Design For Manufacturing

In Plastic Injection Molding

Table of Contents
The Goal of Design for Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

The Basics and Benefits of Design for Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

13 DFM Guidelines for Reducing the Costs and

Challenges Associated with Manufacturing a Plastic Component . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Estimating Manufacturing Costs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Why DFM is Important for the Injection Molding Process. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Benefits of DFM for Plastic Injection Molding. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Critical Elements of Design Optimization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Rosti’s Four-Part Approach to Plastic Part Design Optimization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Understanding Materials for Plastic Components and Their Role in DFM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Discussion Points That Guide Plastics materials Selection for Injection Molding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

A Basic Guide to Material Selection for Injection Molding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Understanding Surface Finishing and its Role in DFM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Material Finishes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Technology Supporting the Plastic Injection Molding DFM Process. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Advantages of a Scientific Molding Process. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

SolidWorks Plastics Premium Allows Rosti to Generate

Dependable Output for Successful Manufacturing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Connect With Rosti. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

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 Design For Manufacturing In Plastic Injection Molding

The Goal of Design for Manufacturing

In the world of plastics, Design for Manufacturing
(DFM) is the combination of art, science and
technologies necessary for designing a plastic part
or product prior to tooling and production that
will meet customer quality and cost expectations.
The goal of DFM is to deliver greater levels of
customer satisfaction, lower production costs and
greater profits.

To achieve its objectives, DFM requires collaboration between the molder, OEM and customer. It
must capitalize upon best in class manufacturing processes. Its principles drive a scientific molding
process that includes materials selection. It needs to acknowledge and work within and up to
the maximum performance capabilities of the molder’s manufacturing equipment. It must utilize
state of the art technology like simulation and enterprise resource planning software in the design
process, and robotics and process control systems for manufacturing.

In this pdf, Rosti explores DFM to help our customers and prospects understand its role during
the design validation process, prior to tooling kick off. You can read through the entirety of our
insights and observations by scrolling through this pdf, or by clicking on any of the links above to
take you to a topic of interest.

The Basics and Benefits of Design for Manufacturing

Design for Manufacturing (DFM) involves designing a product that optimizes manufacturing
efficiencies for the equipment and/or process used in its production in order to realize the lowest
possible unit costs at the highest possible quality. The most important reason for integrating DFM
into manufacturing a plastic injection molded product is that 70% of its manufacturing costs can
be determined by design decisions.

DFM requires choosing the right manufacturing process for a part or product; investments in
different technologies, using state of the art design principles (discussed below), and selecting the
right materials with the right properties to deliver the consistency and quality demanded by your
customers and prospects.

DFM is an instrumental part of another customer demand: lowering manufacturing and assembly
costs. A simple look at the way this is accomplished is presented below; however, when a DFM
plan is completed deskside, it should be an engineering document laser-focused on getting a “just
right” balance of quality and costs.

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 Design For Manufacturing In Plastic Injection Molding

13 DFM Guidelines for Reducing the Costs and Challenges Associated

with Manufacturing a Plastic Component
1. Start DFM early in the design process 7. Design parts to be multi-functional
before tooling has begun
8. Design parts for multi-use
2. Bring engineers, designers, the contract
9. Design for ease of fabrication
manufacturer, the mold builder, and the
material supplier to the table to challenge 10. Avoid separate fasteners
the design
11. Minimize assembly directions
3. Design to reduce the total number of parts
12. Maximize compliance
4. Build it with a modular design
13. Minimize handling and consider how a
5. Limit the number of machine operations design impacts the packaging and shipping
needed of parts
6. Use standard components
Source: Computer-Aided Manufacturing, Second Edition, Tien-Chien Chang, Richard A Wysk, and Hsu-Pin Wang. Pages
596 to 598. Prentice Hall 1998

Estimating Manufacturing Costs

Estimating Manufacturing
Costs of Proposed Design

Reduce costs of Reduce costs of

Reduce costs of assembly
components Supporting Production

Consider DFM impact on

other factors

Recompute Manufacturing
Costs

N Y

Good Enough? Accepted Design

Estimating Manufacturing CostsSource: Design for Manufacturing and Assemble, D. Havel, [Link]
dhaval6693/dfma-57014998

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 Design For Manufacturing In Plastic Injection Molding

Why DFM is Important for the Injection Molding Process

Beyond just estimating manufacturing costs, your injection molder should be using DFM
principles to reduce the costs of components, reduce the costs of assembly, reduce the costs of
supporting production, and to identify the impact of DFM decisions on other factors throughout
the entire design and production process.

