Design of components (7 days)
to supply 3D files
Parts Prototyping (if necessary)(2 -3 days)
Or Topworks side
Tool Design(3-7 days)
Topworks side
Tool Check and Mold Flow Analysis(1-2 days)
Tool Fabrication(3-8 weeks,it depends)
First Shots To Client(T1,3-4 days)
Tool Modifications and
Texturing (3-7 days,it depends)
In this stage, the texturing process is done, which is usually the last step before mass production.
Mass Production Run or Export
There are plenty of long lasting reasons to choose China as the operable place to produce your special injection molding products. In 2021, the demand for injection molding products in China reached 25.77 million tons- an increase of 1.470 million tons from 2020, an increase of 6.0% year-on-year, and the demand for injection molding products in China is expected to reach 26.91 million tons in 2022. When you’re looking for molding manufacturers and suppliers in China, there are some key factors that you should keep in mind.
First, you need to be able to find an outstandingsupplier who will give you the best price and quick product.However, this isn’t the only thing that you should be looking for. You also need to find a supplier who will meet your quality standards and offer after-sale service.
Quality is one of the most remarkable things you should look for in a real supplier. You need to be able to trust that they will make high-quality products, and they should also offer a warranty on their products. You shouldn’t have to worry about getting bad parts or faulty molds if your supplier offers quality.
You also want to make sure that they can deliver on time, so that your production schedule isn’t disrupted.Another thing that you need to look for in a supplier is a company with a good reputation. You want to find someone who has been in business for a while and has always delivered on their promises. This will help ensure that they are reliable.
You should also look for a supplier that has a good understanding of the industry. You want someone who can make high-quality products, but you also need them to understand the market and what consumers are looking for. This will ensure that they are able to create products that appeal to customers.
If you want to find a reliable molding supplier, then search online or talk with other companies in your industry about their experiences with different suppliers.Once you’ve found the right supplier, it’s important to make sure that they have experience producing plastic parts for your particular industry or product. They should be able to give you references from previous clients who have had good experiences working with them (like yourself).
Finally, once you’ve found a supplier and everything is finalized, it’s time for delivery! The best way to get your molded items from China is through air freight shipping—it’s fast and reliable, which means that your production schedule won’t be impacted by long waits at ports or airports along the way.
With the continuous improvement of mold manufacturing and mold workers’ skill in China, more and more European and American companies have dropped their purchase orders to Chinese plastic mold factories.
The continuous deepening of information exchanges between the two sides has greatly promoted China’s mold industry development.
It is simple to deal with China’s mold and injection molding suppliers for those buyers who often purchase in China.
But for those who first came into contact with this mold industry, it was a very troublesome thing, especially in dealing with China’s mold factories outside of thousands of miles.
Language and technical communication constitute two significant obstacles.
Many people who bought customized plastic parts in China for the first time were completely unfamiliar with this industry.
Also, this industry is technology-intensive. The quotation requires suppliers and buyers to have a strong and wonderful interaction.
The most DECISIVE is how the buyers express their ideas to the suppliers.
It is precisely at this point that many buyers do not know how to handle it.
They often ask the supplier for a price from the VERY beginning.
In fact, the price given by the supplier at this stage is very inaccurate.
I will introduce the preparation process before the quotation of molds and molded parts so that buyers can have a clear understanding.
The manufacture of injection-molded parts is a very complicated process.
The first is the manufacture of molds, followed by injection molding, and the second operation of injection-molded parts, which involves transferring a lot of information.
The top priority is how the buyer expresses his product requirements clearly to the supplier.
In many cases, suppliers are required to quote only in the case of a hand-drawn drawing. Sometimes there is no requirement for plastic materials.
Buyers just mentioned adjectives like “SOFT “and “HARD” to describe the stuff he wants.
In fact, this is NOT correct.
The side location difference above will lead to total different mould cost, 1. side hole high cost,2 and 3 location holes are better.
