Rapid tooling in 14 days. Production molds that run 1 million cycles.
50+ thermoplastics. 12 presses from 50 to 650 tons at our dedicated Wuxi molding facility. Overmolding, insert molding, two-shot. DFM review included with every quote.
Injection molding
The fastest way to waste $15,000 is building a production tool for a product that hasn't been validated. The second-fastest is building a rapid tool for a product that's shipping 500K units. Here's how to decide.
Pick the right mold for your volume.
Rapid Tooling
Use for 500–10,000 parts. Ideal for pilot runs, market testing, crowdfunding fulfillment, pre-production validation. Same production materials and process as steel tools.
Production Steel Mold
Best for 10K–500K parts. Hot runner, texture, polish, multi-cavity available. Standard for consumer products, EV components, medical housings.
Hardened Steel Mold
For glass-filled, abrasive materials, or million-unit programs. Mirror polish (SPI-A1) achievable. Standard for optical, medical, and high-volume consumer electronics.
Key data
- Tool material
- Aluminum 7075
- Build time
- 10–14 days
- Tool life
- 10,000 shots
- Tool cost
- $1,500–6,000
- Tool material
- P20 / NAK80
- Build time
- 4–5 weeks
- Tool life
- 500,000 shots
- Tool cost
- $4,000–25,000
- Tool material
- H13 / S136H
- Build time
- 6–8 weeks
- Tool life
- 1M+ shots
- Tool cost
- $15,000–80,000
The fastest way to waste $15,000 is building a production tool for a product that hasn't been validated. The second-fastest is building a rapid tool for a product that's shipping 500K units. Here's how to decide.
The break-even math.
| Volume | Best Process | Setup / Tool | Per-part range | Lead time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1–20 | MJF / SLS 3D print | $0 | $15–80 | 3–5 days |
| 20–50 | Vacuum casting | $600–1,500 | $30–120 | 7–10 days |
| 50–500 | CNC machined plastic | $200–800 setup | $8–60 | 5–10 days |
| 500–10K | Rapid Al tooling + IM | $1,500–6,000 | $0.80–8 | 14–21 days |
| 10K–500K | Production P20 steel | $4,000–25,000 | $0.20–3 | 4–6 wks tool |
| 500K+ | Hardened H13, multi-cav | $15,000–80,000 | $0.05–1.50 | 6–8 wks tool |
Injection molding wins at volume. Here's where it crosses over.
Indicative ranges. Actual prices depend on part size, complexity, material and surface finish. Get a firm quote in 24 hours.
Beyond the basic single-shot.
Overmolding
Bonding soft TPE/TPU onto rigid ABS or PC substrates. Common for grips, handles, seals, soft-touch housings. Requires two molds or a rotary/shuttle tool.
Insert Molding
Plastic molded around pre-placed metal inserts: threaded brass inserts, electrical contacts, magnets, fabric layers. Eliminates secondary operations.
Two-Shot (2K) Molding
Two plastics in one molding cycle using a rotary platen tool. Both plastics bond chemically or mechanically. Common for toothbrushes, hard/soft enclosures, consumer electronics.
Gas-Assisted Molding
Injected gas creates hollow cores in thick sections. Reduces material use, cycle time, and warp. Common for handles, automotive interior trim.
Living Hinges
Thin integrated hinges in PP or PE that flex indefinitely without fatigue. Enables complex one-piece enclosures and closures.
Cosmetic Finishing
SPI-A1 mirror polish, VDI textures, custom graining (wood, leather), soft-touch coatings, in-mold labeling (IML), pad printing, silk screen, laser engraving.
Modern products rarely consist of one material. Our Wuxi facility offers the advanced molding techniques that let you combine rigidity and soft-touch, plastic and metal, in a single integrated part.
Rapid tooling in 14 days — questions
What is rapid tooling, and when should I use it?
Rapid tooling uses aluminum 7075 molds built in 10–14 days, capable of running 500 to 10,000 parts in production thermoplastics. Use it for pilot runs, market validation, bridge-to-production, or any project under 10K units where steel tooling cost and lead time aren't justified.
How long does a production injection mold take to build?
Simple single-cavity steel molds: 4 weeks. Multi-cavity family molds or hot-runner systems: 5–7 weeks. Complex two-shot or overmolding tools: 6–8 weeks. Tool steel typically P20 for general use, H13 for high-temperature or abrasive materials, stainless 420 for medical/optical.
What is your minimum order quantity?
For injection molding, practical MOQ is 500–1,000 parts because tooling amortization drives unit cost above those quantities. Below 500 parts, vacuum casting or CNC machining are usually more economical. Above 500, molding wins quickly.
Do you offer overmolding and insert molding?
Yes. Overmolding (plastic onto plastic for soft-touch grips, hard+soft combinations), insert molding (plastic around pre-placed metal threads or electronics), two-shot (2K) molding with rotary tools — all produced in-house at our Wuxi facility.
What materials can you mold?
50+ thermoplastics in stock or sourceable: ABS, PC, PC/ABS, PP, PE (HDPE, LDPE), PA6, PA66, PA66-GF30, POM (Delrin), PBT, PET, PMMA (acrylic), TPU, TPE, TPR, silicone (LSR), PEEK, PEI (Ultem), PPS, PSU. Medical grades (USP Class VI) and food-contact grades (FDA) available.
How do I know if my plastic part is mold-ready?
Our engineers run a free DFM review on your CAD before tooling starts. We flag: inconsistent wall thickness (target ±10%), missing draft angles (minimum 0.5° per side, 1.5° on textured surfaces), sharp internal corners (fillet minimum 0.5×wall), undercut features requiring side actions, gate location, ejector pin placement, and parting line visibility on cosmetic surfaces.
Can PifyC do full product assembly and packaging?
Yes. Injection molding, ultrasonic welding, heat staking, pad printing, laser engraving, assembly of components, final packaging (blister, box, retail-ready), and drop-ship-to-Amazon services are available. Ask about turnkey programs for consumer products.
Who owns the tooling?
You do. The customer owns all tooling built by PifyC. Tools are stored at our Wuxi facility at no charge for active projects; long-term storage fees apply after 2 years of inactivity. Tools can be shipped to you or to another supplier on request.
Keep reading
Quote
Get a free CNC machining, 3D printing, injection molding quote from PifyC. Send CAD via WhatsApp or email — q…
Read more →Moulding & castingRapid tooling
Rapid aluminum tooling from PifyC: bridge molds built in 10–14 days running 500–10,000 production-material sh…
Read more →Moulding & castingVacuum casting
Precision vacuum casting from Wuxi: silicone tooling for 20–50 polyurethane copies that mimic ABS, PC, PP, PMMA …
Read more →Moulding & castingRapid injection molding
Rapid injection molding service: 14-day aluminum tooling, 5,000-20,000 shot life, all standard thermoplastics. P…
Read more →Moulding & castingOvermolded parts
Overmolded injection molded parts: 2K (two-shot) molding of rigid plastic with elastomer overmold. Soft-touch gr…
Read more →Moulding & castingInsert molded parts
Insert molded injection molded parts: pre-placed metal inserts (threaded brass, electrical contacts, magnets) wi…
Read more →Moulding & castingUrethane casting service
Urethane casting service: silicone RTV molds for 20-50 part production runs, production-grade urethane resins mi…
Read more →Moulding & castingSilicone molded parts
Custom silicone molded parts: LSR (liquid silicone rubber) injection molding, HTV compression molding. Medical (…
Read more →
Send a CAD file. Get an engineering-reviewed quote.
No minimum quantity, free DFM feedback from a senior manufacturing engineer, and an NDA signed before file review on request.