Manufacturing Process
|
tooling cost
|
piece prices
|
piece sizes
|
labor cost
|
lead times
|
production rate
|
cycle times
|
Thermoforming
Snap-back Forming Drape Forming Pressure Forming Twin-sheet Thermoforming Vacuum Forming
|
low |
vary depending on machinery |
extremely large |
high |
6-8 weeks
|
high |
from 1 min
|
Extrusion Profile Extrusion Blown Film Extrusion Foam Extrusion Sheet Extrusion Pultrusion |
low |
medium |
medium |
Medium |
3-5 weeks |
high |
n/a |
Blow Molding BM Injection Blow Molding IBM Stretch Blow Molding SBM Extrusion Blow Molding EBM Injection Stretch Blow Molding ISBM |
moderately expensive |
higher than injection molded parts, but lower than rotationally molded |
moderate |
low |
4-8 weeks |
low |
3-10 min |
Injection Molding IMGas Assist GAIM Reaction RIM Liquid LIM 2-Shot TSIM |
generally the highest |
lowest available |
very large |
low |
8 – 12 weeks |
High |
10 to 100 seconds |
Transfer Molding TM Resin RTM Vacuum Assisted VARTM Low Pressure LPRTM |
low |
|
|
low |
short |
rapid |
40-45 min |
Insert Molding IM Multiple Insert Tooling Film insert molding FIM |
high |
|
|
low |
2 to 6 weeks |
high |
10 to 100 seconds |
Rotational Molding RM |
Very low |
high |
small to large |
low |
3-5 weeks |
moderate |
40-45 min
|
Compression Molding CM |
moderate |
moderate |
large |
low |
2 to 6 weeks |
medium |
Relatively slow |
Dip molding |
fairly low |
fairly high |
|
|
3-7 weeks |
|
40-45 minutes |
Structural Foam Molding |
moderate |
moderate |
large parts |
|
|
moderate to high |
|
Large Part Structural Foam Molding |
fairly |
typically low |
large parts |
|
|
|
|
Urethane Foam |
low |
generally high |
|
|
short
|
|
long
|
Plastic Lumber |
low |
low |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
high |
|
Cold pressure molding |
|
|
|
|
|
rapid |
|
EPS (Expanded Polystyrene) |
fairly high |
low |
|
|
|
|
|