Injection molding has been the go-to solution for plastic manufacturing. It has been the first option for mass production plastics for many years. A vast number of products we use or see every day around the world are produced via plastic injection molding.

However, the molds required for injection molding are usually made of metal and tend to be very expensive and time consuming to manufacture. These are two downsides for anyone looking for fast and low-cost production, especially in the highly competitive world we live in.

How can 3D printing help?

In the past 3D printing technologies did not provide a good enough surface finish and precision. They were also made from materials that did not stand up to heavy use.  This is why 3D printing has mainly been used in the prototyping phase of product lifecycles. However, with the latest developments in printing technologies and materials, 3D printers can achieve a much better surface finish. And the materials are much more diverse.

With these advances, people have been testing out 3D printed plastic molds for low volume production.

These new capabilities of 3D printing make plastic molds a great alternative to the traditional metal molds. Among the main capabilities of 3D printing for injection mold making, the most relevant are:

  • Reduced investment compared to machined metal molds.
  • Reduced costs deriving from materials.
  • Faster turnaround times.
  • Faster and cheaper design changes and iterations.
  • Intricate and more complex geometries are possible.
  • Beginners can start their own small-scale manufacturing business.

About Start Prototyping Start Prototyping mainly supply our rapid prototyping service and plastic injection manufacturing for many 3D print companies in the world. Start Prototyping has been engaged in rapid prototyping about 10 years, helping too many designers to turn their ideas into reality. Most of the conceptual prototype of the design has been successfully put into the market and has achieved good benefits. Among them, the most representative metal prototype machining, plastic prototype machining, CNC aluminum machining, Low-Volume Manufacturing, processing technology including CNC machining, vacuum casting, rapid tooling, 3D printing and so on. We have the standard quality inspection process, which is completely in line with the customer’s industrial design. It’s a great honor to be a partner with you. Contact Info Contact：James Yuan Company:Start Prototyping Add：LongGang Village, LongXi Town, BoLuo County, HuiZhou City,GuangDong Province, China Tel：+86-13352636504 Email：[email protected] Web：http://www.startprototyping.com