Injection Moulding
cents per part
The world’s most scalable plastic manufacturing process. Molten polymer is injected at high pressure into a steel or aluminium tool, then cooled to produce identical parts at high speed. The lowest cost per part, highest consistency process for plastic components above roughly 1,000 units.
30 TO 60 SEC CYCLES.
each one identical.
Press range40 to 360 tonne
Typical volumes1,000 to 100,000+ parts
Cycle time30 to 60 seconds
Tolerance±0.05 mm typical
01 Why use it
the good bits
- Lowest per-unit cost at scale: cents per part at 10,000+ units.
- Uncompromised consistency across millions of parts; each one identical.
- Fastest cycle times in plastics manufacturing, measured in seconds.
- Surface finish direct from tool: VDI 3400, SPI & MT specified texture finish.
- Tight ±0.05 mm tolerance with excellent repeatability.
- Living hinges, snap fits, overmoulds, metal insert and multi-shot.
02 Ideal volumes
how many?
- Break-even against CNC or VC at 500 to 1,000 units depending on geometry.
- Truly economical from 5,000+ units where tooling amortises against low cycle cost.
- Lifetime runs of 100,000 to 1,000,000+ parts are standard.
- Not suited under 500 units: use vacuum casting or CNC instead.
03 Materials
Pick your polymer
click one, geek out.Six production thermoplastics, plus glass-filled and specialty grades on request. Open a material for its typical properties, then download the datasheet as a PDF for your design review.
04 Post-processing & finishing
tool design + post-processing co-located.
In-mould texture
In-mould decoration
In-mould labelling
Pad + screen print
Hot stamp + foil
Ultrasonic weld
Heat-stake inserts
Soft-touch paint
Metallisation
Chrome / vacuum dep
EMI shielding
Laser mark + UDI
Take a break
between shots.