We receive numerous inquiries regarding our short run low volume capabilities. PlastiCert bills itself as being THE supplier for OEMs requiring injection molding but short run and low to middle volumes.
What do we mean by short run, or low to medium volume? Or more important, what constitutes and short run or volume level?
The more significant aspect of runs or volume is not how many, but how often. Because a mold is required to make injected molded parts, a mold requires ongoing production to cost justify injection molding your parts.
When it does come down to run length or quantity of parts, PlastiCert truly is a champion of the low quantity user. It hinges on whether you will ever order them again because the cost of the mold will make that one-time order cost prohibitive. Whether you are a big or small OEM, if you have a demand for 50 parts, we can accommodate that. PlastiCert processes orders as small as 50 parts. On average, our customers order between 1,500 – 2,00 parts per release. We do a rare release for 100,000 parts, for PlastiCert, that is high volume.
Two representative parts made with a “limited feature” prototype mold to facilitate getting parts and reduce cost
One-time runs are usually referred to as prototypes, and we have means of accomplishing that for you to help keep costs under control. PlastiCert customers typically work with products utilizing engineering resins (composites). Advances are taking place but 3D printing capabilities in these engineered resins are quite limited. Also, the entire methodology of 3D printing (the layering process) creates a part not fully representative, physical property wise, of the end part the OEM is after. 3D printing of both molds and parts has been evolving for 20 years but PlastiCert still does not offer it, as few of our customers perceive value in it. There are ways of controlling mold cost to help facilitate getting the prototype you need, to know whether a project should go to the next level.
So, if your need is for short run, low or medium volume, repetitive orders, then PlastiCert is the place you need to be. Give us a call or drop us a line. We’ll be happy to discuss what we can do to make you part now and well into the future.