Five ways to cut down on plastic injection molding costs

It is essential for plastic injection molding manufacturers and business owners to continue looking for ways to improve the manufacturing process to cut down on unnecessary expenses.

It isn’t easy to reduce costs while keeping the quality of the product. This is particularly true for complicated parts with intricate designs and numerous color requirements. It is possible to improve a few steps to lower total cost.

Here’s a few suggestions to help cut away some low volume injection molding cost:

•  Improve efficiency

Multiple simple steps can help you maximize efficiency. The process of PMMA injection molding is a multi-step procedure that includes mold design, prototyping, injection molding, production, finish and so on.

Utilizing the most effective practices for developing and optimizing other aspects can help to make your project more cost-effective. Furthermore, using local suppliers can reduce total lead time and cut down on expenses like shipping.

Making sure that each stage in the manufacturing cycle in isolation is a sure method to reduce costs.

•  Design Modifications

Different design changes could be made to lower the total cost of the product being manufactured. Meet with your plastic injection designer and think about the design options. Simple solutions such as using a hollow piece instead of an actual piece (where it’s not needed in terms of the application) could help lower the total cost.

The less material that is used the lower the total cost of the plastic component. But, any design changes should be done without compromising the structural integrity of the item.

• Material selection

A large portion of polycarbonate injection molding costs is determined by the type of plastic resin or material being utilized. Each resin comes with a distinct cost that is associated with it.

Before you decide on the best plastic resin to use for the product, think about the use of the plastic component. Consider the features are required in the component to ensure optimal performance. Then, determine if you are able to achieve this with the lower-end plastic resin. Sometimes, lower-end plastics along with certain fillers and additives can be used as a more expensive material.

Take your time weighing your options. Take into consideration the costs of resins used in conjunction with the additives that are required. It is crucial to realize that certain additives may increase the price of your component. Find the most effective solution that guarantees the quality of the product, and is also the most cost-effective method of getting rid of it.

• Reduce the need for the need for customizations

Different products come with different customizationor decoration requirements, such as the texture of the surface, color dyes and stamping, the use of lasers, and many other aesthetic demands.

It is obvious that the less modifications required for the molded component, the more you can save on expenses. Therefore, it is important to consider the requirements of each aesthetic finish prior to implementing it within the project. Reducing these elements is a simple way to lower the total cost of the project.

• Use Family Molds

One of the most effective methods to cut down on cost of ABS injection molding price per piece can be to boost the number of components being manufactured. Making an family mold that fits in several parts at once reduces time and effort and can be very cost-effective.

However the use of molds that are a family mold can only happen in the case of parts that are similar in dimensions. In addition, for components that are extremely complex in the design, it’s usually recommended to use single molds instead of family molds to ensure the overall quality of the item.

The more parts are made from one mold the greater the speed of production. This also implies that the mold has to undergo less cycles, which aids in increasing effectiveness.

Final Thoughts:

It is crucial to comprehend that the money you spend on different aspects of injection molding (designing tools, designing prototyping, finish, and production) are an investment you’re making. Although it’s true that this investment will make up the majority of your total project budget, it’s one of the most crucial aspects of the project’s success.

The thin line between quality and cost optimization requires cautious considerations. Make sure that your cost-cutting strategies don’t affect the quality of the final product.