What I have is four different geometrical round shapes of varying face counts with some small extruded borders between the faces. They’d be hollow so they’d be cut in a symmetrical manner so that two printed halves can be glued together to form a whole hollow sphere. All spheres are around 7,5 cm in diameter, about 3 inches, and half that in height due to them being halves. Additionally they’d have holes in specific places on the spherical surface but that could be drilled aftetwards, so just some sort of mark where the holes are supposed to be would be sufficient.

I’m doing a project and I was wondering how much would the injection mold cost for a width:10 inch length:15 inch height 3 inches the top lid would be the same dimensions.

Once these new devices are produced, we assist our customers in transitioning the project into the production phase. Quality and customer satisfaction are our primary goals, and Aberdeen can work with both high and low quantity requirements with over 700 square feet of cleanroom injection molding space.

I really like reading good articles by someone who knows a lot about what they’re writing. I’m excited to see more from you. Keep it up!

Much needed information about the cost of plastic injection molds as knowing the price details are greatly helpful for the business.

If you’re thinking of outsourcing your mold-making overseas, consider all of the factors in bringing the mold to optimum production standards outlined in this American Mold Builders Association article. You might be surprised to learn the true cost of off-shoring!

I’m working on a school invention project and I need to know how much a mold for a half-pipe like design would cost. The thickness of the mold needs to be 1.5 inches, it is 1.5 feet high (bottom to top), 5 feet wide (left to right) and is 20 feet long (front to back). If you can estimate the price to the nearest thousand, that would be great. Thank you.

Thank you for the inquiry. Mold balancing plays an important role in injection molding, because of that we would recommend a 24 cavity mold. The parts are divisible in pairs with that amount and will run much better. The ballpark estimate for a cold runner mold that size would be $15-$20,000, and the part price would be under $.09 each for 20,000 parts ordered.

Your estimate cost for a steel p20, one cavity, cold runner, polypropylene 30%Gf matrix, with sizes of: 660mm x 220mm x 200mm. Thanks.

how much would a console mold cost and how many would i need? Same with controllers… do i need enough to make 100,000 a month?

I was wondering how many times your molds can be used? if i were to get a basic insert tooling mold would you be able to give me an estimate of how many times it could be used?

I needed 1000 unit of enclosure (approx size 100 x 100 x 23 mm, fillet corner radius 20), Finishing should be fine as much as possible. I have seen the mould manufacturing costs a lot, is there any other way to manufacture enclosures at lower cost.

But at least to some degree, asking what plastic injection molding costs is a lot like asking, “How much is a car?” Will your mold be a Pinto or a Porsche? And don’t forget that the price of a mold is just the beginning. To determine overall plastic injection molding costs for any project, you have to consider raw material, operation, and repair costs later down the road, too.

Kelsey, Thanks you for the inquiry. That’s difficult to say without seeing the part. Small details in the design can make big differences in cost to manufacture. If it is a simple design with no undercuts and the surface doesn’t require polishing, you could perhaps get a mold built for $5-$8,000. Here is a link to a pricing guide for further reference. https://rexplastics.com/injection-mold-price-guide

I’m glad you mentioned having a target price ready before designing a mold. I have a few things I want to start molding, but I hadn’t thought about a price yet. I can see how that would make a big difference in how they would plan how many parts to make.

If you wouldn’t mind, how much would you ball park the cost to produce the mold, and the parts, of a standard size plastic shopping cart? Needing 100,000-500,000 units per year. I appreciate your time.

Hi I’m trying to get a project started and luckily I found the guides and explanations here, good stuff. With the guide my estimate is somewhere between 15 000 to 30 000.

Thank you for the request for quote, we appreciate the opportunity. Unfortunately this product is too large for us. The largest footprint we can mold is approximately 100 square inches.

I always enjoy reading quality articles by an individual who is obviously knowledgeable on their chosen subject. I’ll be watching this post with much interest. Keep up the great work…

Simon, Thank you for your inquiry. It’s difficult to say, but you might be about right. Features that will effect tooling cost are the finish you would like on the parts (polished is more expensive than textured), and where the drilling marks are located. If there are undercuts created by them in relation to the direction the part will need to be ejected out of the mold, moving cores would need to be designed into the molds, which will significantly increase the cost. If these concerns could be worked out, we could probably build two molds to shoot these sets for $30-$60,000. If you would like tighter figures, we would need to see drawings or prototypes. Thanks again for the inquiry.

