Injection Molding

Optimize Your Part & Tool Designs for Manufacturability
Tool Production & Injection Molding Under One Roof
Simplify Your Supply Chain with Flexible Sourcing

Get a Quote

Trusted by Industry Leaders

																			“Fathom has been a strong partner on our EV programs. They helped us optimize a few key components for weight and manufacturability, and they consistently hit the tolerances we need. Their fast turnaround times have kept our development cycles moving, which is critical in EV work.”
																		

Senior Manufacturing Engineer

EV Systems Supplier

																			“I’m impressed with your quality, expertise, speed, and customer service.”
																		

Professor James F. Antaki, PhD

Carnegie Mellon University

																			“The team at ICOMold continue to provide us with great service. Starting with initial DFM reviews, fast tooling development and quick turn-around times, ICOMold is a partner keeping us on track to deliver quality products to our customers. Thank-you to all the ICOMold team.”
																		

Tim Latham / Project Manager

Litepanels, Inc.

																			“We have been very satisfied with ICO’s performance in every aspect: pricing, delivery, quality, and customer support. It is a pleasure doing business with ICO, and honestly, I wish there were more companies like them.”
																		

Mark Merg / Procurement Manager

Alpha High Theft Solutions

																			“I want to thank you and the rest of the team for the great support. Over the 15 years that I have been working with mold vendors I have never seen such personal attention and such great communication efforts in addressing my concerns on samples. The fact that ICO went the extra step to provide me with a second set of samples at no cost and in two days to improve my texture concerns goes a long way. I know that I have made the right choice going with ICO. I’m looking forward to a long relationship with you and the rest of the ICO team.”
																		

John Doe

Level, LLC

																			“This is a huge milestone for our team. This product is no longer a vision… I received the parts today from ICOMold. They look and function great! I don’t see any reason why we cannot move forward now and order parts for the upcoming proto build.”
																		

Dave Boretti

Schneider Electric

																			“As a small, growing company, we cannot say enough good things about ICOMold. They have been willing and able to adapt to our rapidly changing needs and have helped us get out of a pinch on occasion. Special thanks to Brian and Carla – they have been great to work with!”
																		

Scott

SLight LLC

																			“It has been a genuine pleasure dealing with the ICOMold team. You have been very patient and have been a wealth of helpful information. Your response times to my questions and comments are superb and your answers are specific and to the point. Thanks for your patience and all the time it has taken to get the details worked out.”
																		

Scott Bixler

Polyvance

																			“We are very pleased with ICOMold. Response time is fantastic, customer support is great, and the online group project management tool is very helpful.”
																		

Connie Blevins / Quality Coordinator

Leprecon

																			“I have to say that so far I’ve enjoyed this process – having the customer portal (and your well-detailed DFM reports) makes it very easy to comply with the design requirements.”
																		

Cory Starr

Blaster One

																			“I just wanted to let you know, we have all been very impressed with the quality and turnaround time of our parts. We have used several shops in the past, but so far the quality of ICOMold has been the best we have ever received.”
																		

Gregg Garrett

VEGA

																			“I just want to compliment you and your team how you are managing this project with all of the changes on the fly. Kudos.”
																		

Mark Ezzo / Plastics and Composites Engineer

Materials & Chemistry Network of Excellence

																			“Our SteriPen product must meet the quality standards of a medical device — if it ever malfunctions, people will get sick. Yet it must be economical enough to permit many people to own one. And we need the design flexibility to keep pace with rapidly changing technology. Our production at ICO meets all three challenges.”
																		

Don Snoke / VP of Operations

Hydro-Photon, Inc.

																			“I was very impressed with your company’s ability and willingness to work with a novice in plastics as I am, and work through some design changes. I have learned a lot from you and hope this is a huge success for both of us. Frankly, I did contact two other companies and they acted like they had no time for me!”
																		

Kevin Jensen

Quik-Load

																			“After reaching out to over 20 manufacturers, ICOMold was the only one that was able to take on my project, create the molds and manufacture the parts I needed. What impressed me the most is that they were able to work overtime to meet my demanding deadline and get the parts to me on time.”
																		

Aziz Razakov

Berry Good Bottle

																			“I found it refreshing to work with a company with such a phenomenal online quoting tool. It allowed us to experiment with different materials, quantities, and mold configurations to see the cost impact in real time.”
																		

