Injection molding tooling for a mid-level order (around 1000-2000 small parts), can cost up to $10,000. For more complex geometries and large orders, the cost can go up to $100,000.

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ABS injection molding offers numerous benefits over other plastic materials. ABS plastic is easy to mold and has good machinability. It has high impact and tensile strength, dimensional stability, stiffness, and excellent stability under load. ABS can maintain its characteristics and performance in extreme temperatures but also has a low melting temperature — making it easy to use when injection molding. ABS can be alloyed with other polymers to achieve desired characteristics. ABS can also be colored for custom pieces and is easy to paint and glue, making it a good candidate for secondary processing.

Injection molding costs can vary depending on materials, equipment, mold cavitation, packaging, necessary certifications, and additional services employed. While your project may have strict requirements for the functionality of the desired part, there are multiple ways one can cut costs without sacrificing quality.

Mold setup costs include optimizing the process as well as physically setting up the materials and machinery to create your parts. These are part of the final price per part. The process will be optimized, and there may be some setup time that goes into preparations, which most companies will charge as its own flat fee. This may encompass processes like drying the resin, hanging the molds, arranging water lines, external troubles, and any type of sensors in the mold. It may also include any type of special cooling required or specific gating scheme that acts as a hot manifold system (which keeps runners hot enough to keep the plastic in them liquid).

However, to be able to do this, you should understand what exactly these areas are and how vital they are for your project. At Xometry, we offer the Xometry Quoting Engine to quickly get started on quoting your next injection molding project. Insert your requirements and designs into the Xometry's Quote Engine to get started and our experts will be in touch with you to start working out the details!

Plastic weight cost includes both the plastic formed into parts and the hardened plastic left over in the mold. You'll also have to cover the cost of the plastic weight, not only in the parts but in the runner, sprue, and gate as well (the runner and sprue are channels molten plastic flows through to get into the mold, while the gate prevents plastic from flowing out once it's inside). For example, if you end up with 4lbs of parts, and 1lb of leftover plastic that hardens in the sprue and runner, you'll pay for 5 lbs.

In this equation α is the thermal diffusivity coefficient and h max is the maximum wall thickness in millimeters. While the first is a material-specific constant, the latter is a design choice or requirement. As such, depending on the part's complexity, the cycle time can take up to two minutes.

ABS plastic begins as a pellet. The pellet is then melted into a moldable state and injected into the cavity of a two-part mold. The plastic will solidify almost as soon as the mold has been filled. The part then cools to the shape of the mold. The mold opens once the plastic has fully cooled and the part is ejected. The mold is closed and the process starts over.

Extra steps such as finishing or post-processing services, inspection, and packaging represent an additional cost to the price per part and setup fees.

ABS plastic is recyclable. Using a combination of virgin ABS plastic mixed with recycled ABS can help customers reduce overall costs. The ABS is shredded and then purified to remove any undesirable metals or plastics during the recycling process. The leftover product is then analyzed and combined with virgin ABS to produce a new product that is ready for injection molding.

Injection molding cycle time takes up about 60% of final part cost. The part rate comes down partially to cycle time and partially to cavitation, which is covered in the next section. Generally, manufacturers will have set hourly rates they charge for their machines.

Part packaging costs range depending on whether you require consumer-facing or just shipping packaging. Larger manufacturers can also make use of automatic packaging, which reduces the risk of error and damage.

The table below can be used to approximate the cost of plastic injection molding related to the most commonly used materials. These prices can vary, depending on the supplies and volume order.

ABS plastic should not be used under direct sunlight or near an open flame. Fire-retardant and heat-resistant grades of ABS are available. Some ABS components can emit toxic fumes after heating.

Mold cavitation is related to part size and design. If your part is relatively simple, single cavity molds are usually more affordable. However, if the part's geometry allows it, it is preferable to go for multiple-cavity molds to speed up the production process (making production less expensive over time). Larger parts may, however, not allow for this.

Trained personnel are required to validate the quality of the parts included in your order. Generally, however, if the part does not meet requirements (or expectations), the quality verification team of your provider is tasked with identifying the area and possible cause of the issue. This is, however, an internal process that is taken into account when you first make your order (no additional costs should be applied in this scenario).

Saving money on injection molding can be helpful, but it’s important to be strategic around which areas you save money in. In order to maintain a cost-effective strategy for low cost injection molding, it is just as important to identify areas where trying to save money could cause bigger issues down the line as it is to find areas to lower the cost. The following tips will help you with both:

Injection molded parts cost varies based on mold upkeep, the time to form a part, and factors around the plastic. These include the part rate, the estimated amount of scrap (usually 3-5%), the plastic weight, and sometimes a mold maintenance fee, which covers the cost of injection mold warranties. The quoted price should also include any setup costs for the molds.

Tooling costs depend on how complex or large your parts will be. In other words, if your part is complex (for example, if it has intricate geometry or dense walls), the manufacturer may need to use a special (i.e. more expensive) machine to complete your order.

The form impacts the cost of this material it is bought in, as not all polypropylenes are molding-ready. It is thus necessary to buy the plastic resin in pellet form. You may notice that engineering-grade plastics are generally more expensive (as with POM and PC). Overall though, the more materials you buy, the better your cost-effectiveness will become, as producers and distributors often have high-volume discounts which translate into better prices for your project.

