Not all injection molding manufacturers offer injection mold tooling services and part production. The availability of tooling services depends on the size, capabilities, and business model of the injection molding manufacturer that you are partnering with. In this blog, we will explore different types of manufacturers, the tooling production process, and the benefits manufacturers with injection mold tooling services and part production offer.
Types of Injection Molding Manufacturers
Full-Service Injection Molding Manufacturers
When you work with a full-service injection molding company, you will have access to their comprehensive range of injection molding services, including tooling design and manufacturing. Full-service injection molders also have in-house capabilities to design, produce, and maintain molds.
Specialized Tooling Manufacturers
These companies specialize exclusively in the design and manufacture of injection molds and tooling and offer these services directly to their customers. They, however, do not produce molded parts themselves, so businesses will need to find a second injection molding partner specifically for production.
Injection Molding Manufacturers Without Tooling Services
Some injection molding companies solely focus on the production of molded parts and outsource the tooling design and production to specialized tooling manufacturers or other third-party vendors.
Benefits of Working with a Full-Service Injection Molding Provider
Engaging with a full-service injection molding provider can save you both time and money. Creating tooling is a complex process that can be costly and time-consuming. Typically, CNC machining is used to create molds and tooling that are highly complex with extremely precise details. Full-service injection molding manufacturers have the expertise, experience, and state-of-the-art technology to quickly and accurately produce complex injection molds and tooling.
The Injection Molding Tooling Services Process
The process begins with the customers meeting with an expert team at a full-service injection molding manufacturer. The customer will bring the manufacturer a 2D drawing and/or a CAD for the end part. Discussions are held around the use and application of the part — generally discussing whether it is a prototype or a very low volume part, bridge to production process, or a full-scale manufacturing project.
At this point, part materials are discussed. The material used is crucial to the function of the part and will have a direct bearing on the tooling production and design.
The injection molding manufacturer will then provide a Design for Manufacturability (DfM) review, suggesting any changes to the design that would enable more efficient production. Generally, complex parts are achievable via injection molding, however, they will require multiple tools and an assembly of the subsequent part. In these instances, the manufacturer may suggest an alternative production process, such as additive manufacturing, if the part is very complex and not likely to be needed in high volumes.
From there, the manufacturer will begin creating the tooling. This process and materials used look different depending on the product and its application. For example:
- Rapid Molded Parts have a number of production limitations and their small tools are created from aluminum.
- Prototyping and Bridge to Production Tooling numbers may be up to 2,500 parts, so the tool inserts may be made from aluminum with a steel casing.
- Production Tooling is made entirely from steel — both the insert and the tool.
During the tool production process, another meeting is held to discuss parting, ejection, and gating (PEG) requirements. Once the tool is produced — which can take anywhere from five days to eight weeks depending on the tool type, size, and complexity — the client and manufacturer agree to quality protocols and determine the tolerances they must achieve during the production of the part. Some concessions must be made during this process as perfection is not possible, however, the manufacturer will do everything possible to get as close to perfection as they can. For example, Quickparts will guarantee the quality of the part if the client has opted for production-grade tooling, but for prototyping tooling, Quickparts is responsible for the quality of the tooling.
At this time, all salient points have been considered and production can commence.
Benefits of Injection Molding Tooling Services
From mold design to final part production, injection molding tooling services provide a one-stop solution for customers. Full-service injection molding manufacturers offer customers advanced tooling design and engineering services to produce your tooling as efficiently as possible.
These manufacturers also have access to state-of-the-art machining and manufacturing to produce complex, high-precision molds and tooling that meet the exact specifications set by the customer. They also have better integration and communication between the tooling and production process, as well as enhanced quality control and faster turnaround times.
Quickparts Offers Comprehensive Manufacturing with Injection Molding Tooling Services
At Quickparts, we support your project from start to finish. Our team will help you design your products so they can be manufactured efficiently and function as efficiently as possible. We can also produce spare parts for your applications down the line as you need!
We have over 25 years of experience creating tooling and molds for all types of injection molding, including overmolding, insert molding, and so much more. Plus, with this experience, we are able to offer our customers shorter turnaround time so you can get your products to market as quickly as possible.
For All of Your Injection Molding Needs, Turn to Quickparts
When you partner with Quickparts, not only will you have access to our comprehensive injection molding capabilities, but you will also be able to take advantage of our many other quality services. From CNC machining to die casting to selective laser sintering to cast urethane and more, we have you covered.
Contact our team today to get started.