How to Save Money Smartly When Opening Plastic Injection Molds? These Two Keys in Mold Manufacturing Must Be Understood

Many customers seeking to customize plastic injection molds prioritize price above all else. This is understandable—after all, the technical details of mold manufacturing (like injection mould tool design or mould DFM design) are invisible, while price tags are tangible. However, to optimize costs strategically, mastering the following two key aspects of plastic injection mold design is essential:

1. How to Choose Mold Materials? Avoid Being Trapped by "Expensive Steel"

The selection of mold materials directly impacts costs in mold manufacturing. Customers should adhere to the principle of "choose functionality over luxury" when selecting materials, especially in the context of plastic injection mold design:

Base material choice on production volume: For low-volume production (≤500,000 molds), economical steels suffice; for annual outputs exceeding 1 million molds, high-performance steels—though pricier—reduce long-term costs by minimizing downtime from frequent mold replacements.
Align materials with product requirements: Conventional steels work for standard plastic products, but applications like mirror-finish casings or medical devices (requiring strict mould DFM design) need polishable steels. Mismatched materials raise defect rates, negating initial cost savings.

2. How Many Cavities for Optimal Design? Miscalculating Costs 50% Extra in Injection Mould Tool Design

Cavity quantity in plastic injection mold design directly dictates production capacity, efficiency, and budget. Key strategies to avoid overspending:

Cavity count vs. cost correlation: More cavities mean higher mold costs. Calculate needs based on total output and phased production plans. Large parts often require single-cavity designs, while small/medium products need balanced cavity numbers to avoid idle capacity.
Prevent over-engineering cavities: Opting for multi-cavity molds without matching daily demand inflates costs unnecessarily. For example, a 6-cavity mold costs 50% more than a 4-cavity one but wastes capacity if daily output targets are low.

These two factors alone influence 30–50% of total plastic injection mold costs! Other cost-saving areas—such as cooling system optimization or ejection mechanism design (critical in mould DFM design)—require advanced technical expertise. Start by mastering material selection and cavity engineering, then explore specialized aspects of injection mould tool design for deeper savings.
Need more insights on cost-efficient mold manufacturing? Contact us for tailored advice on plastic injection mold design and DFM strategies!