Product customization is an ultimate opportunity to cater to your clients without altering your production chain significantly. Small changes mean the world to clients when those changes are personal. Engraving products or altering the color of a component make the product feel special to the client – and they are when made to order through manufacturing customization.
The question is how to offer product customization for your plastic products without disrupting your manufacturing and logistics solutions. Fortunately, plastic is both the easiest to customize and to alter the mold plans quickly with each order. Will you work with multiple suppliers? Build a customizable manufacturing sequence, or handle the customization by hand?
Start with modest custom features. The best way to apply personalized details is in-line with your production. Choose one detail, maybe two, to customize about the object – or printed from a standard template in the chosen size. Manufacture with equipment that can apply a programmatic variable feature. Laser etching and label printing can both adapt to the programmed content with each product – the device itself doesn’t have to print the same image every time. This introduces the possibility of product customization and, therefore, an opportunity for your customers to make special requests without interrupting the manufacturing process.
Build Engraving Into the Pipeline
Engraving a product requires a single step in your manufacturing process. You can now perform engraving through several mediums in a method much like printing. Words or images can be entered into the machine and the pattern will appear engraved on the product(s). Include an engraving device in your pipeline, and you can offer custom engraving of your products – without an unnecessary two-step interruption.
With this, your clients can have their products engraved. Initials, inscriptions, or simple images are an elegant addition to many products.
Product Differences by Product Diversity
Another approach is through a variance of suppliers and vendors. If you sell a product that comes in a few designs, colors, or styles, you can offer a fuller selection by sourcing from more than one manufacturer. For more extreme variance between products, you may even require different supplies to offer a selection. Rods of different lengths, for example, or sourcing different colored components from separate suppliers.
Alternate Color Injection Molding
Injection molding can often include more than one nozzle, material, and/or color to make an entire item. The item begins building from the core and molded layer after layer by injecting plastic in a predetermined model. You can use this method to create batches of items in a selection of colors or made-to-order manufacturing, calling on separate injection molding nozzles to print alternate color and material products on demand – depending on the design of your injection molding equipment.
Print Special Edition Labels
Label printing is another opportunity to customize without complicating the process. Labels are printed through a programmable system, not typesetting, so you can customize labels easily in batches or for a singular product. Traditionally, product label customization has been limited to marketing campaigns and product variation. However, you can offer special edition labels, labels for events and weddings, joke labels, or labels bearing initials and other formal personalization.
Laser Engraving and Custom Image Printing
Along similar lines, laser printing and plastic image printing can customize your products on the fly. Customers can choose their favorite image or even upload an image to print on their item. You can supply design elements for customers to build their own images, like trophy and plaque engraving design, where a little guidance produces a more satisfying end-product. These variations are easy to accommodate with modern laser engraving and plastic printing as part of your manufacturing chain.
Staying Profitable with Product Customization
Finally, remember to monitor the profitability of the customization. The smaller changes in your manufacturing process, the better, as this minimizes the cost of changing components, changing molds, or adding a manufacturing step.
There is certainly profit to be found from offering personalization on popular items. Just be sure that your revenue from personalization and detail selection outweighs the cost of diversified manufacturing.
The Straightforward Plastic Parts Manufacturing Steps:
Step 1: Design
Plastic Parts Manufacturing Design for Manufacturability (DFM)
First, we work with you to understand the plastic product or part’s intent and application requirements. In order to move forward with the project, we need an approved engineering CAD file and a drawing file (PDF) outlining tolerances, surface finishes, and textures of the custom plastic parts. If you already have an engineering CAD file, send it to us and we’ll move on to Step 2. If not, we’ll work with you to design the CAD file, using any sketches, descriptions, or specific requirements you have. If a physical plastic part already exists, we can reverse engineer it to create a detailed design. IMS can handle the design internally or collaborate with a partner designer.
Note: An engineering CAD file (STEP or IGES) is necessary for injection molding. An STL file is only applicable for 3D printing and is not sufficient for quoting, modifying, or measuring for injection molding.
Step 2: Prototype
We create a prototype using the engineering CAD design, typically via 3D printing. CNC machining is another option. Then, we test the prototype to ensure it meets the design’s intended purposes and application requirements. If necessary, revisions are made to the design based on the prototype evaluation.
