Design Guide:
Injection Molding
VERSI ON 2
I N J ECT I ON MOL DI NG G U I D E V 2
Table of Contents
Overview...........................................................................................3
Size Limitations.............................................................................................3
Plastic Part Tolerance...........................................................................4
Materials...........................................................................................6
Fillers & Additives.........................................................................................8
Surface Finishes.....................................................................................9
Draft Angles on Part Surfaces............................................................11
Undercuts......................................................................................12
Snap Fits.......................................................................................................12
Wall Thickness.....................................................................................13
Thin Walls Decrease Cycle Time...............................................................13
Warpage....................................................................................................14
Bosses, Ribs, & Gussets......................................................................15
Part Radii & Fillets................................................................................16
Resources At Xometry........................................................................17
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I N J ECT I ON MOL DI NG G U I D E V 2
Overview
To get the most out of your Xometry Injection Molding experience, we offer the following part Design Guide with
recommendations for part design, materials, surface finish, draft, wall thickness and undercuts. This Design Guide
will help you achieve parts that are easily moldable while meeting your structural and cosmetic requirements.
Your part may not conform to these guidelines and Xometry will gladly quote those parts, but it will take us a little
bit longer to provide you with a quote.
Size Limitations
Injection molding can handle large parts as well as tiny parts. Due to Xometry’s Manufacturing Partner Network,
we can review mold opportunities of various shapes and sizes.
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I N J ECT I ON MOL DI NG G U I D E V 2
Plastic Part Tolerance
Injection molds are precision machined from aluminum or steel. These molds are typically machined to typical
CNC tolerances of +/- 0.005”, unless a tighter tolerance is specified. When plastic is injected into a mold, it cools
and shrinks. The exact amount of shrinkage is a function of the resin being used. Each mold is machined slightly
larger than the part to account for shrinkage of the resin when it cools. Although this shrinkage rate is very
predictable, slight variations in the resin affect the shrinkage and hence the final part tolerance. The shrinkage
variation gets larger as the part gets larger, so depending on the material you should expect the tolerance due
to shrinkage to be roughly +/- 0.002 in./in. (0.05 mm/mm). The result is that a 4” ABS part will have a tolerance
of roughly +/- 0.010-0.011” (.28 mm).
Part to part, the repeatability is very consistent, with little or no deviation.
Additional considerations that affect part tolerance include the registration of the two mold halves (in X and Y)
and closure or seating of the two mold halves (in Z). These variables will affect features formed by the parting
surfaces or shut-off surfaces (See illustration below). Fixed Dimensions are those dimensions not affected by
mold closure and flash thickness variation. Closure Dimensions are those dimensions that can be affected by
flash thickness variation.
If your tolerance needs are tighter than standard plastics tolerances, please let us know your design requirements
and we will work with you to meet your needs.
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INJEC T I ON MOL DI NG GUI DE V2 — PART T OL ER A N C E
Xometry’s standards are as follows:
• Lead time stated is for first article shipment. Remaining production time is confirmed after first article
approval.
• Typical first article shipments are 10 pieces.
• Xometry cannot guarantee a perfect color match per Pantone color.
• All quotes are based upon the assumption that designs have an adequate draft, radii, and coring for
manufacturability. Design changes post-order may affect pricing and lead times.
• Cores, side actions, and tooling strategy are determined by Xometry unless explicitly discussed.
• Unless noted, tolerances are +/- 0.010” between the manufactured part and 3D CAD. Part-to-part repeatability
is typically under 0.004”.
• Gating, ejection, knit lines and parting lines are at the discretion of Xometry unless explicitly discussed.
Example of a gate location in a finished part Example of knit lines in a finished part
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I N J ECT I ON MOL DI NG G U I D E V 2
Materials
The injection molding process offers a vast array of plastic resins to work with. These materials have been
developed to meet specific requirements for strength, high temperature and chemical resistance, abrasion
resistance and low friction. Thermoplastic resins fall into two distinct categories, each with their own advantages
and disadvantages.
Amorphous Thermoplastics: For clear or opaque parts and include polycarbonate, acrylic, PETG, ABS and
Polysulfone.
• Advantages: Bonds well using adhesives, very stable dimensionally and good impact resistance.
• Disadvantages: Low resistance to fatigue and stress cracking.