We have not made any golf disc parts specifically but that is well within our capability. Please contact us for a free quote if you are interested.

Thank you for the request for quote, I appreciate the opportunity. The best opportunity we have to help make your project a success is if we have as much information as possible. If you could fill out our request for quote form our website it will be a big step in that direction. It includes questions about material, annual estimated production quantities, etc. as well as the option to upload drawings.

If you have a target price established for your parts, tell your mold builder. They can design the mold accordingly and plan for the right number of cavities to achieve that price. The more cavities (or parts made per cycle), the less expensive the parts will be, also allowing for higher output.

I’m working on a school project, I was wondering how much it would cost to make a mold that contains 25 cavities, the part is kind of cylindrical and I was planning to have it made out of high density polyethylene. It has a hole straight through the part with an inside diameter of 0.515″ and an outside diameter of 0.670″ for 0.773″ of the height and an outside diameter of 1.340″ for the remaining 0.327″ of the height, the height is 1.100″ total. This is the link to the photo: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxyuyPDgKAbnMXdHbE1GeTA5bms/view?usp=sharing https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxyuyPDgKAbnN0xMSjJkNzdIUE0/view?usp=sharing

We do mold with thermoplastic elastomers, which are still considered a plastic. It is more expensive than a lot of other types, and could add $.50 for a 100 gram part when compared to ABS.

Hi, Do you also provide molding with rubber or any other elastic material? Is it (NRE and price per part) usually more or less expensive than plastic ? tx, offer

Injection molding is a very common way to form plastic parts and components. Depending on the material, the parts can be very strict with their tolerances as well as easy to process. Injection molding is one of the most common types of forming plastics. It is used in a variety of industries and not just for medical injection molding. In fact, you probably have a wide variety of injection molded parts all around you and simply don't know it. Your basic pens, your keyboard, and even your phone have injection molded components in them. ​

Thank you for the inquiry. Unfortunately this product is too large for us. The largest footprint we can mold is approximately 100 square inches.

Thanks a lot for sharing this awesome info. Your article is excellent and informative. I love to read your articles.i personally like all the points you explain and follow it. Everyone should read this awesome post, I will share with my friends. Keep it up with such great content

Bottom line in regards to NDA is whether or not you trust the molder. If they are a legitimate company that has been around for a long time, they’re probably not stealing people’s ideas. If you are naturally a cautious person or something doesn’t seem right with the molder, you’ll feel better having one in place. Hope this helps, let us know if you have and NDA you’d like us to review or if you would like to look at the one we use.

The determining factors in the cost of your mold are a combination of the part size, complexity, material, and anticipated quantities. For instance, if you wanted 1,000 washers per year, we would recommend a single cavity mold, meaning it makes one washer per machine cycle. In that case, the mold would probably be $1,000-2,000.

Do you need design-for-manufacturing (DFM) assistance? Or, are you ready for production? We have a full suite of services to offer and a lifetime mold guarantee.

We provide assistance throughout each stage of your program, from design recommendation through mold tooling fabrication, prototyping, first article approval, process validation, full scale production medical molding, and transfer of turnkey system to customer facilities if requested.

Hi, Thanks for your valuable post… I really appreciate your great work. This post helped me understand more about plastic injection mold and estimation on how much it costs. An injection mold is easily the most expensive part of the project, and can dramatically increase costs for small part runs. The main factors that influence the cost of an injection mold are the size and intricacy of the part, the material used, and the number of parts being produced.

Materials used in injection molding are plastics, specifically thermoplastics. There are hundreds of thermoplastics, but the most common thermoplastics used in injection molding are:

Thank you for the inquiry Ali. All of our molds have a lifetime guarantee so even if your mold wears, you won’t see a repair bill from us. Generally speaking a hardened steel mold or insert should last 100,000 cycles or more.