Step 3: Design for Manufacturability (DFM)
At this stage, the design is optimized for the chosen manufacturing method (e.g., injection molding, 3D printing, CNC machining), ensuring design suitability. We also finalize plastic material selection and determine production volume to optimize cost-effectiveness. If you’re looking for sustainable options, IMS offers biodegradable plastics and also works diligently to reduce our carbon footprint and plastic waste overall.
The DFM phase ends with an optimized part design suitable for application and manufacturing, with final approval for moving towards tooling. If changes need to be made, we go back to the prototyping stage to confirm suitability.
The first three steps—Design, Prototype, and DFM—are essential for providing you with an accurate quote. Once we have DFM approval, IMS will provide you with a detailed project quote.
Step 4: Tooling – Mold Design and Mold Production
Tooling – Mold Design and Mold ProductionIMS partners with expert toolmakers both domestically and overseas. These partnerships allow us to provide our clients with precision molds customized to ensure plastic components form, fit, and function. The tooling experts confirm the part design for moldability before producing the mold. This ensures that the molten plastic will be shot into the mold correctly, helping to avoid defects like flash or sink. If there are any concerns with the design, we go back to the DFM process.
Step 5: Sampling
Using the new, custom mold, the toolmaker produces a short run of parts to evaluate. Those samples are then sent to IMS for evaluation. We compare them to the engineering drawings to ensure they meet tolerances and application requirements. Any molding defects are addressed, potentially adjusting the tool if needed.
Once we have approved the samples, the tooling has any last surface finishes added. The finalized injection mold is then sent to our facility to enter production.
Step 6: Production
At this stage, our facility produces your fully functional, optimized parts at scale, ready for use in their intended applications. During the injection molding process, we ensure optimal cycle times to keep your project on time and on budget. We also offer a range of post-process services, including insert molding, pad printing, and parts assembly.
The Key to Success in Custom Plastic Manufacturing
Selecting the correct plastic manufacturing process
There are various custom plastic manufacturing techniques, and it is imperative to select the most apt process for your custom plastic part as it can impact the final quality, cost, lead time, etc. Let’s understand the various factors that you must consider when selecting the correct plastic manufacturing process for achieving the best results:
Part Complexity and Form
The first factor for selecting the correct manufacturing process is the part’s complexity and form. Manufacturing processes are typically limited if the parts have complex internal features or tight tolerance requirements. For example, Blow molding is best suited for large, hollow parts, but if the part design has a complex geometry, then the best-suited manufacturing process would be injection molding.
Material
The next factor to consider is the material of the part! The material that is employed must be able to withstand the stresses that the part will be subjected to.
In addition, certain materials are better suited for certain processes. For example, PVC is apt for extrusion molding, but if your custom plastic parts require PET, then blow molding is a more apt plastic manufacturing process.
Production Costs
The next consideration factor is the production cost. Certain processes, such as injection molding and blow molding, have higher upfront tooling costs, but they are cost-effective for high-volume production runs, whereas vacuum forming and 3D printing manufacturing processes have comparatively lower upfront costs but higher per-unit costs if the volume production run is low.
Part Volume
The total volume of parts plays a significant role in determining the manufacturing process.
You should note that certain manufacturing processes have a higher up-front setup cost, but they can create extremely cost-effective parts, whereas low-volume manufacturing processes have lower startup costs, but the cost per part is higher due to slower cycle times and less automation. For example, injection molding and blow molding techniques are best suited for high-volume production runs, whereas vacuum forming and 3D printing techniques are best suited for low-volume production runs.
Lead time
The next consideration factor is the lead time, i.e., the time frame in which you need your parts to be ready. Certain processes can create parts within 24-48 hours, while others can take weeks to months.
Custom Plastic Manufacturing Suggestions
Creating custom plastic parts is a cumbersome process. You can, however, ensure its success and efficiency by ensuring the following:
Consult Design Experts
Although custom plastic manufacturing is very inclusive of features, there may be certain features that are not possible. It is recommended that you consult design experts in such cases.
Being Flexible
You should be ready to make adjustments to your designs as per the suggestions. You should note that the more flexible you are towards making design adjustments, the less time you will spend on the product revision.
Choosing the Right Team
It is crucial to choose the correct team for your project as your team will make all the difference. They will ensure that all aspects to select the most apt custom plastic manufacturing process have been evaluated.
