How a Plastic Fitting Is Made

Primary process: Injection Molding. The full route, materials, tolerances and design tips for a plastic fitting, with an indicative cost.

Injection MoldingPrimary process
PolymerFamily
7Route steps
+/-0.05mmTypical tol.

A plastic fitting is primarily made by Injection Molding. Plastic injection moulding injects molten polymer into a cooled steel mould under pressure; it solidifies and ejects as a finished part in seconds. Below is the full route to make a plastic fitting, 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 plastic fitting is made

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

  1. Material

    Select the polymer grade and colourant for the plastic fitting and dry the pellets.
  2. Tooling

    Cut the steel or aluminium mould that forms the plastic fitting.
  3. Injection Molding

    Melt and form the polymer in the cavity to make the plastic fitting.
    Tooling High (steel mold)   Tolerance ±0.05 to 0.2mm   Lead 4 to 8 weeks
  4. De-gate and trim

    Remove the runners, gates and flash.
  5. Secondary

    Where the plastic fitting 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 plastic fitting 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.

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Precision

Tolerances to expect

TYPICAL TOLERANCE IT CAN HOLD
+/-0.05mm 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 plastic fitting

GradeWhy it suits this
ABSTough, cheap, easy
Polypropylene (PP)Living hinges, chemical
Glass-filled nylon (PA-GF)Stiff, strong
Design

Design tips

General pointers. The full design-for-manufacturing list for a plastic fitting is in the dossier.

  • Thick or uneven walls. Even them, core out thick bosses.
  • No draft. Add >=1 deg draft.
Cost

What a plastic fitting should cost

The qty-1 figure is really the mold (2k to 50k+ USD) amortised; above ~5k parts it is pennies of resin.

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 plastic fitting at your volume, in your currency, are in the dossier.
MODEL EST.
$1435 to 4015 per part at 1 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 plastic fitting 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

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See also: How Injection Molding works and the full route for a plastic fitting in the finder.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How is a plastic fitting made?
A plastic fitting is primarily made by injection molding. The route is: Material; Tooling; Injection Molding; De-gate and trim; Secondary; Assembly; Inspection.
What does a plastic fitting cost?
It depends on size, tolerance and volume. As a rough ballpark it starts around $1435 to 4015 per part at 1 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 plastic fitting made from?
Common choices are ABS; Polypropylene (PP); Glass-filled nylon (PA-GF).
What is the main process for a plastic fitting?
Injection Molding. High-volume plastic parts of almost any shape, from housings to medical devices.
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