Mike Yin / Founder

Nunchuck Grips LLC

																			“The parts came in a few days ago and I wanted to thank you and your team on the very impressive quality of the parts. We were thoroughly impressed by the finish and clearness of the parts. Thank you for the great customer service and we are looking forward to using your expertise in future projects.”
																		

Akash Shankar

PMC Smart Solutions

																			“We appreciate the effort you put into making our order smooth. The molded parts are used in our device that makes water safe to drink in areas of the world that do not have access to safe water. Thanks again for everything!”
																		

Sarah Yoder

WaterStep

																			“Fathom brings an open mind to each project with a positive attitude to tailor their processes to meet my needs, from part design to mold build and molding. They work hard to make sure my needs are met with a professional attitude, expertise, on-time delivery and competitive pricing.”
																		

Bob Rohr

RDR Design and Development LLC

																			“With their response time, quotes and communications, Fathom is highly regarded because they are always upfront. They say what they do and do what they say.”
																		

John Doe

Consumer Technology Company

																			“It is a pleasure to work with a company whose personnel are willing and able to think out of their box. With your commitment to staying on the cutting edge of technology, you supply tooling to us that is right on time and works first shot.”
																		

Norman R. Akens

Medical Murray

																			“Quick response time for RFQ, excellent lead time for rushed order and quality parts were manufactured and delivered on-time.”
																		

Manufacturer of Compressed Gas Storage Systems

																			“The workmanship was outstanding – we are over-the-top happy with the unit! The product that arrived at my door far exceeded our expectations, and all on short notice…amazing. Please pass our very best wishes on to everyone on your team who was involved in fast-tracking our prototype. It all started with you and your can-do attitude, Nate. I cannot thank you enough!”
																		

Larry Cole

TerraCube

																			“Fit and finish is great and the parts passed all our regulatory tests. Thank you for all your help and for the role you played helping the factory work through some of the stickier parts of the design.”
																		

Drew Macrae

Linkitz

																			“As a small, growing company, we cannot say enough good things about ICOMold. They have been willing and able to adapt to our rapidly changing needs and have helped us get out of a pinch on occasion.”
																		

M. Nasilevich

Morpho Detection

How Plastic Injection Molding Works

01 Part & Mold Design

A design analysis is highly recommended to optimize your tool and part designs for manufacturability. This process often uncovers issues that need to be fixed, such as inadequate draft, thick-to-thin wall transitions and poorly-designed bosses. These problems should be resolved before tool construction begins. Gating, cooling and venting are also important considerations during tool design.

02 The Molding Process

Plastic pellets are placed in a heated chamber, where they melt. The two halves of the mold are tightly clamped together. The molten plastic is injected under high pressure into the closed mold cavity through the runner and gate system. The amount of material and pressure is precisely calculated so the resin fills the mold completely. Cooling channels built into the mold help to cool it quickly. The part is then ejected.

03 Post-Processing

As a first step, any runners or flashing are trimmed from the freshly-molded parts. If inserts were not placed in-mold, they can be heat staked into the plastic to make it easier to assemble with other components. They may also be ultrasonically welded to other parts. Injection molded parts may be painted and are often pad printed or laser marked to add labels and instructions.

Advantages & Disadvantages of Injection Molding

Advantages

High-Volume Production

Injection molding is extremely efficient for producing large quantities of identical parts, with cycle times that can be as short as a few seconds.
Low Cost Per Part

For large production runs, the cost per unit is very low, making it ideal for mass manufacturing.
Low Labor Costs

Injection molding is highly automated, requiring only one operator to manage multiple machines, which significantly reduces labor costs.
Design Flexibility

Injection molding enables you to create complex and intricate designs with fine details.
Precision & Consistency

Injection molding produces parts with tight tolerances and a high degree of consistency from one part to the next.

Disadvantages

High Tooling Costs

The cost of creating the custom mold can be very high, sometimes reaching tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars, making it impractical for small production runs.
Long Lead Times

The design and manufacturing of the mold can take weeks or even months. Once production starts, the cycle time for each part can be lengthy, depending on its size, thickness, and complexity.
Design Limitations

Parts must be designed with the molding process in mind. Features like undercuts and sharp corners can be difficult or expensive to produce, and uniform wall thickness is generally required.
Part Size Limitations

While there is no theoretical limit to the size, very large parts require enormous, expensive machines and molds, and can be prone to issues like warpage and uneven cooling.

