Eikenberry understands there are many variables involved in the production cost of plastic parts or products. Sometimes, people will call with just an idea for a product or part, sometimes with more specific information and material. And their first question is generally "How much will it cost?"

We can provide an accurate, detailed quotation for your next project based on the information you provide us. Our experienced quoters understand all aspects of the process, and will guide you through the steps.

The Quotation Process Step-by-Step

Generally, the first question we need to answer is, "Is it manufacturable?" Manufacturability issues include:

Is the piece too large for us to produce?
Is the quantity needed large enough to be cost-effective?
Does it have “undercuts” or die-lock situations, where you end up with large edges trying to move through smaller openings

As part of the quoting process, you will need to provide certain information, and answer a series of questions before we can provide an accurate quote, including:

A detailed product description

Size of product – please provide three-dimensional specifications of part(s)
What type of molding process to use to manufacture the pc? Depends on material used and other factors

Press capacity - how many are needed and how many can we produce, in what period of time?

Do you have existing tooling (molds)? – You must first have a mold before a part can be made. The largest cost in the manufacturing process is for the mold

Do you need us to design / build molds for you? – some of the factors used in determining the cost of a mold include:
- The geometry and/or complexity of the part
- Any secondary motions in the mold, such as cam slides, or lifters
- Will the part need to be produced on a Cold runner or Hot Runner system?
- Is special gating needed?
- Can our UNI-Frame system be used?
  - We can use a Master Die Unit (MUD) and run your MUD parts.
  - This is an economical process that saves tooling money
- Any additional design consultations needed - please provide any available schematics, blueprints, CAD computer files, and/or any available prototypes or samples, as well as material specs or samples

Specification of material: there are 40 - 50,000 types of plastic available. Selection is based on a number of factors:
- Type of environment for use: high / low temp, high moisture / underwater
- Subject to grease / oil
- Subject to chemicals or corrosives; salt, acids

Properties of plastic needed, including:
- Hydroscopic properties
- Lubricity
- Chemical Resistance
- Heat deflection
- Dielectric properties (will it retain a spark or let it pass through)
- Strength properties
- Tensile strength
- Flex modules
- Notched izod (?)

Quotation Process: Determining the Actual Cost

Using this information, the cost to produce the part is determined, based on these factors:

What type / size machine will be needed to produce product?
Run Size – how many pieces are required?
Raw Material Cost - we calculate the volume of the part to get raw material cost
Fillers – If strength is an issue, we suggest the use of fillers, such as:
- Fiberglass
- Minerals, such as mica
- Talc
- Calcium Carbonate
Any automated secondary operations required? There are a number of processes available, such as:
- Pad Printing - adding graphics to plastic parts like dashboards. Available in multiple color paints
- Product Decoration - hot stamping (imprinting on plastic with color tape or foil); apply labels or decals (for ID #s, etc.)
- Ultrasonic Welding - used to bond two pieces of plastic together; from a single point to a full sphere, using “tongue and groove” principle
- Ultrasonic Insertion - used to place brass threading into plastic parts
- Drilling / Milling operations – “de-gating” to remove excess plastic from parts, used for closer fit tolerances
- Assembly – including inserting springs, adding an insert, or heat staking
We determine the Cycle Time – how many hours needed to produce X amount of parts
Packaging Cost - number of parts per package; our bulk pack or manual individual packaging for market, usually provided by customer

Normal turnaround time for a quotation is about a week, but can be expedited if necessary.

For a quote or more information about how we can help your project, call 765-457-1166, or send us an email, or submit this short form:

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