Another reason for selecting a molder that uses DFM principles is the increasing complexity of
plastic injection molded parts. Consideration of tolerance, draft angles, undercuts, and more, need
to happen in the design stage in order to achieve the quality/cost requirements of customers.

Benefits of DFM for Plastic Injection Molding

• Lower Production Cost
• Higher Quality
• Quicker Time to Market
• Lower Capital Equipment Cost
• Greater Automation Potential
• Bring Production up to Speed Sooner
• Fewer Engineering Changes
• Lower materials and labor costs
• Reduce product development cycle time
• Emphasis on standards reduces costs

Critical Elements of Design Optimization

Before a mold is created, best DFM practices for plastic injection molded parts incorporate the
following critical elements:

Considering Material Shrink Rate:

Shrinkage is the contraction of the molded part as it cools after injection. All materials have different
shrink rates depending on resin family (amorphous vs. crystalline materials), mold design, and
processing conditions. Resin may also shrink differently depending on direction of flow. As a general
rule of thumb, a 10% change in mold temperature can result in a 5% change in original shrinkage.
In addition, injection pressure has a direct effect on shrinkage rates. The higher the injection
pressure, the lower the shrinkage rate. View typical mold shrink rates here.

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 Design For Manufacturing In Plastic Injection Molding

Draft:
How features of a part are formed in a mold
determines the type of draft needed. Features
formed by blind holes or pockets (such as most
bosses, ribs, and posts) should taper thinner as
they extend into the mold. Surfaces formed by
slides may not need draft if the steel separates
from the surface before ejection. Consider
incorporating angles or tapers on product
features such as walls, ribs, posts, and bosses
that lie parallel to the direction of release from
the mold which eases part ejection.
• A draft angle of at least one-half degree is acceptable for most materials. High-heat and exotic
resign may require one to two degrees of draft. Add an additional degree of draft for every
0.001 inch of texture depth.
• Draft all surfaces parallel to the direction of mold separation.
• Angle walls and other part features formed in both mold halves to aid ejection and maintain
uniform wall thickness.
Uniform Wall Thickness:
Uniform wall thickness throughout a part (if possible) is essential to avoid thick sections. Designing
non-uniform walls can lead to warping of the part as the melted material cools down.

If sections of different thickness are required, make the transition as smooth as possible allowing
the material to flow more evenly inside the cavity. This ensures the whole mold will be fully filled
and will ultimately decrease the chance for defects. Rounding or tapering thickness transitions will
minimize molded-in stresses and stress concentration associated with abrupt changes in thickness.

Incorporating the proper wall thickness for your part can have drastic effects on the cost and
production speed of manufacturing. The minimum wall thickness that can be used depends on
the size and geometry of the part, structural requirements, and flow behavior of the resin. The wall
thicknesses of an injection molded part generally range from 2mm – 4mm (0.080” – 0.160”). Thin
wall injection molding can produce walls as thin as 0.5mm (0.020”). Work with an experienced
injection molder and design engineer to be sure the proper wall thicknesses are executed for your
part’s design and material selection.

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 Design For Manufacturing In Plastic Injection Molding

Radii to Edges:
A Plastic Components Inc. part showing uniform wall thickness and generous radiiIn addition to main
areas of a part, uniform wall thickness is a crucial design element when it comes to edges and corners.
Adding generous radii to rounded corners will provide many advantages to the design of a plastic part
including less stress concentration and a greater ability for the material to flow. Parts with ample radii
also tend to be more economical and easier to produce, with greater strength and appearance.

Many designers think that by making the walls

of a part thicker, the strength of the part will
increase. When in reality, making walls too thick
can result in warpage, sinking, and other defects.
The advantage of using ribs is that they increase
the strength of a part without increasing the
thickness of its walls. With less material required,
ribs can be a cost-effective solution for added
strength. For increased stiffness, increase the
number of ribs rather than increasing height and
space a minimum of two times the nominal wall
thickness apart from one another.

