Many companies focus on creating product prototypes to show investors and industry professionals. After all, it is the best way to see if their concept will sell or not before creating the actual product.

Technically, the process of developing prototypes, receiving feedback, and switching from the concept to a physical product can take a lot of time and effort. The cost of plastic parts machining and production can also be a significant expense for your business.

But how much does it cost to machine prototypes? There is no straight answer to this question because factors such as the size and complexity of your part will determine the cost of production. Essentially, the final quote will be determined by various aspects, including the following points:

What and How Much Material it Costs

Typically, there are several plastic options for creating product prototypes. Each material has unique properties and characteristics and is available at a different price. So, understanding the difference between these materials can help you approximate the production cost of your plastic parts.

The most common plastic materials include polypropylene, Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), polyoxymethylene (POM), High Impact Polystyrene (HIPS), and Low-density Polyethylene (LDPE). To ensure you select the most suitable material for your application, you will have to consider such factors as;

• The overall appearance for your final product – finish and color
• The application of your product
• State of application – thermoset or thermoplastic
• Regulations and standards – consider if the finished product will be used in the industry where compliance with plastics is required.

What Technique is Going to be Used?

The technique you will use has a huge impact on the costs of producing a prototype. The most popular methods for creating plastic prototypes are CNC machining, silicone molding, SLS, and 3D printing.

Perhaps you only need a single piece of plastic prototype and don’t care much about material property. In this case, opt for 3D printing (for small size) or CNC (for big size). Alternatively, rapid tooling and silicone molding are excellent choices for low-volume manufacturing. It’s best to use silicone molding for large volume productions, usually 10 to 100 plastic prototype pieces.

Rapid prototyping is another technique for fabricating plastic prototypes using CAD— computer-aided design. This process allows you to fabricate parts that look and function like the actual product. Rapid prototyping is largely automated and doesn’t require specialized tools, resulting in more precision and reduced material waste. It is also a quick alternative to check if an idea will work or fail.

How Much Manual Work is Required in the Process?

Making product prototypes can sometimes require a lot of manual work, significantly impacting the production cost. Depending on your requirements and the material you choose, the parts may require tailored finishing work, painting, assembly, and specific packaging for shipment.

How Much Margin is the Manufacturer Taking?

The markup a manufacturer charges for producing your plastic parts will also affect the total cost of machining prototypes. The average manufacturer’s margin ranges between 25% and 35% of the general production cost.  However, the cost will also depend on the type and quantity of material used and formulations made.

Bottom Line

Using a prototype model can benefit your company in multiple ways. Besides enhancing functionality and interactions, it can help you detect errors early enough, saving you money and time. It also offers room for refinement and multiple testing. Although the total cost of machining prototypes varies depending on different factors, the average cost can range anywhere between $100 and $30,000.

When it comes to fabricating plastic parts for your product, many manufacturing methods are available for you to consider. But the most common ones are plastic machining and molding. So how do you tell which process is suitable for your plastic components?

It’s important to explore these two options to discover which technique is the most viable for your needs. This article compares the differences between the two methods, plastic machining vs. molding, in terms of material selection, speed, volume, and design. Let’s get started!

What is Plastic Machining?

Plastic machining uses computer-controlled applications to remove material layers from a solid plastic block at a time. This process generally starts with a single material block and allows for different materials with a few limitations.

Similarly, information is obtained from a similar digital file, enabling the changes of files during production. These computer files are broken down into a chain of commands and fed into a mill or lathe tool to produce the final product.

What is Plastic Molding?

Plastic (injection) molding involves fabricating plastic parts through the injection of molten materials, also called thermoplastics, into tools or molds. This process starts by melting plastic in a barrel and forcing it through channels to form the desired part. As soon as the part cools, it’s removed from the mold. Then the same process is repeated for the rest of the parts.

What is the Difference Between Plastic Machining and Molding?

Plastic machining and molding have various distinctive differences. So before you start manufacturing your plastic parts, consider these characteristics.