Custom-made plastic parts are popular due to their flexibility, durability, and precision. How do these intricate components go from a concept to a tangible product? The creation process balances engineering techniques and skilled workers to meet specifications and performance standards.
Custom plastic part manufacturing starts with an idea and finishes with components that are ready for practical use. By breaking down how custom-made plastic parts are created, we can appreciate the level of expertise that goes into this technical process.
Designing the Concept of the Plastic Part
Every custom plastic part begins with a concept. During the design process, engineers and designers collaborate to craft a blueprint based on the client’s requirements. This stage involves careful consideration of the part’s intended purpose, size, functionality, environmental conditions, and longevity. Using computer-aided design (CAD) software, specialists create 3D models of the part to visualize and refine the idea before manufacturing.
Material Selection for Best Performance
The materials define the performance of custom plastic parts. Strength, flexibility, resistance to environmental factors (heat, moisture, or chemicals), and budget constraints influence this decision. High-performance plastics—nylon, polycarbonate, or polyethylene—are ideal depending on the part’s application. Material selection requires testing and consultation to confirm the plastic will perform as intended under different conditions.
For example, polycarbonate is great for headlight lenses in the automotive industry due to its high impact resistance, optical clarity, and ability to withstand UV exposure and temperature fluctuations.
Creating Prototypes for Validation
Once the team finalizes the design and materials, they begin creating prototypes. Manufacturers can test the physical model of the part before entering production. Creating prototypes helps them evaluate the design for functionality, durability, and fit. It also helps designers identify and fix flaws before mass production starts. Additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, excels in this area. It caters to quick, cost-effective prototype production.
In the automotive industry, a company designing a new engine component may use 3D printing to create a prototype of the part. They can test this prototype for tolerances, compatibility with other elements, and performance under simulated operating conditions. By identifying potential issues in this phase, manufacturers can make necessary adjustments to the design before advancing to full-scale production.
Developing the Mold
For custom-made plastic parts, the mold shapes the component. Mold development is a meticulous process tailored to match the specifications outlined in the design stage. Computer numerical control (CNC) machining and electrical discharge machining (EDM) are popular for sculpting molds to match intricate designs. This step requires precision because inaccuracies in the mold can compromise the entire batch.
Injection Molding and Production
Manufacturers begin the production process once they prepare the mold, often using injection molding. Plastic pellets are melted into a liquid state and injected into the prepared mold under high pressure. After the part cools and hardens, the operator removes it from the mold. Injection molding is efficient, allowing manufacturers to produce large quantities of identical plastic parts with minimal waste in a relatively short time. The ability of this process to deliver precise and intricate parts makes it an industry favorite.
Quality Testing After Production
Quality assurance is paramount in the manufacturing of custom plastic parts. Each component undergoes rigorous testing to meet specified tolerances, dimensions, and mechanical properties. Manufacturers use coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) and optical scanners to verify dimensional accuracy, while stress tests help them analyze the part’s durability under various conditions.
In the automotive industry, a plastic gear in a transmission system might undergo thermal cycling and load testing to ensure it can withstand temperature changes and mechanical stress without cracking or deforming. Comprehensive testing helps manufacturers deliver reliable and safe products.
Surface Finishing and Detailing
Once quality testing confirms that the parts meet all standards, manufacturers may apply finishing touches to get the part’s surface quality and appearance up to par. Trimming, deburring, polishing, or coating can refine the part, enhance its visual appeal, and guarantee it functions seamlessly in its intended application.
In medical device manufacturing, a plastic casing for a handheld diagnostic tool may undergo ultrasonic polishing to achieve a smooth, hygienic finish that’s easy to clean and comfortable for patients and technicians to handle. Finishing also improves safety by removing sharp edges and boosts compatibility with other components by meeting tight tolerances.
Delivering the Finished Product
After surface finishing, the parts are ready to go to the client. At this stage, manufacturers may provide additional services, such as assembly or customized packaging, to ensure the parts remain intact during shipping. The delivery marks the culmination of weeks or months of detailed design, precision manufacturing, and thorough testing.