4 Steps for plastic mold quotation:
The process of getting a plastic mold quotation is not simple, but if done correctly. The process can work the way you intended it to.
# Consult with experts
The credible way is to find an injection molding engineer or mold engineer around you to consult with them.The expert will help you understand how to reverse engineer a part and what to do. They will also advise you on the best way to approach the problem. You may also want to find a manufacturer that has experience in producing plastic parts so that they don’t run into any issues with copyrights or patents.
This early investment is necessary, and this investment will be paid off in the future.
Of course, I would be delight to provide you with this service, but at this time, it is challenging for me to quote you also.
You should find a very experienced engineer and tell him, face to face, what you think, the requirements for the product, the quantity requirements, the assembly requirements, and so on.You should also tell him about your budget and let him know that you want to get the best price for this product.
If possible, try to find a manufacturer who will provide you with samples or prototypes so that you can see what the finished product looks like and how it is made. This will help ensure that there are no surprises when your order arrives at your door.
He will give you good advice based on your actual situation.It’s best to be honest with your manufacturer and let him know exactly what you need. He should be able to give you advice based on his experience with similar products and help guide you in the right direction.
During this period, he will tell you which plastic material to choose, how to design the product, how to assemble it, and how to arrange a reasonable quantity.He will also tell you how much the product should cost, and he can give you an estimate of how long it will take to make.
This is a good time for him to ask about your budget, so that he can tell whether or not it’s feasible for him to work with you. Once you have decided on all of these things, your manufacturer will begin production.
# CAD design
Once the above steps are completed, the product design can be rendered in 3D..Most of the time, the 3D drawing design is done using CAD software. The purpose of this step is to create a digital version of your product that can be used by manufacturers in the future to create molds for your product.
It also allows for some tweaking before production begins—if you want to make any changes after receiving a quote from your supplier, then it’s easier to do so digitally than physically.
It will be easier for the design engineer to meet your requirements if you are clear about what they are.The design engineer will use this information to create the 3D rendering.
The design engineer will also send you a copy of the 3D renderings so you can review them and make any changes before production begins. Once the design is complete, it’s time to move on tothe next step of the process, which is creating a prototype.
# Rapid prototyping
Rapid prototyping allows inspection of the appearance, assembly, and strength of a designed product.
Modify the problematic design and create a new 3D model.
Repeat this rapid prototyping process until the final 3d printing meets the requirements.
This cost is relatively small, with a short turnaround, and it can avoid costly and time-consuming mold changes later.
In China, generally speaking, the cost of small 3D printing is about 50 to 60 US dollars.
This step may save you thousands of dollars later.
# Quotation
After this stage, you can give your potential suppliers a chance to quote the changed design. My article on this topic is very detailed about how to deal with Chinese suppliers.
How to copy existing products
Of course, if you want to copy existing products at this stage, you can send the product directly to the supplier and tell them your specific requirements. Fees can be deducted after the transaction.
If you have only one sample and inconvenient to send it, you can take a picture of the sample.
According to the three-view standard, you show suppliers a sample photo.
Mark the position and size of the undercut, dents, and holes in each direction on the picture.
In the photo, the size of the product is identified in detail, i.e., the length, width, and height. In theory, the six sides of the product must be photographed. The more detailed photograph is, the better it is.
Don’t be afraid to imitate something that already exists, it is often the best way to learn and to create something of your own in the process.
Finding A Winning Product
Identifying a winning product is a bit of an art form. You must be able to find the right balance between a product that is trending and one that has enough potential for you to be able to make decent money from it. You need to find something that is worth copying and selling as your own.
Understanding Your Competitors
It’s a good idea to study your competitors closely, so you know what you’re up against. If your competitor is making great sales from their product and you want to duplicate it, you might be able to use their product as a template for how to do it.
But if your competitors are doing something completely different than what you’re trying to accomplish with your own product, then obviously this won’t help much.
