Robotics & AI HardwareRobot Plastic Gears in POM: Material, Design & Molding GuidePOM (acetal, sold as Delrin) is the default plastic for robot gears. It runs quiet, needs no grease, and molds at fleet volume for a fraction of a…
New product development, explained for buyersThe short answerA new plastic part goes through nine steps before it reaches your warehouse. Most projects take 4 to 8 months, shipping included. You approve five checkpoints along the way. The mold is your…
Robotics & AI Hardware2K & LSR Molding for Robot Hands & GrippersA robot hand needs a hard skeleton and a soft grip. Multi-component molding builds both into one part — rigid finger structure, soft tactile pad, molded together in a…
China Sourcing GuideHow to Choose a Custom Injection Molding Manufacturer in China (2026 Buyer’s Guide)You’ve got a STEP file, a target piece price, and a launch date. Three suppliers in China quoted the same mold at $4,200, $9,800, and $16,500.…
By Steven Cheng — 20 years in injection molding, tooling, and production sourcingThe bracket that cracked at 40 gramsA drone startup sent us a motor-arm bracket two years ago. The drawing had one instruction: “minimize mass.” Their previous supplier hit…
China Sourcing GuideMold Transfer to China: Ownership, Costs, and How to Move a Tool Without Losing the ProgramThe first mold I watched get transferred showed up at the new shop with a cracked slide and no ejector plate. The old…
For buyers new to injection moldingHow to Ask for an Injection Molding Quote (Without Knowing the Jargon)You have a plastic part in mind. Maybe a housing for a small device. Maybe a lid for a jar you sell. You email…
China Sourcing GuideMexico Buyer for China Injection Mold: The 2026 Tariff PlaybookThree of our last ten molds this spring skipped the United States entirely. They landed at Manzanillo. Then trucked up to a plant near Querétaro. The buyer was American.…
