Rapid Injection Mold: Solutions For Injection-Molded Parts

Rapid injection mold is a key rapid tooling used in rapid injection molding process for producing custom plastic or metal molded parts in a relatively shorter production run.
With the continuous development of population and economy, manufacturing needs to continuously improve productivity and production quality to meet the huge needs of all walks of life in human society.
Rapid injection mold and rapid molding play an important role in manufacturing industry. At Sungplastic, we provide these services for many years.
If you want to know more about these, please read more or discuss with us.

What is Rapid Injection Molding?

Rapid injection molding, also known as quick molding, serves as an optimal manufacturing solution for injection-molded parts meeting specific criteria.

Speedy Part Production: When time is of the essence, rapid injection molding excels at swiftly delivering the required parts.

Low Volume Production: This method is best suited for smaller production runs. Quick molds may not endure prolonged use, making them ideal for ensuring timely delivery in scenarios with limited production needs.

Design Simplification: Simplified designs facilitate the rapid creation of molds, helping to maintain project timelines.

Under specific circumstances, quick molds can outperform production molds, offering faster and more cost-effective production. However, it is crucial to be aware of the limitations of rapid injection molding to determine whether it aligns with your project requirements.

What is a Rapid Injection Mold?

A rapid injection mold is cost-effective mold solutions employed in plastic injection molding, distinguished by their accelerated production compared to standard molds. These rapid molds are exclusively crafted using CNC machining, without the use of alternative techniques like electrical discharge machining (EDM). While this approach reduces fabrication time and mold expenses, it does come with limitations in terms of mold features. It’s important to note that not all plastic parts are suitable candidates for rapid molding.

Initiating a rapid injection mold project involves a slightly different process compared to a standard production mold project. At the quoting stage, all of rapid injection mold undergo an initial process assessment to evaluate their machinability. If it’s determined that CNC machining alone can fabricate the mold, it remains eligible for rapid injection molding consideration. However, if additional machining operations are needed, the project will be redirected towards standard production or bridge mold tooling, excluding it from the rapid molding category.

The subsequent steps in the manufacturing process remain consistent for both rapid molding and production molding projects. All projects undergo a Design For Manufacturability (DFM) analysis before progressing to production.

Why Should I Consider Rapid Injection Molding?

Speed
Rapid injection mold presents a compelling choice for projects demanding a swift turnaround on a relatively small batch of injection-molded plastic components. This option proves particularly advantageous for prototyping purposes. Our cutting-edge quick-cut system incorporates innovative technology, enabling the accelerated production of molds when compared to traditional production molds. The entire process is compressed into a concise timeframe, making it ideal for rapid prototyping or short production runs, especially when combined with our instant online quotation system and interactive project management tools.

Cost
Plastic injection mold providers offering expedited services often impose a premium for rapid molding, sometimes doubling their standard pricing. However, at Sungplastic, our quick molds are not only produced faster than our production molds but also cost less. It’s essential to bear in mind that quick molds are most suitable under specific conditions and do not match the quality, durability, and complexity of production molds.

Low Volume / Prototypes
Rapid injection molding excels in scenarios involving prototyping and low-volume requirements for injection-molded plastic components. Quick molds typically offer a lifespan of up to 10,000 cycles. If only a limited number of pieces are needed, alternative manufacturing processes available at Sungplastic, such as 3D printing or CNC machining, may prove more economically sensible. The choice of manufacturing method hinges largely on quantity. Injection molding becomes the most cost-effective option when producing a certain quantity, reducing the overall cost per piece. Additionally, situations where design changes are expected or likely after a relatively small initial run make rapid molds a practical choice. They can be constructed swiftly and at a lower cost compared to standard production molds. Once the prototyping phase concludes, and the design is finalized, transitioning to a production mold becomes a more economical choice for higher part volumes.

Part Material and Performance
The primary advantage of rapid injection molding lies in its versatility regarding material selection. Virtually any material utilized in injection molding can be employed with quick molds, with a few exceptions like advanced engineering resins such as PEEK or PPSU. In contrast, other prototyping manufacturing processes, like 3D printing, offer limited material options. Prototype parts crafted from the same material as eventual production parts exhibit identical performance characteristics, making them ideal for real-world testing. Despite ongoing advancements in 3D printing, it remains incapable of producing parts from all materials suitable for injection molding. The structural integrity of a part must also be taken into account. 3D printers construct objects layer by layer, potentially creating weak points, while injection-molded parts tend to be more robust and stable.

Quick Molds vs. Production Molds

The primary distinctions between rapid molds and production molds revolve around cost and durability. However, several other factors warrant consideration when determining whether rapid molding or production molding is the optimal choice for your plastic injection molding project:

Part Complexity
Parts featuring intricate geometrical designs or stringent tolerance requirements are typically better suited for production injection molding. Conversely, parts with simpler designs may qualify for rapid injection molding.

Material
To uphold rapid mold’s quick turnaround times, the range of available materials is more limited compared to production molding. Approximately 50 commonly used materials are readily accessible for rapid molding. For guidance in selecting a material aligning with your project’s needs, please consult our Plastic Performance Penguin.

Color
The color selection is confined to approximately 45 specific colors due to the expedited nature and cost-efficiency of quick molds. To accommodate other color preferences, transitioning to a production mold may be necessary. You can explore the list of available colors here.

Highlights of Injection Molding Production

• Rapid mold and part quotations.
• Cost-effective, swift, and high-quality production.
• Convenient online project management.
• Effortless part modifications.
• No size constraints.
• Compatibility with a wide range of commercially available materials and surface finishes.

Process for Injection Molding Production

Sungplastic streamlines and accelerates the custom plastic injection molding process through our instant online quoting system and mold frame sharing technology.

• Upload your 3D CAD file to receive an immediate mold and part quotation.
• Upon order confirmation, Sungplastic initiates the mold and part order procedure.
• Sungplastic engineers conduct a thorough review of the tooling design.
• Once the design gains approval, Sungplastic commences the construction of your injection mold.
• Customers review and approve samples.
• Part production commences.

Sungplastic: Molding Solutions for You

Our solutions include:
Rapid Injection Mold Fabrication
Injection Molded Parts Manufacturing
Rapid Prototype Parts Manufacturing
Rapid Prototype Mold Manufacturing
Small Part Injection Molding
Large Part Injection Molding
Complex Part Production

At Sungplastic, advanced machinery and technical equipment, professional designers and skilled technicians, competitive costs and high quality standards are all we provide, including but not limited.

Related Resources:
Tooling Manufacturing: Best Tooling Used For Production

Injection Molding Tools: The Key of Plastics Production

China Injection Mold Maker: Ensure Accuracy and Long Service Life