Although a more expensive capital investment upfront, a hot runner system is a significantly more cost-efficient means to keep production costs to a minimum over the long run.

Resin Savings
Since there is no cold runner to discard or recycle, resin consumption is reduced. Depending upon the molding application (i.e., medical components or parts requiring FDA approval), the product may require 100 percent virgin material—increasing overall consumption.

Energy Savings
Energy is wasted plasticizing, cooling and regrinding each cold runner that is produced. Increased energy consumption also is a direct result of extended cycle times.
Labor Savings
Secondary operations—such as manual part de-gating and trimming—are eliminated entirely with a hot runner system.

Mold Cost Savings
A smaller cavitation hot runner equipped mold may be able to satisfy production quotas using a smaller number of cavities since it runs at a faster cycle. The smaller mold frame size may enable installation into a smaller press.

Injection Press Costs
Hot runners allow reduced injection pressures during packing, as the system does not have to deal with injecting resin through a cooled runner. Melt in the cold runner may lose heat en route to the gate, possibly requiring higher heats and/or pressures from the injection molding machine. By reducing the injection pressure and clamp tonnage required, it is often possible to run the same part in a smaller tonnage machine as the clamp tonnage required is not as great.