Insert molding service
Insert molding is molding plastic around a non-plastic part to create a part. With 22 years of Insert Molding experience, Rapid Manufacture has the equipment and knowledge for all custom Insert Molding needs and solutions. Our capabilities perfectly match custom medium/low volume components and equipment in many industries, including medical and industrial.
Rapid Manufacture specializes in insert molding services.
The insert molding process reduces assembly and labor costs, increasing design flexibility and part performance.
Our vertical injection molding machine with a turntable lets us overmold and encapsulate inserts for circuitry, fastening, and connections. Common insert molding products include sensors, switches, connectors, and actuators.
Rapid Manufacture’s insert molding capabilities include:
- Manual and fully automated operations.
- Additional secondary molding.
- Blanking.
- 100% pressure resistance and continuity testing.
Engineering, custom injection molding, and contract manufacturing services are available with our comprehensive technology. Our customers bring demanding applications that require insert molding services, preferably by expert engineers.
Insert molding online quote
Rapid Manufacture offers insert mold services as part of its injection molding capabilities. For a free insert molding design review and quote, upload your CAD files here. Our expert team of injection molders will get back to you within 24 hours. If injection molding isn’t the best fit for you, you could also try urethane casting or 3D printing.
Benefits of Insert Molding
Stronger Parts
Complex parts are created through a “one-shot” process that produces stronger parts than other molder processes.
Durable and Flexible Solutions
Insert molding eliminates fastener wear and tear to increase the life of the part.
Cost and Production Time Savings
By replacing secondary operations and components with an insert molding process or component.
Affordable Tooling
Molds designed for vertical operation are generally less expensive than horizontal molds. The reduced setup time makes short runs economical.
Rapid Manufacture Insert Molding Services
Cable Overmolds (link to Custom Cable Assembly Manufacturing)
By encapsulating wire harnesses in plastic, cables receive additional durability, ingress protection, and cosmetic appeal. Insert molding can also be used to increase cable flex life with an overmolded bend relief.
Soft Touch Overmolds for Grips, Seals, and Aesthetics
Improve aesthetic and ergonomic design of products through custom insert molding. This may include: Grips for ergonomic enhancement Replacing o-rings and gaskets with a soft touch overmolded feature Adding a soft-touch skin to your design for aesthetics and feel
Custom Connectors (link to Custom Connector Manufacturing)
Insert molding can be used to encapsulate electrical contacts in a hard, durable plastic. These custom connectors can be designed to perfectly fit your application.
Fastener Threads and Studs
Use custom insert molding to encapsulate off-the-shelf female threaded inserts or male studs for better product durability.
Design considerations
Rapid Manufacture injection molding services enable you to manufacture parts to meet a variety of functional needs. Unlock the potential of your insert molding project with the following injection molding design considerations:
Insert molding general process information
| Maximum part size | 800 x 800 x 400 mm 31.5 x 31.5 x 15.7 in |
| Minimum part size | 1 x 1 x 1 mm 0.04 x 0.04 x 0.04 in |
| Tolerance | Best achievable tolerance: ±0.001″ (0.025mm) Standard: ±0.005″ (0.127mm) For larger part tolerances please contact a Rapid Manufacture engineer |
| Lead time | As low as 2 weeks for T1 samples After T1 sample approval, lead time for < 10,000 parts is as low as 1 week |
| Tool validation | Standard process is to produce a small set of T1 samples for approval before initiating full production |
| Maximum press size | 1600T |
| Minimum order size | 100 parts and $5000 |
| Set-up fee | $500 per mold per order (applies to sample runs after initial T1 samples or engineering changes) |
Insert molding tooling information
| Rapid tooling | Molds with steel cavity and core with a shot life of 5,000-10,000 shots Typically machined in 2 weeks |
| Production tooling | Steel tool with shot life up to 1M shots Ability to integrate side-pulls or cam-actions Typically machined in 3 weeks |
| Multi-cavity or family molds | Multiple identical cavities or family of parts machined into a single tool Allows for more parts to be produced per shot, minimizing unit costs |
| Inserts | Inserts are placed into the mold and molding occurs around them to extend tool life for critical features Allows for inserts such as helicoils to be molded in your design |
| Most common materials | Other supported materials | Additives and fiber |
|---|---|---|
| Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) | Nylon (PA 6, PA66, PA12) | UV absorbers |
| Polyethylene (PE) | Polycarbonate/Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (PC/ABS) | Flame retardants |
| Polypropylene (PP) | Polyurethane (PU) | Plasticizers |
| Polycarbonate (PC) | Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA/Acrylic) | Colorants |
| High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) | Glass fibers | |
| Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) | ||
| Polystyrene (PS) | ||
| PEEK | ||
| POM (Acetal/Delrin) | ||
| Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) | ||
| Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE) | ||
| Thermoplastic Vulcanizate (TPV) | ||
| Polyetherimide (PEI) | ||
| Polysulfone (PSU) | ||
| Inquire for additional options |
Insert materials
| Metal | Plastic |
|---|---|
| Brass | Polypropylene (PP) |
| Stainless steel | Polyamide (Nylon) |
| Aluminum 6061 | Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) |
| Aluminum 7075 |
Injection molding finishing and post-processing
We can apply a range of injection molding finishing and post-processing options to insert molded parts:
Insert molding colors, finishing, post-processing
| Colors | Finishing and post-processing options |
|---|---|
| Pantone color matching | Standard SPI finishes (A2-D3) |
| RAL color matching | Mold-tech textures also available |
| Pad printing | |
| Inserts (e.g. heat stake inserts) | |
| Light assembly | |
| Protective packaging / film |
Custom Insert Molding Gallery
Check out examples of our custom insert plastic injection molding using our specialized filtration application.
Examples of Insert Molding Applications
Insert molding is suitable for a variety of applications in a variety of industries. Below is an example of Insert Molding produced by Rapid Manufacture:
