How a Cooler Blow Is Made

Primary process: Blow Molding. The full route, materials, tolerances and design tips for a cooler blow, with an indicative cost.

Blow MoldingPrimary process
PolymerFamily
7Route steps
+/-0.3mmTypical tol.

A cooler blow is primarily made by Blow Molding. Blow moulding inflates a hot plastic tube (parison) against a mould cavity with air, forming a hollow one-piece part. Below is the full route to make a cooler blow, the materials it suits, the tolerances to expect and the main design points. The route is free, from the finder.

Step by step

How a cooler blow is made

The usual route, raw material to finished part. The amber step is where the cooler blow gets its basic shape.

  1. Material

    Select the polymer grade and colourant for the cooler blow and dry the pellets.
  2. Tooling

    Cut the steel or aluminium mould that forms the cooler blow.
  3. Blow Molding

    Melt the plastic and inflate the parison against the mould to make the cooler blow.
    Tooling Medium to high   Tolerance ±0.3 to 1mm   Lead 6 to 12 weeks
  4. Trim

    Trim the edges, flash and any waste material.
  5. Secondary

    Where the cooler blow needs them, add inserts, printed graphics or machined details.
    Tooling None   Tolerance ±0.125mm, to ±0.025mm   Lead 1 to 10 days
  6. Assembly

    Where the cooler blow joins other parts, snap-fit, weld or bond it into the finished product.
    Tooling Low   Tolerance good   Lead immediate
  7. Inspection

    Check fit, finish and any functional dimensions.

Need the real cost for a cooler blow? The free route above is yours. Unlock the full dossier to quote and source it.

Unlock for $2
Precision

Tolerances to expect

TYPICAL TOLERANCE IT CAN HOLD
+/-0.3mm typicalcoarsefine+/-1mm+/-0.1mm+/-0.01mm+/-0.005mm
Where this process typically lands. Tighter is possible with extra operations like grinding, at higher cost.
Materials

Materials for a cooler blow

GradeWhy it suits this
PETClear, strong, recyclable
HDPEOpaque, chemical
rPETRecycled
Design

Design tips

General pointers. The full design-for-manufacturing list for a cooler blow is in the dossier.

  • Over-weight bottle. Light-weight the preform.
  • Non-standard neck. Use a standard closure finish.
Cost

What a cooler blow should cost

Bottles and hollow parts; pennies at scale, resin weight is the biggest lever. Blow near the filling line.

PER-PART COST vs VOLUME
one-offat volumeVolume per order, low to highCost per part
Per-part cost drops as volume spreads tooling and setup over more parts. The exact figures for a cooler blow at your volume, in your currency, are in the dossier.
MODEL EST.
$0.38 to 0.64 per part at 1,000 off
A rough ballpark only. The dossier gives should-cost at your exact volume and currency, with the full breakdown.
GET THE FULL DOSSIER

Everything you need to quote and source it

The free route above is yours. To actually put a number on a cooler blow and buy it well:

  • Should-cost at your exact volume in 12 currencies, with the material, processing, tooling and overhead breakdown
  • Who to source from, typical MOQ and lead time, and the exact RFQ checklist to send
  • A quote checker that tells you if a supplier quote is fair, and the red flags to watch
  • The full DFM list and a ready-to-send RFQ draft

One part is $2, once. Pro is every part, plus the tracker, compare and sync. Cancel anytime.

BEYOND MANUFACTURING

41 verified industrial-engineering tools

SistematikWork is a whole IE platform. Past the free finder, there are 41 ready Excel calculators, templates and CAD guides, each built from real coursework and checked against known values.

Manufacturing & OperationsQuality & ReliabilitySupply ChainProject & StatisticsEngineering Career

See also: How Blow Molding works and the full route for a cooler blow in the finder.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How is a cooler blow made?
A cooler blow is primarily made by blow molding. The route is: Material; Tooling; Blow Molding; Trim; Secondary; Assembly; Inspection.
What does a cooler blow cost?
It depends on size, tolerance and volume. As a rough ballpark it starts around $0.38 to 0.64 per part at 1,000 off and falls with quantity. The dossier gives should-cost at your exact volume and currency. A model estimate, not a quote.
What material is a cooler blow made from?
Common choices are PET; HDPE; rPET.
What is the main process for a cooler blow?
Blow Molding. Bottles, tanks, containers and ducts in high volume.
See the exact route and should-cost for your part

The free finder maps your part to its process and full route. Pro adds should-cost at your volume, sourcing and an RFQ draft.

Open the finderSee Pro