Secondary services will range in cost, though often you can get a discount for ordering both injection molding and secondary services from the same provider (this also saves on shipping costs for another facility). These may come in the form of:

You can either buy a ready-made injection mold or have one made for you. Ready-made mold use is a common practice and the less expensive option, especially in the electronics industry since standardization is quite prevalent. You can also have one produced for you, which is better for unique designs.

Set scrap rates will also go into the final cost of injection molding. These are for purging the plastic injection molding machines of previous plastics from the barrel and screws as well as reloading them with your plastic.

ABS is a thermoplastic polymer widely used for injection molding. ABS is durable, budget -friendly, and is easy to machine. ABS can be used in conjunction with a metal coating since many metals will adhere strongly to the surface of ABS plastic. ABS plastic has good resistance to extreme temperature and humidity. ABS is perfect for projects that demand strength, stiffness, and impact resistance. ABS is an ideal candidate for secondary processing as it can easily be painted or glued. ABS is also very easy to recycle.

Besides physical properties, the color of the part can also be influenced, which is one of the most popular uses for additives. These providers will also sometimes establish partnerships with the thermoplastic producers to offer customers cheaper deals.

ICOMold by Fathom is an expert at ABS injection molding and can provide customers of all sizes with a seamless manufacturing process from prototype to production.

Another aspect to keep in mind is that for custom injection molds, the geometry has to be compatible with the machine used by the manufacturer. This constraint may affect your project (and possibly design), so it is best to make sure the company you are interested in can fulfill the order.

Large, industrial plastic injection molding machines can cost over $200,000 and have additional costs that are related to skilled labor training, maintenance, monitoring, and even industry regulations. These types of machines are reserved for high-volume orders.

Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) is a rigid, lightweight plastic that is both durable and impact resistant. ABS is made up of the three monomers – acrylonitrile, butadiene, and styrene – hence the abbreviation ABS. Each of the monomers plays an important role in the composition of the final plastic. The acrylonitrile gives the final product heat and chemical resistance. The butadiene is used for impact resistance. The styrene provides extra strength and a glossy finish. ABS is used to make appliances, toys, medical supplies, musical instruments, computer parts, and more. One of the most recognizable examples of ABS injection molding is the little plastic LEGO® brick. LEGO® bricks exhibit all the qualities that makes ABS an ideal material for a wide array of projects. LEGO® bricks are tough, scratch resistant, impact resistant, and have a smooth, glossy finish.

ABS injection molding done at a high temperature produces resistance to heat and a smooth, gloss finish. ABS injection molding done at a lower temperature will result in better strength and impact resistance. The final properties and strength of any ABS injection molding product will be influenced by the condition parameters used during the manufacturing process. The experts at ICOMold can help customers select the correct parameters for their next ABS injection molding project.

ICOMold’s fast-turn, low-cost, high-value injection molding enhanced by joining Fathom’s manufacturing platform. Learn More

Injection molding costs from $10,000 or less to $100,000, depending on order size, part complexity, and other factors. Injection molding can be expensive to set up, but is cheaper over the long run, so it works best for large production volumes. There is a range of factors affecting the final price you would pay for injection molded parts, including the cost of the resin itself, tooling, cycle time, mold cavitation, and other details.

Injection molding tooling cost increases exponentially if we are talking about a large custom-designed part. From the operator's perspective, it is preferable to use small (desktop) injection molding machines (and even 3D printers) in order to fulfill low-volume orders.

As a manufacturer, it is preferable to maintain the cycle time to as low as a number as possible, since that translates into the production of more parts in a given time.

Some parts may not need secondary services, while others do. The cheapest parts fall out of the machine and into a box, but others will form attached to the gate. Those require post-process machining to remove the gate, but they are used because gating makes the overall process more efficient and less wasteful.

If your provider is expected to deliver a ready or almost ready-to-use product, the packaging used may be the one your customers get to see directly. Some providers also offer personalized packaging services for this purpose.

Plastic resins, which can range between $.90-$2+ per pound, are the primary material used in plastic injection molding, while additives can range from more expensive additives like heat stabilizers to cheaper plasticizers. When choosing a resin, take into account the following considerations:

Part inspection requirements costs for quality can include standard inspection or specialized certification, though specialized certification will cost more. The injection molding process itself can introduce defects of various degrees to parts (from cosmetic to critical). Some of them may be acceptable, depending on industry standards.

If you want to impart special physical properties to the resin you're using, or simply defray the cost of using pure plastic resin, you can add additives. Commonly used materials like plasticizers and mineral fillers are among the cheapest that can be used, while products like lubricants and heat stabilizers can cost more than the polymer itself. There is a wide array of additives that impart a variety of properties, including glass fiber, ceramic fillers, pigments, UV stabilizers, plasticizers, and antioxidants. These materials can increase strength, impact resistance, durability, elasticity, and fatigue limit.

ICOMold by Fathom has the expertise to help meet your ABS injection molding needs. We offer fast and dependable service, low prices, quick quotes, and an online project management system. ICOMold by Fathom can handle projects of any size – from small part or prototype runs to extended part runs in the thousands or even millions.

Mold cavitation cost, another factor in price per part rate, increases with the number of cavities. Cavitation is the amount of identical cavities that produce parts per mold. The injection mold itself can cost thousands of dollars.

Some companies offer the possibility of additional certification to your parts, at a cost. This implies the involvement of specialized engineers that are also licensed and are legally capable of offering these certifications.