, as well as the cost per part. The key is to create a mold with multiple shots and then using it to create maximum parts. This will not just improve the process but reduce toiling costs.
- Optimize costs related to surface finish: Cosmetic effects and smooth surface finish, and overall addition to the aesthetic value of the part certainly increase the costs. So, go for glossy and smooth finishes only if required. Also, in the design stage, you can state the level of finishing and color you want for each area of the part.
- Use core cavity: When creating hollow or cylindrical shapes, core cavity is a cost effective option. In this case, the tool is machined around the cavity which reduces error rate and offers better finishing to ribbed surfaces without adding much in terms of costs.
Are you looking for a reliable partner to make certain plastic parts for your product, at the best prices? If yes, check for the experience, expertise, and reliability of the service provider. Also, check their capabilities and the variety of plastics materials that are moldable at their facility. Veejay Plastic has a vast experience in injection molding to make high-quality industrial components. They have worked with clients from diverse sectors including government, defense, automotive, electrical, and so on. The company has the expertise in creating custom molds based on your requirement. The experts at the company will work with you to understand your requirements, and enable you identify ways to reduce injection molding costs.
