{"id":4081,"date":"2022-05-31T21:20:00","date_gmt":"2022-06-01T02:20:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sybridge.com\/?p=4081"},"modified":"2024-01-25T14:20:21","modified_gmt":"2024-01-25T20:20:21","slug":"modify-your-injection-mold-or-build-new-mold","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sybridge.com\/modify-your-injection-mold-or-build-new-mold\/","title":{"rendered":"Should You Modify Your Injection Mold or Build a New Mold?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Originally published on fastradius.com on May 31, 2022<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Injection molding<\/a>\u00a0is the most popular mass production method when creating large volumes of identical plastic parts \u2014 and for good reason. While you may need to invest a significant amount of money upfront to manufacture\u00a0injection mold tooling<\/a>, your price per unit will be extremely low if you produce parts en masse and will continue to drop as you make more pieces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A complete injection mold system consists of a mold base and one or more sets of core and cavity inserts \u2014 these inserts are the primary components that mold your part. However, you may also see the more general term \u201cmold\u201d being used, which typically refers to the combination of the core and cavity insert pair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For previously produced products, existing injection molds will suit any new production runs just fine, so you can continue to use the same mold and reduce your cost per unit. Well-constructed and plated molds can last for up to one million shots. However, if you need to alter your design, change your material, or resize your product, you may not be able to continue using your current setup. Luckily, that doesn\u2019t necessarily mean you\u2019ll need to create a brand new injection mold. In some cases, modifying your existing mold to better suit your needs makes more sense. Here\u2019s what you need to know to make the best decision for your project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Does making a new injection mold cost more than modifying an existing injection mold?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In many cases, both new and modified injection molds can get the job done. However, the cost of creating a new injection mold is notoriously high. Simple tooling for a low-volume production run can cost anywhere from $2,000 to $5,000, but tooling for full-scale production of a large, complex part can be far more expensive. Depending on the size, complexity, number of cavities, and mold material, you may pay tens of thousands of dollars \u2014 or even over $100,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Significant design changes can be expensive due to the high cost and lengthy lead times associated with creating injection mold tooling. Not only will you likely need to invest thousands of dollars into creating a new mold every time you alter your design, but you may also need to wait five to seven weeks (or much longer for complex mold systems) for the new tooling to be manufactured. Without a doubt, this could negatively affect your revenue and impact your customers.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Given the complexities of producing and assembling a new injection mold, modifying an existing injection mold may save you time and money in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When should you modify an existing injection mold?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Creating brand new tooling from scratch requires a lot of time and money, but the good news is that \u2014 in some cases \u2014 you can modify an existing mold. You may be able to modify an existing mold if you\u2019re:<\/p>\n\n\n\n