Draft Angle:
How features of a part are formed in a mold determines the type of draft needed. Features formed by
blind holes or pockets (such as most bosses, ribs, and posts) should taper thinner as they extend into
the mold. Surfaces formed by slides may not need draft if the steel separates from the surface before
ejection. Consider incorporating angles or tapers on product features such as walls, ribs, posts, and
bosses that lie parallel to the direction of release from the mold which eases part ejection.

Finishing:
Surface finish options for plastic injection molded parts vary depending on part design and the
chemical make-up of the material used. Finishing options should be discussed early in the design
process as the material chosen may have a significant impact on the type of finish implemented. In
the case where a gloss finish is used, material selection may be especially important. When considering
additive compounds to achieve a desired surface finish and enhance the quality of a part, working with
an injection molder that is aligned with knowledgeable material science professionals is essential.

Consideration of these elements is fundamental for integrating engineering and manufacturing

expertise to catch mistakes, see opportunities for efficiencies and cost reduction, and even assess the
viability of contract requirements. Typically, your injection molder will conduct a detailed analysis of
these elements with your team well before the tooling process is initiated.

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 Design For Manufacturing In Plastic Injection Molding

DFM is not a “stand alone” guideline or principle when it comes to producing plastic injection
molded products or parts. It works with other approaches for design optimization like designing for
functionality, assembly and sustainability, each of which is discussed further, below.

Rosti’s Four-Part Approach to Plastic Part

Design Optimization
1. Design for Manufacturing (DFM) describes the process of designing or engineering
a product to reduce its manufacturing costs, allowing potential problems to be fixed in the
design phase which is the least expensive place to address them.

Depending on various types of manufacturing processes there are set guidelines for DFM
practices that precisely define various tolerances, rules and common manufacturing checks
related to DFM.

2. Design for Functionality Throughout the plastic part design process, it is imperative to
keep focus on the functional requirements of the part. Experienced design engineers should
make recommendations about modifications that will htelp ensure the part meets its functional
requirements including what elements the part will be exposed to, chemical or corrosive
materials the part will need to withstand, functional cosmetic attributes, and more.

3. Design for assembly (DFA) is a process by which products are designed with ease of
assembly in mind with the ultimate goal of reducing assembly time and costs. The reduction of
the number of parts in an assembly s usually where the major cost benefits of DFA occurs.

4. Design for Sustainability refers to manufacturing plastic injection molded parts or

products that combine environmental protection design and technology.

Sustainable design leads to development of plastic products that are lighter, lead and/or poison
free, produce less waste, are recyclable, and require less energy to manufacture, with the aim of
reducing the product’s impact on the environment during its life cycle.

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 Design For Manufacturing In Plastic Injection Molding

Understanding Materials for Plastic Components and

Their Role in DFM
Material selection is a critical part of the DFM
path to high quality/low cost/fast production
plastic injection molded parts and products.
The sheer number of types of plastics and
their associated properties makes discussions
between material providers, injection molders
and product manufacturers critically important,
as addressing specific needs early in the design
process is key to avoiding costly changes later.

Materials selection affects strength and

flexibility, temperature resistance, durability,
appearance, toughness, life-span, and (of course)
production cost. Other needs can include:
When it comes to selecting the right material,
• Agency approvals it takes experience, expertise and discussion to
balance all of these factors prior to building a
• Assembly
mold and tooling. Below you’ll find a discussion
• Chemical resistance guide and a basic overview of materials for use
• Resin availability in your DFM approach and process.

Discussion Points That Guide Plastics materials

Selection for Injection Molding
Chemical resistance Heat, flame or burn Dielectric properties
resistance
Color Embossing requirements
Mechanical conditions
Compliance with NSF Finish requirements
standards Pressure resistance
Food safety
Compliance with RoHS Shelf life
standards Material strength
Child safety
Economic or cost Need for reflectivity or
constraints Compliance with FDA transparency
standards
Environmental conditions Rigidity
Compliance with REACH
Flexibility standards Weight resistance

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 Design For Manufacturing In Plastic Injection Molding

A Basic Guide to Material Selection for Injection Molding

Manufacturers use a wide variety of plastics to mold parts incorporated into products and have
increasingly begun to replace other materials like bronze, stainless steel, aluminum, and ceramics.
Some of the most popular reasons for using or switching to plastic include longer overall lifespan of
the part, reduced wear on other components of a product, faster production line speeds, corrosion
resistance and weight reduction. In addition, companies report an average 25-50 percent cost savings
when parts are converted to plastic which oftentimes exhibit superior performance attributes.

