Understanding the various types of costs associated with injection molding requires an in-depth analysis of the process.
Acquisition cost
Special equipment is used for injection molding, ranging from smaller desktop injection molding machines that companies can use in-house to large, industrial injection molding machines that are mostly operated by service providers, contract manufacturers and large manufacturers.
The production of small series parts using injection molding is the most cost-effective with smaller desktop injection molding machines and 3D printed molds. If you're getting into injection molding and want to test it out with limited investment, a manual benchtop injection molding machine like the Holipress or the Galomb Model-B100 could be a good option. Automatic injection molding machines for small series production, such as the desktop device from Micromolder or the hydraulic device Babyplast 10/12, are a good alternative for medium-sized series production of small parts.
Large industrial injection molding machines can cost anywhere from $ 50,000 to more than $ 200,000. These devices also have strict system requirements and require skilled workers to operate, monitor and maintain them. That is why most companies outsource mass production to service providers and contract manufacturers, provided that injection molding is not a core competence, whereby the acquisition costs for equipment are included in the service costs.
Mold costs (tooling costs)
As mentioned in the introduction, mold costs or tooling costs are the primary cost-increasing factors in injection molding.