Semi-Crystalline Thermoplastics: These include the polyethylene family (LDPE, HDPE, UHMW-PE), Polypropylene,
nylon, acetal and fluoropolymers.
• Advantages: Excellent for bearing, wear and structural applications, good chemical and electrical resistance’
lower coefficient of friction.
• Disadvantages: Difficult to bond with adhesives, only average impact resistance.
These resins can be categorized as a) low cost commodity resins, b) medium cost engineering resins and c) high
cost high performance/specialty resins (see table below).
AMORPHOUS RESINS S E M I C RY S TA L L I N E R E S I N S CO S T
High-Performance/Specialty High-Performance/Specialty
Polyetherimide or PEI Polyetheretherketone or PEEK
Strength: High Strength: High Expensive
Heat & Chemical Resistance: High Heat & Chemical Resistance: High
Applications: Aerospace Applications: Bearings, medical implants
Engineering Engineering
Polycarbonate or PC Polymide or PA (Nylon)
Transparent Strength: Moderate to high
Strength: Moderate Chemical Resistance: High Moderate
Heat Resistance: High Abrasion Resistance: High
Electric Insulator: High Shrinkage and Warp: Low
Applications: Electrical, windows Applications: Auto parts, textiles
Commodity Commodity
Polystyrene or PS Polypropylene or PP
Transparent Flexibility & Toughness: High
Inexpensive
Strength: Low Chemical Resistance: High
Heat Resistance: Low Fatigue Resistance: High
Application: Cutlery, cups Applications: Bottles, crates & cases, living hinges
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I NJ ECT I ON M OL DI N G GUI DE V2 — MA T ER I A L S
Xometry Injection Molding offers a wide array of resins for most applications. For the fastest quote response,
select from the following list of materials. If the material you are interested in using is not on this list, If you plan
to supply your own resin, please indicate your preference in the “Additional Information” section and send us a
link to the MSDS and process data sheet documents.
M AT E R I A L N A M E A LT E R N AT E N A M E
ABS Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene
PC-ABS Polycarbonate Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene, PC/ABS
Acrylic (PMMA) Polymethyl Methacrylate
Delrin (Acetal, POM) Polyoxymethylene
HDPE High Density Polyethylene
LDPE Low Density Polyethylene
Nylon 6/6 Nylon 66
Overmold Multiple polymers or elastomers
PBT Valox, Polybutylene Terepthalate
PC-PBT Xenoy
PEEK Polyether Ether Ketone
PEI (Ultem) Polyetherimide
PET Rynite, Polyethylene Terepthalate
PLA Polylactic Acid
Polypropylene (PP) Polypropylene
Polystyrene (PS) Polystyrene
PPE-PS Noryl, Polystyrene Polyphenyl Ethers PS/PPE
PPS Polyphenylene Sulfide
PSU Udel, Polysulfone
PVC Polyvinyl Chloride
TPE (elastomer) Santoprene, thermoplastic elastomer
TPV (rubber) Rubber, thermoplastic elastomer vulcanized
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I NJ ECT I ON M OL DI N G GUI DE V2 — MA T ER I A L S
Fillers & Additives
Part strength can be improved by the addition of reinforcing materials such as glass fibers. Fillers such as glass
fibers can be added to many resins to make them stronger and stiffer, while at the same time making them
slightly more brittle. Other fillers such as talc can be used to increase the hardness of molded parts. Other fillers
such as glass beads and fused silica can be used to reduce the flexibility of a part, reduce warpage or minimize
shrinkage. Additives such as UV stabilizers, static dissipating agent, or flame retardant can be added to the resin
compound if required.
Note that fillers often change the look of the part, including a “splay” appearance showing dominant flow pathing
and blotches from material fill.
A part made from a material with added filler
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I N J ECT I ON MOL DI NG G U I D E V 2
Surface Finishes
All molds are machined from aluminum and/or steel and the molded part will pick up even the smallest
imperfection in the mold surfaces. The machining marks left by the end mills will be transferred to the molded
part if not removed by bead blasting or polishing. In many cases, particularly on the inside of a part which is
not visible to the eye, the tooling marks can be left on the mold and it will make no difference to the function or
cosmetics of the part. Those surfaces which are visible, however, require additional finishing. Almost all molds
are finished to some degree, but the more polishing required, the higher the cost of the mold tooling and the
longer it will take to complete the mold.
