Injection Moulding Near Me | Overview of Injection Mould Cost
The first thing you need to know is: what companies are offering injection moulding near me?
Then you can contact them and delve into the costs associated with your project.
Determining the injection mould cost is not a straightforward task as it is subject to various factors. Considering all the variables involved is crucial in evaluating the overall cost of the injection mould. One must carefully weigh the cost of the mould against the number of parts being manufactured. Producing higher quantities of parts will result in a lower per-piece cost, as the total injection mould cost can be distributed over hundreds or thousands of pieces. Despite the initial expense, injection moulding remains the quickest and most cost-effective method for producing large quantities of plastic parts.
How to Calculate Injection Moulding Cost.
The cost of plastic injection mould tooling largely relies on the machining of the injection mould. Several factors come into play when determining the cost. The complexity of the mould is the key element in the cost of the tooling, the size of the mould is also a significant factor in its cost. Larger and more intricate moulds will naturally be more costly compared to smaller and simpler moulds. Additionally, the type of mould influences its price. Prototype injection moulds typically cost less than moulds used for production runs. On the other hand, moulds intended for long production runs will incur higher expenses. To withstand repeated use during extended production, these moulds need to be constructed from strong, high-strength, fully hardened steel, steel such as P20 or anti-corrosion stainless steel. How the part is going to be fed is an often-under-considered factor as well. This could be from a myriad of different cold feed options or if the need arises a hot feed may be necessary to suit your application. Gate vestige, gate size and plastic runner waste factor need to be considered so we understand what type of runner and feed is ideally suited to the product.
The number of injection cavities built into the mould is the final factor to consider. High-production moulds often have multiple, identical injection cavities, known as multi-cavity moulds. Meanwhile, family moulds feature two or more similar cavities that may not be identical. An example is moulds producing the right and left sides of a part that snap together. These moulds consist of multiple cavities that produce the same part or related parts in a single press, reducing the frequency of opening and closing the mould while enhancing production efficiency.
The following are some of the questions that will need answering to enable the best price solution for your project: –
- How many products do you require per batch and per annum?
- Do you know what material you may want to use, if not can you explain the function and ergonomic requirements of the product and we can offer advice?
- Part colour, does this need to be a specific RAL colour, or colour-matched?
- Expected total life for the product?
- Do you have any specific tooling specification requirements?
- What is the expected surface finish for the part?
- Is the part design open for change to help us to offer you a cheaper longer lasting, better overall solution for the mould tooling?
- Do the parts need to comply with any regulations, such as fire-retardant UV degradation?
- Are there any other factors that may influence the parts going forward that may need to be considered?
- Do you require prototypes?
- Do you require design advice and help?
To find out more about injection moulding services please contact Benn Simms, benn.simms@ledwellplastics.com Managing Director of Ledwell.