Is Injection Molding a Good Fit for Your Application?

Injection molding is one of the most common manufacturing methods in the world. Its versatility means it has found a home in many industries.

Medical

Injection molded components are commonly used in surgical tools, including scalpel handles, forceps and clamps. They are also found in knee and hip joints and dental implants. Finally, injection molded components are used in medical instruments like MRI machines.

Automotive

Injection molding’s versatility and the durability of the parts it produces mean they’re found just about everywhere in the interiors and exteriors of today’s automobiles: Bumpers, dashboards, cup holders, wheel covers, mirror housings, for example.

Electronics

Look for injection molded parts in device casings and enclosures, housings for computers and related equipment, electrical switches, battery enclosures and connectors for networking cables.

Specialty Molding Options

Fathom offers multiple options for more complex injection molding needs:

Multi-Cavity Molding

We can mold multiple parts in a single tool, depending on their size. This is especially valuable if you need a lot of small parts produced quickly.

Family Molds

A special type of multi-cavity tool that enables you to produce several types of similar parts (such as right and left sides or the top and bottom of a product) using a single tool.

Insert Molding

A metal part, such as a threaded component that will accept a screw, is placed into the tool. Plastic is then molded around it. In some cases, inserts are “hot staked” into the parts after they are molded. Inserts are often used in parts that will become part of a larger assembly.

Overmolding

A part is first molded using rigid plastic. A softer material is then molded over the top of it so that the finished part is easier and more comfortable to hold. Overmolding is done in a single tool using an automated two-step bi-molding process. It’s a complex process that requires a team of experienced injection molding technicians to get it right.

Two-Shot Molding

We build bi-injection rotary tools that enable two-shot molding – a process where two materials are molded together in a single cycle.

U.S. vs. Overseas Injection Molding

Fathom offers multiple options for injection molding. As your needs grow, we can grow with you.

Overseas

ICOMold by Fathom helps you multiply the effectiveness of your supply chain by providing you with a low-cost, high-quality overseas source for injection molding. You also get high-touch, personalized service from our knowledgeable U.S. engineers, who will also manage your project from prototype to production parts.

U.S.-Based

Fathom can help you with your U.S. injection molding needs. We utilize state-of-the-art mold-making technologies to provide you with high-quality plastic injection mold design, precision mold making and close-tolerance injection molding for your projects.

Hybrid

With this option, we build more robust export tooling overseas and then ship it to the U.S. for part production. It’s ideal for companies that need to scale up part production and want to reshore their parts to do so. This combination of domestic and international plastic injection molding solutions enables you to compare them side-by-side to determine the best fit for each of your projects.

U.S. vs. Overseas Injection Molding

Fathom offers multiple options for injection molding. As your needs grow, we can grow with you.

Overseas	U.S.-Based	Hybrid
ICOMold by Fathom helps you multiply the effectiveness of your supply chain by providing you with a low-cost, high-quality overseas source for injection molding. You also get high-touch, personalized service from our knowledgeable U.S. engineers, who will also manage your project from prototype to production parts.	Fathom can help you with your U.S. injection molding needs. We utilize state-of-the-art mold-making technologies to provide you with high-quality plastic injection mold design, precision mold making and close-tolerance injection molding for your projects.	With this option, we build more robust export tooling overseas and then ship it to the U.S. for part production. It’s ideal for companies that need to scale up part production and want to reshore their parts to do so. This combination of domestic and international plastic injection molding solutions enables you to compare them side-by-side to determine the best fit for each of your projects.

Engineer Better Parts for Injection Molding

Learn best practices for wall thickness, draft, gating, and material selection to reduce risk and improve manufacturability. A must-have guide for creating parts that scale cleanly from prototype to production.

Get the Guide

Case Studies

MedicaSafe

Learn More

Hand Safety Tool

Learn More

Explore Fathom’s Full Range of Manufacturing Equipment

Download our complete machine list for a detailed look at our capabilities across CNC machining, additive, molding, and fabrication.

Download Machine List