T YPIC AL
SPI FINISH DESCRIPTION ADDED E XPENSE
A P P L I C AT I O N S
A-1 Grade #3, 6000 Grit Diamond Buff High polish parts $$$$$
A-2 Grade #6, 3000 Grit Diamond Buff High polish parts $$$$
A-3 Grade #15, 1200 Grit Diamond Buff High-low polish parts $$$$
B-1 600 Grit Paper Medium polish parts $$
B-2 400 Grit Paper Medium polish parts $$
B-3 320 Grit Paper Medium-low polish parts $$
C-1 600 Stone Low polish parts $
C-2 400 Stone Low polish parts $
C-3 320 Stone Low polish parts $
D-1 Dry Blast Glass Bead Satin finish $
D-2 Dry Blast #240 Oxide Dull finish $
D-3 Dry Blast #24 Oxide Dull finish $
A variety of matte surface textures
that are more coarse than SPI
MT110XX D-3. Please specify which texture Textured finish $$$$
is required before submitting the
project
Continued on next page »
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INJECT I ON MOL DI NG GUI DE V2 — SURFA CE F I N I S H ES
T YPIC AL
SPI FINISH DESCRIPTION ADDED E XPENSE
A P P L I C AT I O N S
A variety of almost leather-like
texture options. Common for
MT112XX automotive interiors. Please specify Textured finish $$$$$
which texture is required before
submitting the project.
A variety of textures from lines,
to swirls, to wood grain. Please
MT114XX Textured finish $$$$$
specify which texture is required
before submitting the project.
Pattern-style textures such as
diamond, circular, or square grids.
MT116XX Please specify which texture is Textured finish $$$$$
required before submitting the
project.
Other Mold Non MoldTech finishes or custom
Textured finish $$$$$+
Texturing texturing
As-Machined No additional finishes are required. $
An example of a part with an “as-machined” finish
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I N J ECT I ON MOL DI NG G U I D E V 2
Draft Angles on Part Surfaces
Unlike a CNC machined part which can have vertical walls, injection molded parts almost always have draft, or
slightly slanted walls. This is because parts with vertical faces would become stuck in the mold, particularly on
the b-side or core side of the mold as the part cools and contracts onto the core. Trying to push the part out of
the mold would require too much force and risk bending the ejector pins.
Adding draft angles to the part surfaces are needed to facilitate ejection of the part from the mold. Most CAD
systems allow you to add draft quite easily, but this should be done at the last stages of part design to keep
complexity to a minimum. Since adding draft changes the overall shape of a part, it is not easy for your molder
to know how to add draft and still preserve the intent of the part. Hence, in most circumstances, parts should be
properly drafted when sent to the molder.
Not all surfaces require the same draft. Surfaces that are textured, for example, need more draft to avoid getting
hung up in the mold. Here is a sample of the more common draft angles and their applications:
S U R FAC E D E S C R I P T I O N MINIMUM DR AFT
For “near-vertical” requirements 0.5°
Most common situations 2°
All shutoff surfaces 3°
Faces with light textures 3°
Faces with medium textures 5°+
Undrafted Drafted
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I N J ECT I ON MOL DI NG G U I D E V 2
Undercuts
Many plastic parts can be molded in a straightforward two-part mold. More complex part geometries, and parts
that contain snap fittings, have undercuts which prevent the part from ejecting from the mold. These undercuts
are common and are created using a mechanism called a slide, side core, cam or hand load. If the undercut is
on the outside of the part the side cores slide in from the side with each opening and closing of the mold. If
the undercuts are on the same side of the part, more than one undercut can be handled by a single side core.
Undercuts that are on the inside of a part are handled by a similar sliding mechanism called a lifter. Due to the
constraints of the mold tooling and molding press, these side cores and lifters have a limited depth or pull.
In many cases, the function of the undercut can be achieved by clever design without requiring a side core. If at
all possible, use these design tricks to avoid the cost of a side core which can heavily affect tooling cost.
Snap Fits
While there are many reputable guides that go into depth about Snap Fits, one area that is often neglected is
the importance of eliminating the slide or side core with proper design. In the case of a simple cantilever snap,
the slide can be eliminated by providing a small slot at the base of the cantilever or by moving the snaps to the
outside of the part. This is called a pass-thru core. You can see an example of this in the part shown.
