It is vital for plastic injection molding manufacturers and business owners to continue looking for ways to improve the manufacturing process to cut down on unnecessary costs. With the rising cost of plastic materials, it is more important than ever to find ways to reduce costs. Here are five ways that you can cut down on injection molding costs:
It isn’t easy to cut costs while maintaining the quality of the product intact. This is especially true of components with complex design features and many color specifications. But, it’s possible to optimize a few steps to lower total cost.
Here are a few tips that can help shave away some plastic injection molding costs:
Improve Efficiency
Multiple simple steps can help you maximize efficiency. Plastic injection molding is a multi-step procedure that includes mold design, prototyping, injection molding, production, finish, etc.
Using the best practices in creating and optimizing the other processes can help create a cost-effective project. Also, using local companies aids in reducing the overall time to complete the project, and also cuts on costs like shipping.
Optimizing every step in the manufacturing cycle each step is a certain way to cut costs. Making sure that every step is done right, and in a timely manner, will help you save money. For example, if you are working on a high-volume project, consider getting assistance from a manufacturer that has more experience with large-scale projects. They can help you avoid mistakes like missing steps or not knowing how to optimize the process.
Design Modifications
Many design tweaks can be considered to reduce the costs of the component being made. Meet with your plastic injection designer to discuss your options for design. Simple solutions such as using a hollow piece instead of an actual piece (where it’s not essential in terms of application) will help to reduce the total cost.
The lesser the amount of material that is used and the smaller the amount of material used, the less the total cost of the produced plastic component. However, any design changes should always be made without losing the structural integrity of the product.
Material Selection
A large portion of plastic injection molding costs is dependent on the kind of plastic resin /material being utilized. Each resin comes with its own cost associated with it.
Before deciding on a particular plastic resin for your product, consider the use of the plastic component. Examine the essential features you require in the part in order to achieve the best functionality. Next, see if you are able to achieve this with a lower-end plastic resin. Sometimes, lower-end resins with certain fillers and additives can be used as higher-end material.
Be sure to weigh your options carefully. Take into consideration the costs of resins you are using along with the additives required. It is crucial to realize that some additives are specialized and can add cost to your part. Look for the most viable solution that will ensure the quality of the product, and is yet the most cost-efficient solution.
Limit the Need for Customizations
Many products can be customized to meet different decoration requirements like colors, surface texture or stamping, using lasers, and other aesthetic needs.
Needless to say, the fewer adjustments required in the molded piece, the more you will save money. It is hence important to consider the requirements of each aesthetic finish prior to implementing it in the project. Reducing these elements is an easy way to cut down on the overall cost of the project.
Use Family Molds
One of the most effective ways to lower the plastic injection molding price per piece involves increasing the number of components being manufactured. The creation of a family mold that fits in many parts in one go saves both time and effort and, consequently, is very cost-effective.
However, it is true that using a family mold can only happen when the parts are similar in dimensions. Also, for products that are extremely complex in construction, it’s advised to select single molds instead of family molds to maintain the overall quality of the item.
The more components are manufactured from one mold and the more rapid the speed of production. This implies that the mold must go through fewer cycles, which aids in maximizing effectiveness.
Final Thoughts
It is crucial to comprehend that the amount of money spent on tasks within injection molding (designing tools, designing, prototyping, finishing, and production) are an investment that you’re making. Although it’s true that this investment is going to be the biggest portion of your overall project budget, it’s one of the most crucial aspects of the project’s success.
A thin line to walk between quality and cost optimization requires carefully considered considerations. You must ensure that your cost-cutting strategies do not compromise the overall quality of your produced product. This is something that can be quite difficult to achieve if you are not experienced with the injection molding process. It’s vital for you to have a close relationship with your team of engineers and technicians so that they can help guide you through this process.