SERVICES
Mold Making Service
The mold determines the cost, quality and lifespan of every molded part. We design and build injection molds in our own tool shop — rapid tooling to validate your design quickly, and hardened production tooling engineered for high-volume programs.
WHAT WE OFFER
What We Offer
By Molding Process
Tooling designed around the molding process your part needs.
- ✓Standard two-plate molds
- ✓Three-plate molds
- ✓Two-shot / multi-shot molds
- ✓Insert & overmold tooling
By Production Volume
Rapid tooling for validation, production tooling for long runs.
- ✓Rapid tooling — weeks, not months
- ✓Bridge tooling for early production
- ✓Hardened production tooling
- ✓Multi-cavity & family molds
By Precision
Precision molds for tight-tolerance and cosmetic-grade parts.
- ✓Precision mold making
- ✓Tight tolerance control
- ✓Textured / cosmetic surfaces
- ✓Hot runner systems
HOW IT WORKS
From Inquiry to Delivery
DFM & Mold Design
Part geometry review, gate and runner layout, cooling-circuit design and mold-flow analysis before any steel is cut. DFM is the cheapest revision you will ever make.
Materials Preparation
Mold steel ordered and verified per program class — P20/718 pre-hardened for standard production, H13 or S7 for high-pressure or die-casting work.
CNC Machining
3-axis and 5-axis CNC milling of cores, cavities and inserts in our tool shop; 5-axis cuts deep, angled features that 3-axis would need multiple setups for.
Sinker EDM Machining
Sinker EDM burns sharp internal corners, square pockets and deep ribs that no cutter can reach; electrodes are machined in-house for tight control.
Wire-Cut EDM
Wire EDM cuts through-hardened inserts, core pins and ejector profiles — 9+4 wire-cut machines on our floor.
Assembly & Fitting
Mold-base assembly, core fitting, clearance and alignment checks — the stage where fit-up errors show up before any plastic is shot.
Polishing & Surface Finish
Cavity polishing to SPI grades A1–D3 and texturing or etching for cosmetic surfaces, finished to your surface spec.
Trial & Approval
Trial shots on our Sodick presses, dimensional verification and approval samples before the mold is released to production.
CHALLENGES
Challenges This Service Solves
Molding defects
Too many defects — burn marks, flow lines, sink marks, short shots, flash — during the whole mold life.
Hidden cost
Long injection cycles, rework and untimely communication quietly inflate the program cost.
Repeated trials
The mold is repaired again and again because of design or process problems, delaying the schedule.
Late delivery
Delivery pushed back several times with endless excuses.
FAQ
Mold Making Service — FAQ
Which mold types do you build?
Injection molds — two-plate, three-plate, hot-runner, two-shot and insert tooling — plus die-casting molds; stamping, forging, extrusion and blow molds are outside our tool-shop scope.
How long does mold making take?
Simple small molds 1–2 weeks, medium complexity 2–4 weeks, complex and large molds 8+ weeks; rapid tooling can ship in as little as 7 days.
Which steel gives the best value?
P20 for medium and small molds with general precision; 718 when toughness, hardenability and size push requirements up; H13 for die-casting work.
What tolerance can precision molds hold?
Medical-grade programs are controlled to ±0.005 mm or tighter under ISO 13485; aerospace-class molds are held at micron level.
Do you maintain the mold after delivery?
Yes — maintenance and care guidance is included with every mold; for programs molded with us the tooling stays on file, reorder-ready.
RELATED SEARCHES
What Buyers Search
* Keywords from Semrush competitor data — one page per search intent.
Mold Types We Build, by Process and Volume
Classification follows https://firstmold.com/mold-making-service/ (by molding process, production volume and precision).
Mold Steel Selection Guide
Hardness values are public supplier data; P20/718/H13 guidance per the FAQ at https://firstmold.com/mold-making-service/. MOLDITQUICK keeps all listed grades in stock for in-house tooling.
| Steel | Hardness (HRC) | Strengths | Best For | Typical Life |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P20 | 28–32 | Pre-hardened, easy machining and polishing, low cost | Medium and small molds, general-precision parts | 200k–500k shots |
| 718 (1.2738) | 28–33 | Nickel-added — better toughness and hardenability | Large, complex, precise injection molds | 500k–1M shots |
| NAK80 | 38–42 | Mirror-polish capability, no heat-treatment distortion | Cosmetic, optical and high-gloss surfaces | 500k+ shots |
| S136 (1.2083) | 48–52 | Corrosion-resistant, high hardness | Medical, food-contact and transparent parts | 1M+ shots |
| H13 | 44–52 | Hot-work toughness, thermal-fatigue resistance | Die-casting molds and high-temperature plastics | 500k–1M shots |
| S7 | 56–60 | Impact- and shock-resistant | High-pressure thin-wall and abrasive resins | 1M+ shots |
SPI Mold Classification — Class 101 to 105
SPI / Plastics Industry Association class system; firstmold.com/mold-making-service/ states strict adherence to SPI mold classification standards.
| Class | Cycle Life | Mold Steel | Typical Program |
|---|---|---|---|
| 101 | 1,000,000+ | Hardened tool steel (H13, S7) | High-volume automotive and medical; 5+ year life |
| 102 | 500,000–1,000,000 | Hardened steel | Long-running appliance and power-tool programs |
| 103 | 300,000–500,000 | P20 / 718 pre-hardened | Standard consumer-goods production |
| 104 | ~100,000 | P20 or aluminum | Bridge tooling, pilot programs, spares |
| 105 | < 500 | Aluminum / soft tooling | Prototype validation and design iteration |
Mold Lead Time and Cost: What the Numbers Really Are
Cycle and cost-share figures are public values from the FAQ at https://firstmold.com/mold-making-service/; MOLDITQUICK program lead times are our own standard commitments.