Tracking Your Competitors
Copying a product is finding out what they’re doing. The best way to do this is by tracking your competitors — which means setting up Google Alerts for their brand name and website URL, as well as any other relevant keywords that come up during research (e.g., “best toothbrush”). That way you can keep an eye on what they post, when they post it and whether or not it performs well enough to warrant copying.
Creating Copycat Product Listings
The most important part of creating a copycat product listing is finding the right one to copy. You want something that has already proven itself as profitable on Amazon FBA, so you know that there’s demand for it and that there will be buyers available when you launch your own version (provided that you price competitively).
You can find these products by searching for keywords related to your niche and then looking at the top results on Amazon’s search pages (for example: type “dog chew toy” into the search bar). Look at each listing carefully and see how they differ from each other (there may be several different types of dog toys). Try to find
Expanding Your Offerings
If you sell one product, you might be able to find other products that complement it or go along with it. For example, if you sell coffee, you could expand your offerings by selling coffee mugs or hot chocolate mix. Or if you sell flowers, you could offer flower seeds or gardening tools. When you expand your offerings, you’ll be able to generate more revenue from the same amount of traffic. You can also use your existing products as leverage for new ones by using them in combination with each other. For example, if you sell coffee mugs and coffee beans, mention how good it would be to buy both together at a discount.
All you need is a winning formula
You don’t need to be the first mover in your market. Just look at how many companies have copied Coca-Cola and McDonald’s, two of the most successful formulas in history.
The secret to success is finding a winning formula and replicating it over and over again. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel — just find something that works and copy it over and over again until you get it right (or until someone else does).
“If you want to be successful, find someone who has achieved the results you want and copy what they do and you’ll achieve the same results.” – Tony Robbins
# Case
It is best to find the specifications of plastic materials on the sample and indicate the location and size of the gate.
These plastic materials usually appear in the form of a triangle.
In the end, you still have to send this sample to your final supplier to facilitate their design.
4 main points related to plastic mold and injection part price
4 main points related to plastic mold and injection part price
Quantity
The number of purchases conclusively determines the price of the product and the plastic mold.
As long as the product is only 10,000, do not put forward a requirement of 500,000 because 10,000 shoots required mold steel, mold design, and processing methods are entirely different from the 500,000 requirements.
If the number of products is 10,000, the four-cavity mold can meet the requirements.
If it is 500,000, the mold will require 10, 12 cavities or higher.
The more cavities are, the definitely higher standards of the steel material and processing requirements will be.
This will lead to a significant increase in the material cost and processing cost of the mold.
The considerable quantity shares these costs.
If the quantity is quite small, then the cost-sharing of each product will be considerably high.
A case
I have encountered a case where there is an ABS molded product.
The annual demand is 1500 sets.
It is internally threaded and needs to be unscrewing.
If you need a full-automatic unscrewing mold, the cost will be high, and if the thread is made into an insert.
The cost of the mold is only about 2/3 of the fully automatic mold cost, and the increase in injection molding cost is only small.
Color
In general, dark-colored products need rather lower prices than light-colored products.
Because the regrind material can be carfully used in some cases, if it is a white or transparent product, the regrind material is difficult to use, which will increase the supplier’s raw material costs.
Frequently, the runner material and the new material have the same effects.
The barrel of the injection molding machine is sometimes not so clean, so sometimes other colors will mix in.
If the product requires transparency or white, this product is defective. If it is a dark color or even black, it cannot be seen. This product is good.
Tolerance
As we all know, the processing cost of a loose tolerance plastic part is much lower than that of the tight one.
Molds with tight tolerances have very stringent requirements for processing and mold steel and even require a unique injection molding process.
Plastic materials
In general terms, the plastic we choose should be conventional plastics, not engineering plastics.
Nylon66 flare-retardent grade “v0” price is more than four times the conventional PP plastic.
The cost of the ordinary ABS is 1.5 times the price of PP.
If it is mass production, the cost difference is great.
Some plastics are corrosive, so there is a higher demand for the steel of the mold. This will also increase the manufacturing cost of the mold.
There are also higher requirements for mold maintenance.
