Engineers should know that two-shot injection molding can be sped up or slowed down based on how the substrate is transferred to the other chamber of the mold. Hand and robot arm transfers take longer than a rotary plane, but rotary platen molding is more expensive and generally only an efficient option for high volume production runs.

Star Rapid is recognized as an industry leader in providing the finest rapid low volume manufacturing services. Fortune 500 companies trust Star Rapid when they need production manufacturing solutions, uncompromising quality, and no minimum volume restrictions. Contact us for a free quotation to see how we can support your project.

Making a quality prototype is an important first step in your product development journey. We’re veterans in rapid prototyping and we can help you to make your design dreams come to life.

But what is a product developer to do if you want to start off with product volumes on the low end, from one part to one thousand? That’s where Star Rapid can help.

There are several factors that separate our low-volume production service from the competition. For one, we offer an extensive variety of complementary in-house services — including CNC machining, vacuum casting, plastic injection molding, and finishing — to deliver our clients comprehensive prototyping and NPI (new product introduction) solutions.

Two-shot plastic injection molding is an excellent technique for efficient and cost-effective manufacturing. This process also produces highly durable end parts and components.

Secondly, we offer best-in-class material verification and testing services. Plus, we don’t require a minimum order volume or minimum dollar value, and we use state-of-the-art AI quotation algorithms for fast, accurate quotes.

Compared to two-shot molding, overmold designs are also easier to make because engineers can use any standard injection molding machine to conduct this process.

Further, since one machine makes the whole part and no post-processing is required, engineers can dramatically reduce manufacturing time, which in turn keeps costs low. However, it’s worth noting that the initial two-shot mold costs can be high and the two-shot molding machine is more expensive than a standard injection molding machine. Luckily, these costs are often offset by labor savings and assembly costs on large production runs.

Working with an experienced manufacturing partner like SyBridge can dramatically streamline the decision-making process. Our team of engineers, designers, machinists, and advisors come to the table with years of experience seeing our customers through every aspect of the manufacturing process — from design and prototyping to production and fulfillment. We are prepared to help every product team choose the right manufacturing process and take their project to the next level with agile, on-demand service at competitive rates and fast turnaround times. Contact us today for an injection molding quote.

The quality of your low-volume production parts is guaranteed by our rigorous control standards. This starts with an inspection of incoming materials to verify the integrity of all materials used. It also includes in-process inspection and testing to make sure you get parts that exceed your expectations. Certificates of Compliance are available upon request for all materials. For clients who can’t visit our facilities in person, we also offer detailed video files showing all production steps.

High-quality materials are the first step to top-notch products. We offer advanced incoming material inspection and verification to ensure that all raw materials will conform to your exact product specifications.

Polyurethane vacuum casting is ideal for making up to 20 copies of a master pattern to duplicate the look and feel of plastic injection molded parts. Learn why we are experts in vacuum casting fabrication.

To start the overmolding process, an engineer injection molds a substrate out of the more rigid overmold material. Then, the substrate is placed in an overmold tool or overmold cavity within the same tool. The molten overmolding material is then ejected into, onto, or around the substrate. After the molten material cools, the substrate and overmold are chemically or mechanically bonded. The entire overmolding process can take as little as 30 seconds.

However, if two plastics with less-than-ideal compatibility must be used, teams can design mechanical bonding features into the part after the fact, though this is likely to result in higher costs.

Many different processes fall under the umbrella of injection molding, including two-shot molding and overmolding. These two processes are similar but have a few key distinctions — here’s what engineers and designers need to know:

Two-shot molding and overmolding are both simple and effective processes for creating durable parts made of two or more materials or two or more colors. To choose between the two, engineers should consider the size of their production run.

After receiving your drawings, our engineers will analyze your custom parts right away. We actively work with you to clarify all details before providing a quote that is both economical and accurate.

Get 7-day standard lead times on simple parts between 0.5 in. x 0.5 in. and 4 in. x 3 in. Upload your part to see if it’s eligible.

The world of product design continues to undergo some fundamental and even revolutionary changes. Product lifespans are getting shorter and so is the expected time to market. As a

Low-volume manufacturing is a specialized service that offers full production-quality parts but in volumes ranging from a single piece to a few thousand pieces. It’s ideal for moving an idea from the concept stage through prototyping, and from there as a bridge to full volume production.

Yes, our team completes all manufacturing at our facilities. This gives us a quality control advantage over other low-volume production services that outsource their manufacturing.

Overmolding and two-shot injection molding share many of the same advantages. They’re both ideal for quickly creating durable, reliable, and vibration-resistant parts with complex geometries, but overmolding is best suited for low-volume production runs.

Two-shot molding, also known as dual-shot, multi-shot, or double-shot molding is a subcategory of injection molding that allows engineers to create multi-material or multi-colored parts without adding extra assembly steps.

Get 7-day standard lead times on simple parts between 0.5 in. x 0.5 in. and 4 in. x 3 in. Upload your part to see if it’s eligible.