• Material – Plastic machining usually offers a wide selection of materials for part creation. However, this process can lose accuracy on softer materials but works best for harder, high-performing materials. On the other hand, molding offers a limited choice of materials. Some materials like rubbers and other flexible substances would be impossible to machine but can easily be molded.
• Speed – Plastic machining is the fastest method when producing low-volume parts. For example, plastic machining could be your ideal option if you need ten pieces in about two weeks. On the contrary, molding requires time to produce a large volume of plastic parts that are tolerant. This can take some weeks to a few months based on the volume of parts needed. For instance, if you need 60,000 units in five months, you may need to opt for molding.
• Volume – The most crucial aspect of mass production is cost reduction. Plastic machining is cheaper when manufacturing only a few plastic parts. While you may get volume benefits, this can only be to a limited extent. Don’t expect the level of cost reduction to be commensurate with the increase in quantity.

  On the other hand, the cost per part of molded parts is relatively cheaper. Although you may pay a higher upfront cost for these parts, the price is distributed across the pieces to determine the actual average cost.

  The reason your cost can be higher up front is due to the investment required to create the actual mold itself. Molds can range from a few thousand dollars well in to the six figure dollar range.

  Ultimately, this means the higher the volume of parts you produce, the cheaper the production cost.

• Design – Plastic machining allows for flexibility in design, while molds are sometimes impossible to accommodate changes in structure.

Bottom Line

Plastic machining and molding are both viable plastic manufacturing techniques. However, they both have distinctive characteristics and differences that you need to consider before deciding what method best suits you. Ensure you understand how each method works and the benefits you get from using either of the processes.

Plastic items have incredibly impacted all industries globally, but their impact has been considerably more advanced in healthcare. Essentially, plastic is the most versatile material that has been able to keep up with the dynamic nature of the medical industry.

The fabrication and machining of high-performing medical devices are critical to providing quality healthcare services. At PlasTech Machining & Fabrication, we’re committed to providing high-grade medical devices and products to existing and emerging businesses.

How Plastics have Revolutionized the Healthcare Industry

Since their adoption, thermoplastics have made healthcare safer, cost-effective, and more efficient. Plastics are durable and widely used in creating and developing medical safety devices like blister packs and tamper-proof caps. They’re also used to make non-permeable bags for storage and transportation of medical items.

Similarly, plastics are thought to be cost-effective as they often allow mass production, recycling, and multiple applications. Most importantly, plastics are highly versatile and can be tailored to suit specific applications. With its unique ability to adapt to the most intricate molds, plastic is now used in surgical procedures, devices, and products such as stents, joint replacements, and pacemakers.

Fabrication and Machining of Medical Devices and Products of Superior Quality

At PlasTech, we have extensive experience and knowledge in engineered plastics materials. We work with different types of plastic materials, such as:

Acrylics:
Derived from the monomer methyl methacrylate (MMA), acrylic is widely applied in cuvettes and tubing connectors. It can also be used to create blood filters, test kits, drainage wands, and syringes. Acrylic’s other applications include fluid silos, flow meters, incubators, blood-pump housing, surgical trays, and more.

Polymers:
In the healthcare setting, polymeric materials are widely used as tissue adhesives and suture materials for dental composites, contact and intraocular lenses, cosmetic implants, and more.

Polycarbonate:
Polycarbonate provides unique advantages to healthcare applications. It’s used in various life-supporting equipment such as blood oxygenators, intravenous connectors, endoscopic appliances, arterial filters, and anesthesia containers.

PVC:
PVC is one of the most widely used plastic materials in the healthcare industry. It is commonly used in dialysis solutions, blood products, and IV fluids. Furthermore, PVC can be used along with frequency welding to produce various container shapes and different types of attachments.

We also specialize in the fabrication and mining of other materials, including Nylon, Torlon, Delrin, Phenolic, Kydex, ABC, HDPE, UHMW, Acetal, and more. Not sure how to select a suitable plastic material? No problem. Our competent experts will help you find a perfect plastic suitable for your specific operation.