The Role of Advanced Technologies
Technological advancements continue to shape the manufacturing process of custom plastic parts. AI-driven modeling, advanced 3D printing, and automated quality testing streamline operations, reduce errors, and enhance the precision of each step. These technologies also allow faster project timelines so that clients receive their components as soon as possible.
Applications Across Industries
Custom-made plastic parts are created for the automotive, aerospace, healthcare, and electronics industries. For instance, these parts provide lightweight solutions in automotive manufacturing for better fuel efficiency. Similarly, plastic’s biocompatibility and sterilization capabilities make it ideal for medical devices. These applications demonstrate how versatile and essential custom plastic parts are in today’s world.
The Benefits of Custom Plastic Parts
Custom-made plastic parts offer several advantages. Business leaders can create components that outperform generic alternatives by altering the design, material, and production methods. Their lightweight nature and resistance to corrosion and chemicals set them apart. Additionally, customization eliminates the need for multiple adjustments, speeding up integration into final assemblies.
A Sustainable Approach to Plastic Manufacturing
Sustainability is a priority in any manufacturing process, and the production of custom plastic parts is no exception. Many manufacturers incorporate recycled plastics into their processes or explore biodegradable materials to minimize environmental impact. Additionally, reducing material waste during injection molding and reusing scrap plastic are two ways manufacturers uphold ecological responsibility while maintaining quality.
Custom plastic parts are the backbone of many industries, combining intricate designs, innovative technologies, and quality assurance. By opting for these tailored solutions, business leaders can enjoy superior performance, reliability, and sustainability while meeting their operational requirements.
Creating your first custom plastic part can be an exciting journey filled with opportunities for innovation and creativity. We’ve covered the essential steps, from conceptualizing your design to selecting the right manufacturing process. Remember, experimentation and iteration are key—don’t hesitate to explore different ideas and approaches to achieve your vision.
If you have any questions or need support as you embark on this journey, we are here to help.
Manufacturers use a wide range of different molding techniques to create different components and products, including blow molding, compression molding, extrusion molding, and rotational molding. Injection molding is a popular, versatile, and cost-effective method for producing plastic goods. A heated liquid resin is injected into a mold at high speeds so it fills the entirety of the mold (including any crevices or complex shapes). There, it cools and cures into a hardened plastic form before being ejected for finishing, packaging, and shipping. This process can be used with high-volume and low-volume orders of goods varying in size and complexity.
How do you create custom plastic parts?
Propose a design / Pick a resin / Choose the manufacturing process
Create a prototype / List your part specifications / Manufacture the custom part
If you’re new to the business of creating plastic products, you may be wondering how to create custom plastic parts.
Manufacturing custom plastic parts for any application is a lengthy step-by-step process. There is a certain sequence of events that needs to be followed to properly design and produce your custom plastic parts. There are also plenty of factors, techniques, and trends to consider in the world of plastics.
Want to learn more? This article walks you through the key steps in creating custom plastic parts, and some of the key challenges you’ll encounter during the process. Read on!
Propose a Design
If you’re interested in making custom parts, you’ll likely already have a design idea in your head. If so, start your design process by making a sketch. Make sure all the important parts of your idea are visible and detailed.
If you’re unable to adequately sketch your idea, you can also have someone else draw it for you. Note that the clearer and more detailed the sketch is, the better.
Once you have a sketch, you can have an engineer create a 3D model of your proposed custom part using a 3D software program. At this point, there will be a lot of trial and error as you notice flaws in your design.
At this stage, you should consult with someone well-versed in plastic part engineering. They will be able to determine if your design is fit for manufacturing and if it will fulfill the intended function. Feedback will help you improve your design further.
Plastic molding began in the late 1800’s to fill the need for plastic billiard balls as opposed to the commonly used ivory billiard balls of the time. In 1868, John Wesley Hyatt invented a way to make billiard balls by injecting celluloid into a mold. Four years later, Hyatt and his brother invented and patented a machine to automate the process. This was the first plastic injection molding machine in existence and it used a basic plunger to inject plastic into a mold through a heated cylinder.
In 1946, the screw injection molding machine was invented by James Hendry, which replaced the plunger injection technique. This is the technique most commonly used today.
Modern rotational molding also has a rich history beginning in 1855 when rotation and heat were used to produce metal artillery shells in Britain.
