The Journey: From Idea to Selling Product

You have an idea for a product. You need a plastic part for it. Maybe it’s a component in your product, or the plastic part is the product.

Maybe you’re reselling someone else’s existing product, and you have an idea to make your own - to build your own brand with your own product.

Maybe you already have a product, you’re making it in China, and you’d like to move it to the US.

What’s the journey look like?

Here’s a simplified view into the steps involved in getting your product made in the US.

The product design.

If your mold already exists, or your product is already designed to full injection molding specifications, you’re good to go.

If not, you’ll want to work with a partner to design your part, typically using parametric design software such as Solidworks or Autodesk.

There’s a lot that goes into a successful part design for injection molding, so work with a design engineer who understands what’s required.

Prototyping.

Got an initial design done? Great! It may be the first, but it probably won’t be the last: prototyping is the next step in testing out the functionality of your part.

Typically this is done with an additive manufacturing process, such as 3D printing. Depending on what needs to be tested, these can be made via SLA, FDM, or SLS printing. These parts are much more expensive per unit than an injection molded part will be, so you won’t make very many of them. But you can get them done quickly and with no mold cost, so you can test out the concept, test fitment, and show it to customers.

You’ll probably go through a few iterations for a new design.

Manufacturing design review.

Once the part is finalized, the next step is the engineering design review. This is when the part is evaluated from the perspective of manufacturing it. What material will be used? Will it fill properly? Will there be ‘gas traps’? Will there be ejection problems? Are the walls of uniform thickness? Will there be sink marks? If significant changes need to be made for manufacturability, it may call for one more prototype to make sure it’ll work.

Part and mold quotation.

Here, you’ll finalize what colors you’ll want, and consider what quantities you may be ordering per run. This will help you determine how large of a mold to build, and will allow you to finalize capital expenditure budgets and pricing with customers, if applicable.

At this time, it’s important to also discuss any critical quality constraints - such as maximum dimensions, or fitments that are necessary.

Mold build

This is the first big commitment of the process. A deposit is made on the mold, and mold design begins. If you’re handling the mold design, you will need to be able to review complex engineering drawings and answer technical questions from the mold builder. Or, if your molder is managing the project, they can handle it for you.

Once the mold design is finalized, all the steel and subcomponents for the mold will be ordered in the correct sizes.

Then the milling begins.

Once the milling is finished, the mold builder assembles the mold.

After assembly, the mold builder fires some test shots, and determines if any adjustments need to be made. This part is exciting: you get to feel the first parts made from your new mold.

After any adjustments are made, the mold is shipped to the manufacturer.

Mold testing

Once arrived at the manufacturer, the mold is tested for the first time in the actual injection molding machines that will be used for full production.

Any remaining issues will be adjusted at this time, and necessary jigs or automation end of arm tools for part handling will be built.

The quality control criteria are formalized into a document that will be used during production. Final production parts are sent to you for approval.

Production

Then it’s time for the rubber to hit the road! Production begins based on your initial required quantities. Quality control continues throughout the production process.

Packaging and Shipping

The product coming off the production lines is packaged and palletized according to your requirements.

Then, your product is ready to ship! Either with your manufacturer’s freight department (if available) or with your own carrier, your product is picked up from the manufacturer’s dock and shipped either to your warehouse or directly to a customer.

Fortunately, we provide integrated services covering every one of these steps. Have questions? Tell us about your project.