When this applies
- Hundreds to low thousands of plastic parts
- A production-material part is needed, not a print
- Demand is uncertain and steel tooling is hard to justify
- A bridge is needed before full production tooling
Tooling options at low volume
Aluminium and soft-steel tools cost substantially less and are built faster than hardened production tools, at the cost of shorter life and sometimes longer cycle times. For quantities in the hundreds or low thousands, that trade is usually the right one.
- Aluminium tooling — fast, lower cost, limited life
- Soft steel — middle ground on cost and durability
- Single cavity — lower tooling cost, longer runs
- Family tools — several parts in one mould
Design factors that drive tool cost
Undercuts, side actions, tight tolerances and cosmetic surface requirements all add tooling complexity. Reviewing the part for moldability before quoting — draft angles, uniform wall thickness, generous radii — frequently removes cost from the tool rather than the part.
When not to mould
Below roughly a hundred parts, machining from plastic stock or additive manufacturing may beat tooling outright. Ask suppliers to compare the total cost of tooling plus parts against a tool-free route at your actual quantity.
RFQ checklist
Include these in your request and suppliers can quote without a round of questions.
- 3D model of the part
- Resin or required material properties
- Quantity now and expected total over the tool's life
- Cosmetic requirements and surface finish
- Who owns the tool and where it is stored