Plastics were introduced into the process in the early 1950’s, when rotational molding was first used to manufacture doll heads. And then in the 1960’s the modern process of rotational molding that allows us to create large hollow containers with low-density polyethylene was developed. In recent history, process improvements, better equipment, and plastic powder developments have sped up the process of creating finished products which has caused rotational molding to grow rapidly in popularity.
This is one of the most widely used methods. Molten plastic is injected into a mold cavity under high pressure. Once the plastic cools and solidifies, the mold is opened, and the final product is ejected. It’s suitable for producing a wide range of products, from small components to larger items.
Injection Molding in High-volume Production
In high-volume production, injection molding is used to manufacture large quantities of identical parts efficiently and cost-effectively. The process is optimized for speed, consistency, and economies of scale. Here’s how it’s applied:
Mold Design and Fabrication: The process begins with designing and fabricating the injection molds. These molds are precision-engineered to create the desired product shape and features. The upfront tooling costs can be significant but are justified by the large production volume.
Mass Production: Once the molds are ready, the injection molding machines are set up for mass production. Molten plastic material is injected into the mold cavities under high pressure. The mold is then cooled, and the solidified plastic parts are ejected.
Automation: High-volume injection molding is often highly automated. Robots can handle tasks like loading and unloading molds, quality inspection, and packaging. Automation ensures consistent production and reduces labor costs.
Quality Control: Stringent quality control measures are in place to ensure that the produced parts meet the required specifications. Any defects or variations are detected and addressed promptly to maintain product consistency.
Efficiency and Speed: The focus is on producing as many parts as quickly as possible without sacrificing quality. The cycle times for injection molding are relatively short, enabling rapid production.
Cost-Effectiveness: Injection molding’s cost-effectiveness becomes more apparent as the production volume increases. The tooling costs are spread across a large number of parts, leading to a lower per-unit cost.
There are several means by which plastics are created and fabricated, and then there are the means behind how they can produce the plastics outside of just the craton. Every product has a priority that must be met, so to make this happen, they all must be fabricated for these different jobs. Here is a guide to the processes of custom plastic fabrication to better develop how plastics have changed our lives.
Processing Through Molding
When working with plastic, it doesn’t start out as plastic at all. In fact, it starts out as a by-product of petroleum. When oil is being produced, a resin is left over as a by-product, and from that same resin, we are able to extract the material and form it to create what we know as plastics. There are several ways we form plastics depending on the chemical makeup and density of these plastic materials, and these are those methods.
Injection Molding
With this method, the resin is literally injected via a large syringe into a mold while in liquid form, and it fills the mold and sits in place until it hardens. Once it hardens, it is taken out of the mold, and you are left with the piece that you wanted to create. This is a great way of achieving a perfect piece every time with die-cast molds. A great example of this is custom acrylics fabrication. If you’ve ever noticed just how perfect plastic pieces are shaped, this is why. It is especially important in the industrial sector, where plastics are used for gears and tools in the manufacturing industries, where these same pieces go into mechanics and need to be fitted perfectly in order to work correctly.
Vacuum Molding
This method is an interesting method. It is used for high detailed pieces with very intricate molds. The resin is vacuumed into the mold with such force that it folds over the mold and creates whatever it was molded to. Then the mold is removed, and you are left with your newly formed piece that will be used for whatever it was created to be used for. While injection molding is for more solid pieces that have less detail, vacuum molding catches every crease and dot. All of the imperfections to create something truly marvelous and perfected like a chiseled piece of artwork.
Blow Molding
This design process is made for the more specific pieces, most of which are hollowed in the center. It makes sense for bottles and bags, cups and bowls; anything that has an opening would suggest that the piece is blow molded. These molds are important to plastic manufacturing, equally as much as any other, as they all have different roles that they carry with them.
Thermoforming
A particular set of plastics are made for this process and can only be used for this process alone. When making products, they have to be stamped and labeled because this particular type of plastic can be reverse engineered. This is the only kind of plastic that can be reduced to oil or recycled, depending on the need. These plastics are in demand as recycling has finally caught on globally, and thermoforming has made its way into mainstream culture. It’s now cooled to recycle because so many now understand the benefit and the state of the world as it stands right now.