The process is capable of making FDA approved medical devices that are both durable and reliable. This type of molding can also be used to make prototypes to send and get the much-needed FDA approval. Medical injection molding can be performed in a clean room and the components can be sterilized without harm as well. Let's take a look at injection molding.​

The last thing to consider when pricing out your injection molding cost is the cost of service or professional labor you will need. Professionals can help you set up the necessary equipment to create molds and your products. During the process, they’ll be able to replace defective parts and monitor the progress of the overall process.

Rienk, Thank you for the inquiry. That’s difficult to estimate without more information, but generally speaking snap fit connections will add $500-$1,000 to the cost of a mold.

Hi, Would you be able to create a mold for a golf bag, and provide a quote? Approximately 35″ tall, with a diameter of 11.5″ x 10″. I’d also like to include dividers in the middle. Thank you.

I have an Idea…know nothing about this process, but here it goes. I wan’t to make a tool that will need Insert Molding? I know it’s a pricey operation, but to make it a durable and lasting tool it will have to be. I’d also like to have 6 to 8 tools made per cycle of the mold. the product would only be approx 5 to 6 inches long and 3/4 inch wide and approx 1/4 inch deep (approx). any idea (general idea) what this process would cost? I know there are many more details for plastic and metal applications, but a round about idea for a the mold would be helpful. Thank you.

We do not have minimum order quantities, but there are set up fees amortized into each order so the cost effectiveness of low quantity orders is a decision left to our customers.

For slides, start by sizing the slide face. This is the block which will have the undercut detail cut into it. The face doesn’t need to be much larger than the undercut itself, but it should be rectangular or circular just for ease of manufacturing and assembly. The surrounding part geometry could factor into this too, if the undercut is in a cramped spot or located near/on curved surfaces. Leave perhaps 0.375-0.500in of steel behind the undercut detail (same idea behind determining cavity plate thickness) and assume a 0.50-1.00in perimeter on either side of the face for other hardware like guide rails, and 1.0-2.0in above and below the face for wear plates, heel blocks and bolts. The slide may well take up more space than your cavities, and drive the mold size and plate thickness all by itself.

Thank you for the inquiry. That does sound like something we can help you with but would need more information. Can you provide drawings or a link to a similar product? If so please send them to [email protected]

Chris, Thank you for the inquiry, I appreciate the opportunity. Without seeing the geometry it’s difficult to estimate cost. Our pricing guide can give an indication of cost, although it does not giving multi-cavity pricing.

Riser height will depend on how far the ejection needs to push your part before it’s completely free of the cavity and any cores. Completely free in this case meaning pushed all the way out/off so that there’s no chance it’ll get hung up on anything.

These examples are extreme, but they illustrate the range of costs to anticipate. Your particular part will most likely fall somewhere in between that. At Rex Plastics, our molds average around $12,000.

Hi, thanks for your contribution on Injection molding . I have basic knowlegde on mold design and would like to know how can I estimate overall mold dimensions based on part dimensions, considering one cavity mold and and no side actions. Also would like to know how can I estimate the approximate size of a slider for a side simple hole. Thanks for you support. Much appreciate. Regards

What would be the most logical approach if I wanted to create all four? All on one mold? Each geometrical type with their own mold? Then capacity wise, 10 000 a year? 100 000 a year?

Without seeing the specific design it’s difficult to give an estimate. Sometimes even small design features can add thousands to the cost of the mold. If you have a drawing we could provide a free quote.

I understand that the small extrustion between the faces of the spheres could be an issue when removing the part from the mold, so they would not be a necessity. The geometrical shapes are just a collection of planar faces which create a sphere.

As a full-service plastic injection molding company that manufactures molds from conception to completion, pricing for each job we fulfill can vary dramatically.

Jake, That is impossible to say without looking at the design, but as a general rule of thumb if you need 1,000 or more per year injection molding is worth looking at.

Sometimes the components need to be manufactured separately and then assembled. This is very common in many cases and this can be done by hand or robot.

I’d be interested in finding out about plastic molded 9mm projectiles. There would have to be a denser plastic chosen, so there is enough recoil generated by the exiting projectile to cycle a semi-automatic pistol reliably.

The cost of the material you use for your project is usually decided by the design, material chosen, and the amount you need to complete the project. Here is a quick chart explaining more about each thermoplastic material, their features, common applications and price per pound.