We routinely work with all conventional metals including copper, brass, stainless and mild steel, magnesium, and aluminum. We also have a robust supply chain with thousands of commercial plastic resins, including transparent plastics, engineering- and medical-grade plastics, glass-filled plastics, and more.

Additionally, it’s critical that molds are made out of materials that will easily bond together and that the molds align correctly to prevent deformities in the part.

Let’s say you’ve got a great new idea for a product that you want to bring to market.  You might be doing this for yourself

Overmolding, like two-shot molding, is a multi-shot injection molding process that produces a single end product from two or more different thermoplastics. This process is ideal for engineers who want to build strong, functional, aesthetically pleasing parts that won’t separate over time.

What is the secret to low volume manufacturing success? Is there a difference in the types of raw materials that are used, the way that they’re processed, or the quality of the finished product?

Biorep is a medical product development company who tasked Star Rapid with making stem cell isolator chambers to fight Covid-19. Learn how we finished the project fast.

Injection molding is a popular manufacturing process that’s ideal for quickly creating precise parts with intricate shapes, all without leaving behind a lot of material waste. Common applications include packaging, automotive dashboards, mechanical parts like gears, and even popular kids’ toys.

Prototypes are ideal for testing an idea, improving on the look and feel of a design and for getting a sense of how the market

We provide detailed design for manufacturing support to our clients. For clients who can’t visit our facilities in person, we also offer detailed video files showing all production steps.

To meet the diverse low-volume production needs of our worldwide partners, our team proudly provides a wide range of in-house manufacturing services deployed with industry-leading agility. These include plastic injection molding, CNC machining, pressure die-casting and more. You can trust us to manage your production with the precision and quality you deserve.

Plastic injection molding is ideal for making thousands of plastic part copies. We have a wide range of plastic material available. Click the button below to learn more.

Two-shot molding usually only makes sense for larger production runs, whereas overmolding is better for low volume production runs. Still, teams must do their due diligence and evaluate all critical considerations of each potential manufacturing process against their specific project requirements to ensure they’re making the right choice.

In terms of disadvantages, the tolerances of parts made via overmolding are often inferior to those that can be achieved with two-shot injection molding. It’s also important to remember that plastic compatibility requirements can constrain designers.

Using our imported 3, 4, and 5-axis CNC machining centers, our skilled machinists can make CNC milled and turned parts in a range of materials. Click the button below to learn more.

Get 7-day standard lead times on simple parts between 0.5 in. x 0.5 in. and 4 in. x 3 in. Upload your part to see if it’s eligible.

Product teams must keep in mind that all thermoplastics used in the overmolding process must be chemically or thermally compatible with one another. Compatibility generally is not an issue with metal substrates because they can be used with any plastic overmold, but product teams can encounter compatibility issues when overmolding plastic with plastic. If the substrate and overmold aren’t compatible, the end product might be deformed or poorly bound.

The two-shot injection molding process is best understood in terms of the different layers of materials or colors that are created by the injection molding machine. The first material is injected into a mold to create the substrate, around which the other material or materials will be molded. The substrate solidifies and cools before being transferred — by hand, robot arm, or rotary plane — to the other chamber of the mold.

Our clients are concerned that low-volume manufacturing doesn’t mean compromising quality or precision when compared to full production manufacturing. Rest assured that when we process lower volume orders we use the same materials, the same equipment, and the same rigorous quality control.

From there, the mold opens and the side with the substrate rotates 180° to meet the other mold chamber and injection molding nozzle. Once the substrate is in place, the second material is injected and bonds with the substrate to form a firm hold.  Once the second layer cools, the final part is ejected.

The Metron4 is made to withstand rugged conditions while protecting sensitive electronic instruments. We worked with Powelectrics to build a box that will last for the long haul.

How do we do it? We’re experts in high-mix, low volume production because our systems are optimized to be scalable, from one part to a million. That means we have a robust supply chain of raw materials so you won’t be burdened with minimum order volume restrictions. And we have a digital manufacturing platform that ties all of our equipment together into a single network. That allows us to allocate resources quickly and efficiently between work centers in order to process even complex orders fast.

Low-volume production isn’t a one-size fits-all process. We never require a minimum order volume or minimum dollar value. We also use state-of-the-art AI quotation algorithms for fast, accurate quotes in 24-hours or less and in nearly all cases.

From a design standpoint, two-shot molding offers designers a lot of flexibility because this process can create complex geometries and accommodate multiple colors, making for more aesthetically pleasing parts.

Low volume production is considered to be a specialized service because most manufacturers don’t want to do it. Their assembly lines and supply chains are optimized for large production volumes that leverage economies of scale. There is nothing wrong with that approach, because it’s the best way to ensure the lowest cost per piece. However, it usually requires large minimum order volumes and a commitment to expensive tooling.

With centuries of combined experience, our engineers and technicians have helped thousands of organizations get their products off the ground. Keep reading to view our low-volume production projects.