Choosing the Right Process
There are different factors that all go into how and why plastics are made, as they can’t all just be dialed up and produced all at once. First, there has to be a demand for them, but what is even more important is the ethic behind why they are being produced, which means that there is a priority that must be met first. Things such as the form type, materials used, the cost and volume of the product creation, and the time are all intertwined and have everything to do with how and why we produce plastics the way that we do, from an ethical perspective.
Form
As discussed before, the form must be decided on based upon the demand for it. If more solids are needed or hollowed pieces, then whichever has the higher demand gets decided on. Of course, there is a demand for all of them, but depending on which has the highest rate and volume is how it’s determined which to make first and at what rate to meet those needs.
Material
This is a huge component of plastic generation as all plastics are not made equal. As we said before, not all plastics are able to be recycled, so they can’t be thermoformed unless they are recyclable. They have to be a part of a very specific entity of plastics available. So, the most imperative thing you can do when building anything with plastics is to know which plastic to use for your project and outcome. If you know the details and characteristics of that plastic, you will be much better off with whatever you choose to use it for.
Cost Vs. Volume
The prices that are set can fluctuate at any time, depending on the market. This also effects how the volume will increase and decrease, so it’s all weighing on each other, and that’s why these things have to be evaluated daily
Product customization is an ultimate opportunity to cater to your clients without altering your production chain significantly. Small changes mean the world to clients when those changes are personal. Engraving products or altering the color of a component make the product feel special to the client – and they are when made to order through manufacturing customization.
The question is how to offer product customization for your plastic products without disrupting your manufacturing and logistics solutions. Fortunately, plastic is both the easiest to customize and to alter the mold plans quickly with each order. Will you work with multiple suppliers? Build a customizable manufacturing sequence, or handle the customization by hand?
Start with modest custom features. The best way to apply personalized details is in-line with your production. Choose one detail, maybe two, to customize about the object – or printed from a standard template in the chosen size. Manufacture with equipment that can apply a programmatic variable feature. Laser etching and label printing can both adapt to the programmed content with each product – the device itself doesn’t have to print the same image every time. This introduces the possibility of product customization and, therefore, an opportunity for your customers to make special requests without interrupting the manufacturing process.
Build Engraving Into the Pipeline
Engraving a product requires a single step in your manufacturing process. You can now perform engraving through several mediums in a method much like printing. Words or images can be entered into the machine and the pattern will appear engraved on the product(s). Include an engraving device in your pipeline, and you can offer custom engraving of your products – without an unnecessary two-step interruption.
With this, your clients can have their products engraved. Initials, inscriptions, or simple images are an elegant addition to many products.
Product Differences by Product Diversity
Another approach is through a variance of suppliers and vendors. If you sell a product that comes in a few designs, colors, or styles, you can offer a fuller selection by sourcing from more than one manufacturer. For more extreme variance between products, you may even require different supplies to offer a selection. Rods of different lengths, for example, or sourcing different colored components from separate suppliers.
Alternate Color Injection Molding
Injection molding can often include more than one nozzle, material, and/or color to make an entire item. The item begins building from the core and molded layer after layer by injecting plastic in a predetermined model. You can use this method to create batches of items in a selection of colors or made-to-order manufacturing, calling on separate injection molding nozzles to print alternate color and material products on demand – depending on the design of your injection molding equipment.
Print Special Edition Labels
Label printing is another opportunity to customize without complicating the process. Labels are printed through a programmable system, not typesetting, so you can customize labels easily in batches or for a singular product. Traditionally, product label customization has been limited to marketing campaigns and product variation. However, you can offer special edition labels, labels for events and weddings, joke labels, or labels bearing initials and other formal personalization.
Laser Engraving and Custom Image Printing
Along similar lines, laser printing and plastic image printing can customize your products on the fly. Customers can choose their favorite image or even upload an image to print on their item. You can supply design elements for customers to build their own images, like trophy and plaque engraving design, where a little guidance produces a more satisfying end-product. These variations are easy to accommodate with modern laser engraving and plastic printing as part of your manufacturing chain.
Staying Profitable with Product Customization
Finally, remember to monitor the profitability of the customization. The smaller changes in your manufacturing process, the better, as this minimizes the cost of changing components, changing molds, or adding a manufacturing step.
There is certainly profit to be found from offering personalization on popular items. Just be sure that your revenue from personalization and detail selection outweighs the cost of diversified manufacturing.