Hello, Just so I’m clear, you would charge for the creation of the mold, and then create the parts as needed/requested? You would see me back a finished product correct – as in you supply the materials, ship, etc? Thank you.

Material selection is another consideration in determining what plastic injection molds cost. Any plastic product made from fiberglass-filled material, for example, will wear down most common molds. Only a mold made from hardened tool steel can withstand injection molding with fiberglass-filled material.

Prime examples were molding non-communicating passageways through a plastic manifold, molding critical tolerance pacemaker components, and even molding around glass formations without breaking or cracking. Our advanced injection molding equipment makes even the most difficult projects possible.

First you locate and orient the part in the tool, which mainly depends on where/how you intend to gate it. For all gate types except center, you should have at least 0.75-1.00in of space between the sprue and the edge of the cavity. Once you have a cavity layout (assume centered sprue), determine its bounding box. Any space off-center will need to be mirrored on the other side of the sprue and included in this bounding box. In a sense, you’ll always be sizing a mold for two cavities unless you’re center-gating. For smaller molds under 12in per side (in the parting plane), you can get away with leaving 2in of space all around this bounding box. This space is occupied by the ejector housing, return pins, and leader pins among other things, all of which would interfere with the part cavities and/or their ejection. You may need extra space for cooling lines as well. For larger molds up to 24in per side, you’ll want at least a 2.5in perimeter.

Hello, I have designed a product that I believe the best way to manufacture will be through injection molding. I cannot share too much, but for the sake of this comment lets imagine that it is a hollow box with 1/4″ walls, 1 face missing, and that it is 1′ 8″ W x 1′ 11″ L x 1′ 3″ H. Now I understand that pricing is complex so I won’t ask you for a quote without sending the file, and I will assume that the mold will cost no less than $50,000 which is fine. My questions are below: – Considering the dimensions of the extents, is it possible to create a family mold with multiple units? What would be the maximum units per mold? And around how many could be banged out per day (again assume its a 1/4″ wall box as stated above for now)? – How long does the process of making the mold take (assuming the design and specs are ready)? – Do I have to pay the full amount immediately, or can it be paid in installments? – If I were to send over a .dwg file for a quote, are you legally bound by confidentiality? Thank you in advance!

In the medical field, we often see metal combined with the plastic part. This is called insert molding and is a very common practice for injection molders to do. You see this all over the medical arena from needles to EKG hook up leads and more.

George, Thank you for the inquiry. This product is too large for us but I will try to answer your questions. -You can have a multiple cavity mold made for this part. If you built a four cavity mold you would need at least a 5,500 ton molding machine (and about $200,000 for a domestically made mold). -With that mold you would probably get four parts every 2 or 3 minutes. -A single cavity mold would still be over $50,000. -Normally toolmakers will ask for 50% down with the remainder due once samples out of the mold are approved. -Toolmakers and molder are not bound to confidentiality unless you have them sign a non-disclosure agreement. Hopefully this helps, good luck!

As for plate thickness, leave at least 0.5in of steel between the upper and lowermost cavity extremities and the backsides of the cavity plates/cores. Depending on part geometry, you might need up to one full inch above and below the cavities for water lines.

Thank you for the request for quote, I appreciate the opportunity. I don’t know what that would take. The highest specific gravity for readily available material is around 1.4. I would recommend researching how that compares to what is currently used. I know that some law enforcement agencies are using rubber bullets now but I don’t know if any sort of ejection assistance is used. Please contact us via [email protected] if you’d like to discuss further.

While you don’t need to know every detail about the types of molds available, it’s always a good idea to come prepared. Supplying the basics to your mold builder will help them build the best tool for your project. We recommend that you find a mold maker who also has production capabilities. The production company won’t want to build an inadequate mold because they know they must use it.

Hi am new here, after I submit the CAD file will I pay $60 we part or I don’t understand. after making mold what part will I pay for again?

Thanks for the inquiry. This post helping me understand more about plastic injection mold and estimation on how much it costs. And I learned from your post what an injection mold is made of.

Thank you for the inquiry. If you submit CAD drawings we will provide a quote for the cost of the injection mold and production. Once the mold is built you own it and will only pay for production parts out of it. If the mold remains in our possession it comes with a lifetime guarantee. Hopefully this answers your questions.