Source: Grandview Research, Injection Molded Plastic Market Report by Raw Material, [Link]
try-analysis/injection-molded-plastics-market

Aligning with your injection molding partner to choose the best resin early in the design for
manufacturability process, is crucial to a part’s production success.

Material selection plays a critical role in the strength and flexibility of your molded part. Addressing
specific needs early in the design process can help you avoid costly changes later. Balancing
characteristics like stiffness, durability, toughness, and others are key in achieving optimal part
functionality. Additionally, it’s important to understand the key differences in some of the more
commonly used resins.

ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) is a common injection molding material that can be sourced
and molded relatively easily, at an accessible price point. It’s a strong, sturdy material that offers good
impact resistance, is easily machined, and meets a variety of aesthetic requirements. The resin is not
ideal for parts that will be subjected to sustained intense heat as it will warp or melt above / around
200 degrees Fahrenheit.

Polycarbonates are a high-grade class of thermoplastics that are easily molded and often increases
shatter resistance. Naturally transparent, polycarbonate is ideal for high-strength glass-like
applications (safety goggles, medical lab applications and more). Polycarbonate isn’t suited for
applications where a higher degree of flexibility is needed or colored aesthetic choices.

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 Design For Manufacturing In Plastic Injection Molding

Glass-filled nylon is a reinforced thermoplastic, where the base nylon resin has glass fibers added to it
for extra strength and heat resistance. This resin is also more nonconductive to electricity than many
others, but despite of its high melting point, it is more susceptible to burning than other materials.

Polypropylene is a flexible thermoplastic that is suitable for industrial and consumer applications.
It’s known as being a highly pliable resin that can be manipulated in many ways without losing its
original shape. Polypropylene also offers resistance to solvents, chemicals and UV rays.

Acetal is known to provide great friction resistance and is a highly rigid material. It can be easily
colored and dyed in the molding process; however, does not offer superior heat resistance.

One of the most vital steps when preparing for injection molding resin selection is to create a
comprehensive material selection list of requirements for the product. The list should most certainly
include price target and resin availability – as resin availability – as resin availability can be a risk and
backup resin choices should be considered.

It’s also important to consider that some characteristics of high heat and exotic resins are unique and
may perform differently from one application to another. To realize both the design and material’s fullest
benefits, experienced design engineers and injection molders have a number of factors to consider.

Understanding Surface Finishing and its Role in DFM

Design for Manufacturing a plastic part or product, prior to building a mold or tooling, must
involve discussions and decisions about surface finishing. Conversations about desired aesthetic and
performance characteristics of the finish will impact type of material selected, additives required, and
other parameters such as fill rate, pressure and temperature tolerances.

In the design stage, the plastic injection molding partner, OEM and customer should be discussing
desired outcomes for the part or product, such as needs for:
• Allowing trapped gasses to escape quickly • Producing a high polish finish
• Eliminating plastic flow creases • Producing a smooth finish
• Getting better sticker adhesion • Producing the highest polish finish
• Improving grip • Removing tooling marks
• Improving paint adhesion • Using texture to make undercuts

Like other components of the DFM approach, surface finishing is part of the cost/quality/customer
satisfaction formula that must occur at the beginning of a contract.

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 Design For Manufacturing In Plastic Injection Molding

Material Finishes

Finish SPI* Standard Finishing Method Typical Surface

Roughness Ra (μm)