Requires slide in mold No slide required
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I N J ECT I ON MOL DI NG G U I D E V 2
Wall Thickness
Unlike CNC machined parts, plastic injection molded parts benefit from a consistent wall thickness. If a part is
thicker in one section than another, a sink mark will appear at that location, possibly impacting the aesthetics
of the part. Hence, a significant amount of design time for a properly designed part is spent “coring out” thicker
sections and carefully designing ribs and bosses to ensure a consistent wall thickness throughout. Modern CAD
design software has aided this task considerably with functions that allow the designer to “shell” a part to a
specified thickness after the basic shape has been achieved.
Sink marks in finished parts
Selecting the proper wall thickness is a function of the selected resin (see chart below), but for many applications,
a wall thickness of .060” - .100” is sufficient. If more strength or rigidity is required, rather than add wall thickness
which increases the cost of the part, add a set of evenly distributed ribs.
Thin Walls Decrease Cycle Time
Cycle time equals cost so reducing cycle time is an important design goal. Parts with thick walls take longer to
cool, increasing cycle time. Hence, the thinner you can design the walls of your part, the shorter the cycle time
and the lower the cost of your part. In theory, cooling time is proportional to the square of the heaviest part wall
thickness.
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INJECT I ON M OL DI N G GUI DE V2 — WA L L T H I C K N ES S
Warpage
All parts shrink as the resin cools in the mold. Parts with uniform wall thickness shrink uniformly and avoid warp
and sink marks. Non-uniform walls will cool and shrink at different rates, increasing the amount of warp inherent
in the part design. Whenever our molding experts spot a potential problem due to non-uniform wall thickness,
we will alert you and recommend that you modify your part using a uniform wall thickness.
If it is necessary to have a non-uniform wall thickness, the change in thickness should not exceed 15% of the
nominal wall thickness and always use a smooth or tapered transition to ensure a successfully molded part.
M AT E R I A L R E CO M M E N D E D WA L L T H I C K N E S S
ABS 0.045 in - 0.140 in
Acetal 0.030 in - 0.120 in
Acrylic 0.025 in - 0.500 in
Liquid Crystal Polymer 0.030 in - 0.120 in
Long-Fiber Reinforced Plastics 0.075 in - 1.100 in
Nylon 0.030 in - 0.115 in
Polycarbonate 0.040 in - 0.150 in
Polyester 0.025 in - 0.125 in
Polyethylene 0.030 in - 0.200 in
Polyphenylene Sulfide 0.020 in - 0.180 in
Polypropylene 0.035 in - 0.150 in
Polystyrene 0.035 in - 0.150 in
Polyurethane 0.080 in - 0.750 in
Not recommended Recommended
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I N J ECT I ON MOL DI NG G U I D E V 2
Bosses, Ribs, & Gussets
Bosses are cylindrical standoffs molded into a plastic part to accept an insert or a self-tapping screw or pin for
assembling or mounting parts. Bosses should be attached to a side wall or rib to enhance the structural rigidity
of the part. The outer diameter (OD) of the boss should be 2 ½ times the diameter of the screw diameter for
self-tapping applications.
Where extra strength is required, many designers will add internal ribs to stiffen flat walls or support external
loads. Similarly, gussets are ribs which connect a boss to the floor of a part. The thickness of a rib or gusset
should be no more than 60% of the overall part thickness to minimize visible sink marks on the outside of the
part. For example, a part with an outer wall of 0.120” should have internal ribs at about 0.070” thickness.
Bosses should be attached to a side wall or rib rather than freestanding
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I N J ECT I ON MOL DI NG G U I D E V 2
Part Radii & Fillets
As previously discussed, all molds are machined out of either aluminum or steel using machine tools and rotating
end mills. As a result, certain geometries, such as sharp internal corners, are difficult to create without reverting
to more expensive manufacturing techniques such as electronic discharge machining or EDM. To keep the cost
of the mold as low as possible, eliminate all sharp corners that might will require the use of EDM. In addition,
sharp corners within the mold can weaken the resulting part as molten plastic is forced to flow across or fill in a
sharp corner. For that reason, use your CAD system’s filleting tool to add a fillet and create smooth transitions
between the walls and features of your part. The only place on your part where sharp corners are naturally
created is at the parting surface or other shut off surfaces.
Not recommended Recommended
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I N J ECT I ON MOL DI NG G U I D E V 2
Resources at Xometry
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