Would like to mold adult male lacrosse stick heads, wondering how much each can cost, or how much a plastic injection machine would cost.

“On the other hand, if you are going to need 100,000 xbox controllers every month, we would build a 12 cavity hardened “family” mold which made four Fronts, four Backs, and four Button Trees every cycle, and you’d better have $60-$80,000 or more to invest.” is the 6o-8o,ooo dollars a yearly investment or a monthly investment?

There is a range of machines used for injection molding. The cheapest option is a small desktop injection molding machine perfect for in-house projects. A small desktop injection molding machine is the most cost-effective choice for producing low volumes of parts.

Medical injection molding is a manufacturing process that produces plastic medical devices and components. It involves melting plastic resin pellets and injecting the molten material into a mold to create a specific shape. This process allows for precise control over the product's size and shape and is subject to strict quality and regulatory standards.

Aberdeen’s primary goal is total customer satisfaction for even your most challenging projects. Our company culture is one of honor, respect and service with the highest degree of competence and professionalism that you will find anywhere.

The most common types of materials used in medical insert molding are thermoplastics. These are materials that can be heated up into a molten state and pushed through a barrel into a mold. These molds can simply be open and shut type designs, which are what you would expect for, say a simple product such as a cake mold. Or they can be very complex with moving side parts called slides. Of course, the simpler the mold the better for maintenance and longevity. However, complex parts will need these complex designs in order to produce the desired part.

I’m considering syringe barrels to be injection molded. About 3 mL and 6 mL (two different sizes) with qty of 20,000 per month for now. Actually syringe barrels without the thread, but with luer male at the end. Just empty straight (slightly tapered). Material PP.

In order to understand what the injection molding cost of your project may be, you need to understand the process and factors that will affect the price of your project.

We could put multiple figurines in one mold but injection molding may not be the best process if you are anticipating low volumes. 1,000+ per year may start to make sense for injection molding, otherwise you may want to talk to a plastic prototyper or polymer casting company. We can mold them in any color, but the entire figurine would be the same color. If you have drawings you can attach them to our Quote Now link and we can provide a quote.

Hi, Thank you for all the valuable information laid out on your site. My company has created molds and manufactured exclusively overseas, but I have tried to bring my business back stateside many times and have always found it difficult, biggest issue being MOQs. When creating a new product as a small business it’s difficult to run thousands or tens of thousands of units on a first run for an unproven product. My question is, after the mold is produced what is the average MOQ? What is your typical floor? What are the determining factors for the MOQ?

Hello, When submitting CAD specs to you or any injection mold company, do you recommend a Non-Disclosure Agreement be signed to protect a project?

The start-up costs for a large run can be expensive, but the price for the project becomes better and better as you continue to produce. If you’re looking at price per unit, plastic injection molding is one of the cheapest, most cost-efficient forms of manufacturing. With injection molding, the more units you create with your mold, the cheaper the price per unit becomes.

Hi, what are the estimated costs of a mold for a part with snap fit connections compared to the same part but instead of snap fit connections holes for bolts?

Injection molding cost can range anywhere from $100 to $100,000+ depending on the scope and intricacy of the project. A small and simple single-cavity plastic injection mold usually costs between $1,000 and $5,000. Very large or complex molds may cost as much as $80,000 or more. On average, a typical mold that produces a relatively simple part small enough to hold in your hand costs around $12,000.

Thanks for helping me learn more about plastic injection molds. I didn’t know that molds should be made from harden steel if a product needs a fiberglass filled material. I’m interested to learn how these molds could be made, especially of the steel mold needs to be really precise.

Thank you for the request for quote, we appreciate the opportunity. The best opportunity we have to help make your project a success is if we have as much information as possible. If you could fill out the request for quote form on our website it will be a big step in that direction. It includes questions about material, annual estimated production quantities, etc. as well as the option to upload drawings or photos.

The $60-$80,000 is a non-recurring expense to build the mold. Once the mold was built you would just pay for production parts as need. Probably around $1 per set at that point.

Thank you for your inquiry. Here is a link to a pricing guide that will get you headed in the right direction. https://rexplastics.com/injection-mold-price-guide Rex Plastics, Inc

However, needing 100,000 Xbox controllers every month is a different story. For this requirement, we would recommend building a 12-cavity hardened “family” mold, which would make four Fronts, four Backs, and four Button Trees every cycle. Of course, this type of mold comes with a cost. You’d better have $60-$80,000 or more to invest!

