Key principles.
30-50% typical
Material 30-50% of part cost. Cheaper material drops directly.
Amortized
Mold $20-100K. Amortized over volume. High-volume: small per-piece impact.
Production rate
Faster cycle = lower per-piece labor. Multi-cavity reduces.
Per part
Painting, plating, assembly add per-piece cost.
Major driver
Production volume amortizes tool, fixed costs. Per-piece cost halves at 10× volume.
Cycle & complexity
Complex geometry slower cycles. Multi-action molds add cost.
FAQ
Tool investment fixed. Per-piece cost = (tool cost / volume) + (material + processing + finishing). High volume amortizes.
30-50% typical for medium-complexity parts. Higher for premium materials. Lower for very labor-intensive.
4-cavity tool produces 4× per cycle. Lower per-piece cost. Tool 50-80% more expensive than single cavity.
Hot runner: faster cycle, less waste, $5-20K tool premium. Cold runner: cheaper tool, slower cycle, runner waste.
Volume scaling > material substitution > geometry simplification > tooling efficiency.
Yes — quote shows tooling, per-piece, finishing breakdown. Customer can optimize per cost driver.
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