The Value of Plastic Part Design

While a change to a product after launch can be quite expensive, making changes during the design stage is relatively inexpensive. Plastic part design is no exception. With today’s CAD software, being able to visualize, test, and change designs has never been easier.

                     The Cost of Change

A well designed plastic part has many variables that need to be taken into account. How will the mold come together? Can the part be ejected from the mold? Are the walls too thick or too thin? These are just a few of the questions that should be asked during the plastic part design process. An improper design technique, if carried all the way to production, can have a negative result on the overall quality or appearance of the injection molded piece. The cost to fix issues observed after production are not only expensive but also time consuming.

It is important however to look beyond just the question “Can this part be injection molded successfully?” While this is an important aspect of the design, we must also be mindful of manufacturing costs. Because the tooling cost is closely related to the product design, it is crucial to have an understanding of the mold making process even during the design stages. Plastic part design can greatly vary the overall costs and in some cases out-price the project. Implementing cost saving design features while maintaining design intent, or just optimizing the design for injection molding will save you money and make for a more robust design. Rex Plastics has served the injection molding industry for over 40 years and has a team dedicated to providing you with the most cost effective solutions for design and manufacturing.