Injection molds are very complex tools. Production and testing are very time consuming. Once the mold is put into use, it is difficult to modify. And the cost of manufacturing injection molds is high. So you need to fully understand the needs of the client before the project starts.
For plastic injection mold, you may have many questions to quote. Here I list a few questions you may want to ask.
Are there CAD drawings and or samples of the part to be quoted?
To begin to form an accurate quote, the molder needs to know what you are asking them to make. Detailed dimensional drawings provide information on the size and complexity of the part. A sample or prototype can help the molder begin to determine how to maximize the design for manufacture ability.
What is the use and environment of plastic parts?
Knowing the end use of the part will help manufacturers determine how robust the part is. Prevents premature failure of parts during use. Customers must provide complete product information and application environment. This can help molders make recommendations on the resins or additives needed for the project. They also provide matching injection molding machines for production.
What quantities of plastic injection mold are needed?
All plastic injection molds are not made alike. If you are interested in smaller quantities or a shorter production run, an aluminum mold might be the best option. If your project requires large quantities over a longer time span, then a hardened stainless steel mold would be the best choice. The upfront cost of the latter option is much greater; however it pays for itself over the life of the tool. High volume, precision molders like The SPARK specialize in building tools only made with hardened stainless steel.
What kind of mold steel do you choose?
The mold maker chooses different steels according to the different injection materials. This is good for the whole project. Such as high polishing requirements and corrosion resistance requirements. This requires higher quality steel.
The life of P20 die steel is about 300,000 times. The life of 1.2738 die steel is about 500,000 times. H13 mold steel and 1.2344 mold steel are usually around one million times.
What is the size and complexity of the part?
While many plastic injection molds are made through injection molding, there are other molding processes that can be used to produce a part. You can read about them in a related article. Briefly, smaller parts that are more complex are ideally suited to the injection molding process. Larger parts may be produced with injection molding or compression molding. Very large parts lend themselves to rotational molding while hollow objects, like bottles, are made with blow molding.
At the end
The above is the information that manufacturers must know in advance in all items. Of course, there are many details in the specific project. Timely communication and review can help better project implementation.