A tooling quote tells you what you pay once. The piece price tells you what you pay every time. Most savings in a molding program come from understanding the second number.
A tooling quote tells you what you pay once. The piece price tells you what you pay every time. Most savings in a molding program come from understanding the second number.
Quick answer
The cost of a molded part is roughly material + machine time + labor and secondary operations + tooling share + packaging and inspection + overhead and margin. Machine time depends on cycle time and cavity count, material on part weight and scrap, and the tooling share on planned volume. Volume has the largest effect. HC-Mold injection molding starts from 500 pcs, and a quoted piece price depends on the drawing, resin, finish and quantity, so we do not publish fixed prices.
Key takeaways
- Cycle time and cavity count set machine cost per part.
- Part weight, runner scrap and resin choice set material cost.
- The tooling share falls as volume rises.
- Secondary operations such as spraying or assembly can cost as much as molding.
The cost formula
| Component | How it is formed | Main lever |
|---|---|---|
| Material | Part weight plus runner and scrap, times resin price | Wall thickness, runner type, resin choice |
| Machine time | Cycle time times machine rate, divided by cavities | Cooling, wall thickness, cavities |
| Labor and secondary | Degating, spraying, silk screen, laser carving, plating, assembly | Fewer, simpler operations |
| Tooling share | Tooling cost divided by planned volume | Volume, tooling model |
| Packaging and inspection | Cartons, labeling, QC effort | Packaging standard, inspection plan |
| Overhead and margin | Factory and project costs | Order size, relationship |
Worked example (illustrative numbers, not a quote)
Assume a 20 g part, 15% allowance for runner and scrap (23 g effective), resin at 3 per kg, a 30-second cycle on a machine rate of 40 per hour, two cavities, a spray finish at 0.10, tooling of 12,000 spread over 100,000 parts, and packaging at 0.03. Currency is arbitrary.
| Item | Calculation | Per part |
|---|---|---|
| Material | 23 g × 3 per kg | 0.069 |
| Machine | 30 s ÷ 3,600 × 40 ÷ 2 cavities | 0.167 |
| Secondary | Spray finish | 0.100 |
| Tooling share | 12,000 ÷ 100,000 | 0.120 |
| Packaging | Cartons and labels | 0.030 |
| Total (before overhead and margin) | about 0.49 |
If volume halves to 50,000, the tooling share doubles to 0.24 and the total rises to about 0.61. If a second cavity were added and the cycle stayed the same, the machine cost would drop, but the tool would cost more. These numbers are invented to show the method. Use your own resin price, cycle time and quantities.
The levers, one by one
Cycle time
Cooling usually dominates cycle time. Thicker walls cool slowly, so reducing wall thickness where function allows cuts time. See the DFM checklist.
Cavity count
More cavities cut machine cost per part but raise tooling cost and lead time. Read multi-cavity molds.
Runner type and scrap
Cold runners create scrap each shot; hot runners reduce it at a higher tool cost. See hot runner vs cold runner.
Material
Resin price and processing needs differ widely, and filled or engineering grades usually cost more. See plastic material selection.
Secondary operations
HC-Mold offers automatic spraying, screen printing, laser carving, vacuum and water plating, and sub-assembly. Each adds cost, so combine or drop steps that do not add value.
Volume and tooling model
The tooling share is tooling divided by volume. HC-Mold offers three tooling models, including one where tooling is refunded against volume. See mold cost and who owns the mold.
Tolerance and inspection
Tighter tolerances and more inspection add cost. HC-Mold uses SPC monitoring and full batch inspection in production. Specify tight tolerances only where needed.
How to reduce injection molding cost per part
- Simplify the design and thin the walls where function allows.
- Match cavity count to volume.
- Choose the right runner system for your volume.
- Choose the most suitable resin, not the strongest by default.
- Reduce secondary operations and consolidate packaging.
- Plan quantities in line with the minimum: see MOQ by process.
- Freeze the design before tooling, to avoid change costs.
What to include when comparing piece-price quotes
Same resin and color, same cavity count and runner type, same secondary operations, same packaging, same tolerance and inspection plan, same quantity and the same tooling terms. Differences in any of these can explain price gaps. For export buyers, compare landed cost: see importing from China.
What to send
STEP/IGES model, drawing, resin and color, finish, annual and first-order quantity, packaging and destination. HC-Mold quotes unit price together with tooling, reply within 12 hours, and applies an NDA before file review. See the injection molding page.
FAQ
What is the MOQ for injection molding at HC-Mold?
Injection molding starts from 500 pcs.
Does the tooling cost count in the piece price?
It depends on the tooling model. Tooling can be paid separately and owned by you, or recovered through volume. Ask for tooling and unit price together.
Will a hot runner lower my piece price?
It can reduce material waste and cycle time, but it raises tooling cost. It pays off at higher volumes.
How do secondary operations affect cost?
Spraying, silk screen, plating and assembly each add labor and cost, so they can be a large share of the piece price.
Can you quote a price list for large volumes?
Send your drawing and volume through the wholesale RFQ and we quote unit price and tooling together.
Get a piece price for your volume
Send your drawing, resin, finish and annual volume. We quote unit price and tooling together. Injection molding starts from 500 pcs, and we quote within 24 hours of a complete RFQ.
Talk to HC-Mold engineering
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