Small sidenote, plan on leaving at least 0.250in of metal around all water lines. If not maintained properly they’ll eventually corrode thin walls. This consideration has occasionally led us to quoting larger mold bases.

Great insights on the importance of precision in manufacturing. As a Welding and cutting machine manufacturers , Weldarc India understands the need for accuracy in welding and cutting processes. Our machines are designed to meet the demands of modern manufacturing with enhanced efficiency and precision. It’s exciting to see advancements in the industry that push the boundaries of what’s possible. Looking forward to continued innovations in welding and cutting solutions that contribute to high-quality production outcomes.

However, there are other types of plastics called thermosets that also can be used for injection molding, but the process is far different. These materials are most likely not going to be used for medical molding as they cannot be recycled as easily as the thermoplastic materials.  Because of this, you don't see thermosets used as often as you do thermoplastics. A good example of a thermoset is your car tires. This is where they cannot be melted down and reshaped into something.

Johnny, Thank you for the inquiry. Non-disclosure agreements are common in manufacturing so any molder you choose should not resist signing one unless it’s determined to lack certain exclusions and the ability of the molder to disclose information to third parties with written permission. Molders will often need to involve third party companies in order to provide a quote.

hi I’m doing a school project and I need to know how much it will cost to make a simple 3,109 volumed container 12×14 container for the base and 12×14 for 2 sides and 14×20 for the other so 12=l 14=w 20=h

Unfortunately this product is too large for us. The largest footprint we can mold is approximately 100 square inches, and the tallest piece around 10″.

If your project requires large industrial molding machines that are operated by a service provider and large manufacturers, you’re looking at spending anywhere from $50,000 to $100,000+. Unlike the small desktop injection molding machine, these larger machines require professionals who can operate, maintain, and monitor the machine.

Thank you for the inquiry. That does sound like something we can help you with. If you could please fill out our request for quote page on this site we can provide a quote. You can upload drawings there as well.

This post helping me understand more about plastic injection mold and estimation on how much it costs. And I learned from your post what an injection mold is made of

It’s worth looking into the mold base CAD libraries out there, such as through PCS. They’ll generate full, downloadable 3D CAD of their offerings based on the specs you plug into their forms.

Hi, I am interested in creating 6 different plastic figurines, each one in a 6 and a 12 in size. would I need to purchase a separate mold for each figurine and size? These would be low production, at least in the beginning, for retail and online sales. Are there options to have them manufactured in color? For example, skin tone, clothing and hair color?

If you would like to send any drawings you have to our contact email directly we can provide an estimate. [email protected]

Thanks for this post, somewhat it helped me understand more about plastic injection mold and an estimation on how much it costs.

Nicole, Thank you for the inquiry. A Jackson Pratt bulb is blow molded, not injection molded. Please see this article for more explanation. https://rexplastics.com/plastic-injection-molding/the-many-processes-of-plastic-part-manufacturing

Yes that is correct. After we build the mold (that you own), we store it here and run parts from it when you send us a PO.

Would it be possible for me to request solely 2 units for my design initiative? They are quite large with a 1-meter diameter and 1.5-meter length. How much would it cost for the production of this?

That’s why we’ve compiled the following price guide to help you budget for your mold. The injection molding cost examples are categorized by type (Rapid Prototyping, Insert Tooling, High-Production Tooling), and degree of difficulty (Basic, Intermediate, Advanced).

Eloi, Thank you for the inquiry. Bottles are blow molded, not injection molded so we couldn’t answer that question. Here is a link to out knowledge base for more information: https://rexplastics.com/knowledge-base/product-development

Medical injection molding is a core technology of Aberdeen Technologies and represents a cutting edge solution to the manufacturing needs of healthcare companies who produce medical molded devices. As an insert molding manufacturer, we provide assistance to device manufacturers who approach us with new product concepts and ask us to mold parts for clinical trials and marketing evaluations.

Hunter, That product would be too large for us, and would likely need to be extruded. Try searching http://www.thomasnet.com for a large capacity plastic extruder.