Partner with PlasTech for Quality Precision Plastic Machining and Fabrication

At PlasTech, we focus on advanced, word-class plastics, and we have adequate experience to deal with each type. If you are looking to purchase plastic materials for any medical application, please contact us today to get solutions to all your needs. Our specialized team will assess your needs and recommend the most suitable plastic components to enhance the quality of your products.

Manufacturers have relied on metal to build their products for decades. But, as technology is evolving and consumers want better products built faster, a lot of manufacturers are looking for alternatives to metal parts. 

Even industries that heavily relied on “metal applications” in the past, such as the automotive, aerospace, military, and even consumer goods industries, have now switched to plastic parts. While metal will not be completely replaced as there still are industries where it’s the best material to use, such as in the case of electric and cooking ware, plastic brings a whole range of benefits to the table. 

Plastic Parts & Products Offer Fast Production Times
One of the major benefits plastic has over metal is its fast production time. Manufacturers that choose to use plastic parts for their products can get their products to market faster and gain a significant advantage over the competitors who are still relying on metal applications. 

Plastic Is More Economical Than Metal
Although technology has advanced tremendously in the last decades, metal is still quite difficult to work with and shape into different designs. That makes the design process both more expensive and longer. 

With plastic, on the other hand, we can engineer and prototype your part or product quickly and efficiently. While you do need to pay for the creation of the tool, this cost is almost insignificant as you don’t need to spend on the design process anymore. 

Plastic Lasts A Long Time
Yes, metal is sturdy and durable, but unlike metal, plastic doesn’t corrode. That makes plastic a better alternative for industries like automotive or aerospace where the products are often exposed to the elements. Moreover, plastic parts can reduce the downtime required to fix or replace parts. 

Plastic Is Up To 6x Lighter Than Metal
Plastic machined parts can be six times lighter than its metal counterpart. Even when it comes to lightweight metals like aluminum, the plastic part is considerably lighter. This is especially important in the automotive and aerospace industries where lighter materials and parts can lead to more efficiency and lower fuel costs. 

Today’s Plastic Is Strong
One of the main arguments against plastic used to be that it’s not as resistant as metal. That’s not the case anymore. Modern plastic has a higher strength-to-weight ratio than before, meaning that it can ensure a significant amount of stress compared to its density before failure.

More Manufacturers Are Turning To Plastic Parts
Easier to produce, cheaper design, lighter than metal, but just as resistant, there is no surprise that plastic is becoming the go-to alternative for more and more manufacturers. While not all metal parts can be replaced with plastic, manufacturers can gain by turning to plastic parts where it makes sense. 

At PlasTech Machining and Fabrication, we know the importance of quality plastic parts. Every month we ship thousands of manufactured products to manufacturer in the following industries:

• OEM (Original equipment manufacturers)
• Computer Manufacturers
• Defense
• Electronics
• Marine
• Medical
• Semiconductor
• Microwave
• Telecommunications

We can help you too. Our expertise and the quality of our products will help you make a difference in your products’ performance and help you gain a competitive advantage.

Tampa Bay Buccaneer’s long snapper, Zach Triner, visited PlasTech Machining and Fabrication’s manufacturing plant in Bow, NH for a motivational fireside chat, football autographing session, and a meet and greet with PlasTech’s customers and employees on April 15th, 2021.

Zach’s visit was an experience that will not soon be forgotten. Zach’s candor and detail about life and his football journey was a soul lifting experience for everyone in the room. Zach detailed his experiences navigating his way to the NFL through a variety of achievements, failures, lessons learned, different jobs he held, and the psychology around motivation, mental toughness, what it means to be a team player, and preparing for and winning a Super Bowl.

PlasTech’s employees and customers were extremely grateful for the opportunity to meet Zach and to get to know him. Zach joined the PlasTech team and PlasTech’s customers after the event for lunch and a plant tour. It was an amazing day for all of those involved. PlasTech wishes Zach the best in football and the pursuit of the Bucs repeating as Super Bowl Champions, and most importantly his future success in life. Zach has a tremendous future ahead of him in the NFL and in life after football.