Super high glossy finish A-1 Grade #3, 6000 Grit Diamond Buff 0.012 to 0.025

High glossy finish A-2 Grade #6, 3000 Grit Diamond Buff 0.025 to 0.05

Normal glossy finish A-3 Grade #15, 1200 Grit Diamond Buff 0.05 to 0.10

Fine semi-glossy finish B-1 600 Grit Paper 0.05 to 0.10

Medium semi-glossy finish B-2 400 Grit Paper 0.10 to 0.15

Normal semi-glossy finish B-3 320 Grit Paper 0.28 to 0.32

Fine matte finish C-1 600 Grit Stone 0.35 to 0.40

Medium matte finish C-2 400 Grit Stone 0.45 to 0.55

Normal matte finish C-3 320 Grit Stone 0.63 to 0.70

Satin textured finish D-1 Dry Blast Glass Bead #11 0.80 to 1.00

Dull textured finish D-2 Dry Blast #240 Oxide 1.00 to 2.80

Rough textured finish D-3 Dry Blast #24 Oxide 3.20 to 18.0

Finished to the 3.20 (with visible

As machined -
machinist's discretion machining marks)

Source: K. Varotsis, “Injection Molding SPI Surface Finishes”, 3D Hubs [Link]

spi-surface-finishes#finishes

Other Plastic Part Finish Options Include:

• Natural\Exotic • Graphics • Geometric and Linens
• Micro Surface Finishes • Leather Grains/Hides • Images or logos incorporated
into the pattern
• Multi-Gloss Patterns • Woodgrain, Slate and
Cobblestone

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 Design For Manufacturing In Plastic Injection Molding

Technology Supporting the Plastic Injection

Molding DFM Process
Technology and scientific molding-focused
machines in the Plastic Components Inc
facilityIn recent years, plastic injection molders
have turned to the principles and technologies
associated with scientific molding. The goal of
scientific molding is to (1) save developmental
costs and time by eliminating trial and error
in the design process, (2) create dependable,
defect-free tooling that eliminates costly mold
rework, improves part quality, and accelerates
time to market, and (3) create a repeatable and
easily auditable manufacturing process.

The technology of scientific molding is delivered through simulation software like SOLIDWORKS®
Plastics Premium software (mold flow simulation) and executed through robotics and process
control systems like RJG eDart® that produces consistent, high quality parts and products including
predictive insight, process validation and complete process documentation. To complete the technology
picture, plastic injection molders should be using state of the art Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
software like IQMS that provides complete, centralized financial and operational management

Using and integrating technologies supporting the plastic injection molding DFM process is
challenging. It involves communication and collaboration between molder, OEM and customer,
across many different disciplines.

Advantages of a Scientific Molding Process

• Creates a data-driven process that produces repeatable results with little to no variation
• Facilitates smart materials selection
• Gives design engineers the ability to optimize part design for unique applications based on past
learnings and expertise
• Used to optimize tool design or to optimize poorly designed
• Recorded data used to assess quality control and make any necessary tweaks to improve overall
part quality

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 Design For Manufacturing In Plastic Injection Molding

SolidWorks Plastics Premium Allows Rosti to Generate

Dependable Output for Successful Manufacturing

SOLIDWORKS® Plastics delivers easy-to-use simulation for analyzing plastic

parts and injection molds. It simulates how melted plastic flows during the
injection molding process to predict manufacturing-related defects so you can
quickly evaluate part manufacturability while you design.

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Summary
Plastics manufacturing is a highly competitive, global industry where businesses are presented with
both time and cost challenges. Avoiding delays and reducing risks for costly design changes can
mean that your product gets to market faster than your competitors.

The sharp line that was once drawn between development and production is now, oftentimes,
blurred with manufacturers leaning on industry design experts to become involved in the design
for manufacturability process. In fact, manufacturers rank design as the top factor in reducing their
overall manufacturing costs.

Over the years, best practices for tooling and part manufacturing have changed substantially. While
production checklists are still critical components of the process, the work that happens earlier in the
development cycle is what creates real efficiencies in regard to time and budget. When a tool-maker/
injection molder is involved early in the development cycle, customer objectives are understood and
unexpected surprises are avoided.

Are you looking for an injection molding that can provide expert consultation from design to
production completion? Connect with Rosti’s knowledgeable team members that focus on all areas
of design for manufacturability, development, and production.

CONNECT WITH ROSTI

Are you looking for an injection molder that can provide expert
consultation from the design of your metal to plastic conversion
project - straight through to production completion?

Connect with Rosti’s knowledgeable team members

who will focus on all areas of design, development, and production.

Lilla Nygatan 7, 5 tr, SE-211 38 Malmö, Sweden

+46 40 204 701 • rosti@[Link]
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