Short-Run & Mass Production Mold Making Services

Mold manufacturing can produce a variety of molds, including injection molds, die-casting molds, stamping molds, forging molds, extrusion molds, blow molding molds, and so on. There are differences in their mold making process.

Injection mold making focuses on numerical control processing, cooling system design, and surface polishing.

Die-casting mold making requires the use of special steel and emphasizes surface treatment and venting design.

Stamping mold making emphasizes clearance control and quenching treatment.

Forging mold manufacturing involves forging blanks followed by multiple processing steps and strict heat treatment.

The key to extrusion mold making lies in runner design and processing, ensuring the uniform flow of materials.

Blow molding molds usually use aluminum alloys and emphasize the quality of the mold cavity surface and the design of the cooling system.

At First Mold, we currently specialize in injection mold making and die-casting mold making, and are not involved in other mold manufacturing services at the moment.

The mold making cycle is affected by multiple factors. Generally speaking, the cycle for simple and small molds is short, and it may be completed within 1 to 2 weeks. Molds with a medium level of complexity usually require 2 to 4 weeks, while complex and large molds may take more than 3 months to half a year.

There are obvious differences in the mold making cycles of different types of molds. The cycle for injection mold making is generally 2 to 6 weeks, and for those with high precision and complexity, it may reach more than 8 weeks. Due to the high requirements for materials and processes, the cycle for small die-casting mold making is 3 to 6 weeks, and for larger ones, it may exceed 3 months.

In mold manufacturing, the cost of materials for injection molds accounts for about 20% to 30% of the total cost. For simple and small molds, it is close to 20%, while for large, precise, and complex mold making projects, it can reach 30% or even higher. Due to the high requirements for material performance, the cost of materials for die-casting molds usually accounts for 30% to 40% of the total cost. For small die-casting mold making, it is about 30%, and for large die-casting molds with high performance, it exceeds 40%.

For injection mold making, materials with high cost performance include P20 steel, which has good pre-hardening, processing, and polishing properties, making it suitable for medium and small molds with general precision. Another commonly used material is 718 steel, which has improved toughness and hardenability after adding nickel elements, and is ideal for large, complex, and precise injection molds.

In terms of die-casting mold making, H13 steel, as a hot work die steel, offers excellent toughness, thermal fatigue, and wear resistance. It is widely used in die-casting molds and has high cost performance. 3Cr2W8V steel stands out for its high-temperature strength, hardness, wear resistance, and thermal stability, making it suitable for die-casting molds for aluminum and magnesium alloys. This material is also moderately priced, offering a certain cost performance advantage in mold fabrication.

After the mold manufacturing is completed, professional manufacturing enterprises usually provide follow-up maintenance and care guidance, covering contents such as daily cleaning, lubrication, rust prevention, and special precautions for different types of molds. The cost of maintenance and care varies due to multiple factors.

The cost of daily maintenance is usually relatively low. For example, the expenses for cleaning supplies and lubricating oil range from dozens of dollars to hundreds of dollars each time. In terms of regular maintenance, for simple and small molds, it may cost several hundred dollars to about one or two thousand dollars each time, while for large and complex molds, such as injection molds or die-casting molds, it may cost several thousand dollars to tens of thousands of dollars each time.

If the mold needs to be repaired due to malfunctions, the cost is even more difficult to determine. The repair cost for minor malfunctions may range from several hundred dollars to several thousand dollars, and when there is serious damage, the repair cost may be as high as tens of thousands of dollars or even higher. Moreover, it may also affect the production progress and bring about an increase in indirect costs.

If your products are injection molded by First Mold, no fees related to mold maintenance and care will be charged.

Mold manufacturing in special industries like medical and aerospace has numerous additional quality standards and certification requirements. In the medical industry, in terms of quality standards, materials must be non-toxic, environmentally friendly, anti-allergic, and have good biocompatibility. The precision in mold making should be controlled within a very small tolerance range, such as ±0.005 or even stricter, and high requirements are placed on reliability and stability.

Regarding certification requirements, it is necessary to pass the ISO 13485 certification to establish a sound quality management system, conduct biocompatibility tests to ensure there is no adverse impact on the human body, and also obtain specific certifications in different countries and regions, such as the CE certification in the European Union and the FDA certification in the United States.

In the aerospace industry, in terms of quality standards, materials should possess high strength, high hardness, good toughness, fatigue resistance, and stability in extreme environments. The dimensional precision required in mold fabrication is at the micron level, and the surface roughness should be extremely low, with high reliability and durability.

As for the certification requirements, the AS9100 series certifications are needed to regulate the quality management throughout the whole process. Special processes in mold manufacturing require specialized certifications to ensure the stability and reliability of the processes. Meanwhile, suppliers need to undergo strict qualification certifications that cover multiple aspects such as technical capabilities, production equipment, and quality management systems. Only when these requirements are met can the molds be applied in the corresponding special industries.