The price of the steel of the mold s136 level is more than five times that of the steel p20.
Among the three methods mentioned above（autocad files, samples photograph and samples）, sending supplier samples directly is the best method.
In this way, the molder can clearly know the product’s structure and can also find out the structure of the previous mold.
Research on off-the-shelf samples can avoid many detours in mold building and injection molding products.
In short, before the quotation, the more the supplier knows your requirements and the specific structure of the product, the better it is so that the accuracy of the quotation can be guaranteed to the greatest degree.
At the same time, it ensures the smooth progress of the project.
How To Buy The Plastic Mold Easier
It might be tricky to buy a proper injection mold since there will be a lot of back and forth between purchaser and molder before the end product is complete.
These tips can save you a lot of time and help make the entire procedure a bit simpler.
Produce an RFQ that explores a wide range of specifics. No matter how experienced mold makers are, they won’t be able to comprehend your thoughts when considering your needs. Include as many details as possible during this period. This includes the variety of cavities, the material, the required life expectancy of your mold, and any specific warranties you may require. Should you aren’t very confident on such subjects, then inform your mold maker, and they will be ready to show you how to choose what’s right for your needs.
The more precise you come up with your RFQ, the more correct an offer you will get for your efforts.
Be honest about the reason why you need an offer. Should you require an overall quote to spread to a different unit, then let the mold maker know- they will get back to you right away. Developing a precise quotation can acquire much time, and it’s not considered to misuse the mold maker’s time if you don’t require too much information or when you won’t actually get from them.
Don’t “STEAL” a mold maker’s property.
The information and recommendations provided by your mold maker keep on being their own intellectual property- you can’t just pass them on to other people to get it done. Should you come across another moldmaker, then their suggestions are acceptable. The use of someone else’s suggestions is not acceptable. However, it may also obfuscate the minds of your chosen mold maker, who won’t understand recommendations were created initially.
Try to develop a relationship with your mold maker.
Simply by doing business tightly with your moldmaker when considering costs, schedules, and component amount anticipations, you will have the understanding to behave as a team to achieve better results over time.
Have an Open Door Policy with your mold maker overall course. Many mold makers will love to present routine development information and maintain you up-to-date on the latest developments regarding your construct. It’s essential to understand things are all moving smoothly, so when you need any specific details, make it a point to inquire about what allows you to relax.
You should definitely pay on time. Most mold makers get the job done to constrained resources and will need costs to be settled before they can move forward with your project. Should you postpone paying, then you will not receive a mold by the due date – it’s as simple as that. Various mold makers will present diverse settlement strategies, so meet with these people to develop a strategy that is effective for the two of you.
A modification of your component structure will almost certainly necessitate changing the injection mold as well. Should you change your component structure as the injection mold is being developed, you won’t obtain the mold at the cost offered or to the primary schedule. Any modifications indicate the mold must be modified as a result, which increases both the expense and the duration of the mold construct.
Recognize ahead of time when mold will be ready. There are various explanations for a finalization time – it may vary from when the final settlement has been completed to when you will receive a trial component for the final item. Typically, an injection mold is considered to be finished when it is in a position to create the component it is for. The vast majority of mold makers will be ready to come up with tiny modifications to ensure a product that matches the design. If these measurements alter later hanging around, in that case, the injection mold should be regarded as finished – the actual modifications should be given money via an ECO.
If a product is an unreasonably low price, you will typically find an explanation for that. While you will see mold makers on the market who present you with a cheaper-than-average price for a top-notch product or service, we will see many others who present reductions as they spend less money on their own. Over time, it’s preferable to pay big money for a high-quality product or service instead of obtaining headaches by using a mold that doesn’t meet your requirements.
When you buy an injection mold, that age-old proverb is unquestionably correct – it gives you everything you pay money for. Any specifically shaped parts that you develop are only as good as the plastic mold used to manufacture them. Therefore, you should make certain that plastic mold is flawlessly designed for your requirements before purchasing it.