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Plastic Injection Molding

A cost-effective solution to produce a large number of identical, high-quality parts.
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Trusted by Industry Leaders
Lennox
Parker Hannifin
Panasonic
Rockwell Automation
HP Inc.
Ingersoll Rand
Gates
Sylvania Electric Products
Permabond Engineering Adhesives
Nikon
Honeywell
Delphi Technologies
Emerson Electric Co.
General Electric
Kawasaki
Edwards Lifescience
Multilink, Inc.
Paragonix Technologies
Kimball Electronics
“I’m impressed with your quality, expertise, speed, and customer service.”
Professor James F. Antaki, PhD
Carnegie Mellon University
“The team at Fathom continues to provide us with great service. Starting with initial DFM reviews, fast tooling development and quick turn-around times, Fathom is a partner keeping us on track to deliver quality products to our customers. Thank-you to all the Fathom team.”
Tim Latham, Project Manager
Litepanels, Inc.
“We have been very satisfied with Fathom’s performance in every aspect: pricing, delivery, quality, and customer support. It is a pleasure doing business with Fathom, 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 Fathom 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 Fathom. I’m looking forward to a long relationship with you and the rest of the Fathom team.”
Level, LLC
“It is exactly what we were expecting. Well done to the team!”
Harwood Laskin
Schneider Electric
“This is a huge milestone for our team. This product is no longer a vision… I received the parts today from Fathom. 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 Fathom. 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 Fathom 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
“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 Fathom 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.
“After reaching out to over 20 manufacturers, Fathom 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
“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 Fathom. 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
“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
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What is Injection Molding?

Plastic injection molding is a manufacturing process in which molten plastic is injected into a precisely machined mold cavity. Once the plastic cools and solidifies, the mold opens and ejects the finished part. The process allows for the rapid production of high-volume, highly detailed and repeatable components. 

Injection molding is most cost-effective for medium- to high-volume production runs where the upfront cost of tooling can be amortized over many parts.

Once tooling is validated, injection molding delivers exceptional repeatability and process stability, producing consistent parts across thousands or millions of cycles.

The Injection Molding Process

Injection (Plasticizing & Filling)

The plastic pellets are first heated inside the barrel until they melt into a viscous fluid. This molten plastic is then injected under high pressure into the mold cavity. The pressure ensures the mold fills completely and accurately, even in thin or complex areas.

 

Cooling (Solidification)

Once inside the mold, the molten plastic begins to cool and solidify as heat transfers out through the mold walls. During this stage, the plastic shrinks slightly, so packing pressure may be applied to counteract voids. The part must cool enough to hold its shape before being removed.

 

Ejection (Part Removal)

After sufficient cooling, the mold opens and ejector pins or plates push the finished part out. This must be done carefully to avoid damaging delicate features of the part. Once ejected, the mold closes again and prepares for the next cycle.

 

Injection Molding Methods

Explore the types of plastic injection molding we offer to meet a diverse range of needs.

Launch Your Injection Molding Project with Confidence

Partner with Experts Who Get It Right the First Time
Every project is reviewed by a seasoned manufacturing engineer to optimize part design, material selection, and tooling strategy — ensuring smarter decisions before steel is cut and production begins.

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Launch Your Injection Molding Project with Confidence

Partner with Experts Who Get It Right the First Time
Every project is reviewed by a seasoned manufacturing engineer to optimize part design, material selection, and tooling strategy — ensuring smarter decisions before steel is cut and production begins.

Start My Quote
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Injection Molding Technology FAQs

Do you have questions about injection molding and how you can use it to manufacture your parts? Get answers to many common questions here.

Q.
How much does plastic injection molding cost?

A.

Our experts look for ways to reduce the cost of our plastic injection molds and price per part. Tooling cost is influenced by factors such as part size, complexity, surface finish, material choice and required production volume.

Generally speaking, our price is about 40% to 60% less than that of our competitors. The actual cost of the mold depends on factors such as size and complexity, with prices generally starting at around $5k – $10k. Check out our instant quotation system to see how much you can save with us on your next injection molding project.

Q.
What type of CAD files do you accept?

A.

We are able to accept .stp, .step, .sldprt, .x_t, .x_b, .ipt, .catpart, .prt and .sat CAD files. If you need assistance with getting your design into an acceptable file format, we can help you out with that. If you don’t have a CAD file, we have design firm partners who are skilled in creating 3D CAD files that are specifically designed for plastic injection molding.

Q.
What is plastic injection molding used for?

A.

Plastic injection molding has almost unlimited manufacturing possibilities. Examples of plastic injection molding can be found in a variety of industries including consumer electronics, car parts, medical devices, tools, toys, and packaging. Post-processing applications can be used to achieve the desired finish or texture. Plastic injection molding is an economical way to mass-produce the same or similar plastic parts.

Q.
Does Fathom offer post processing (secondary processes)?

A.

Yes, there are a variety of secondary operations that customers can choose from to customize their product. Our experts have decades of combined experience in the injection molding field, and can lead customers through the process from design, to molding, to finishing operations. Injection molding secondary processes include painting, welding, post-mold machining, assembly, and packaging.

 

Q.
Which plastic material is best for my injection molding project?

A.

The best plastic for a particular injection molding project depends on your part’s geometry and the environment and application in which it will be used. The experts at Fathom will guide you through the process of choosing the right plastic for your project. Visit our Materials page for more information.

 

Q.
What is the process for getting a quote for my injection molding project?

A.

The first step is to have a 3D CAD file of your part in .STP, .STEP, .SLDPRT, .X_B, .IPT, .CATPART, .PRT, .SAT, .ZIP format. If you don’t already have one, our experienced team of engineers can help you with that. Next, upload your CAD file to our online quoting system, and you should receive your quote in about 30 seconds or less!

 

Q.
Who has physical possession of my mold once it’s produced?

A.

That depends – you have options. If you buy a production mold, we keep the mold in our production facility, maintain it, and run batches of parts for you when you need them. Alternatively, if you buy an export mold, then we will ship it to you, or to a production facility that you specify, and you are responsible for maintaining it. This flexibility allows customers to choose the tooling strategy that best aligns with their production volume, supply chain preferences, and long-term manufacturing goals.

 

Q.
Is injection molding always the best manufacturing process for plastic parts?

A.

Injection molding is designed to make hundreds, thousands or even millions of the same part or set of parts. It is an efficient and economical way to mass-produce plastic parts.

When only making a small number of parts, however, the upfront cost of a mold may not be justified. We have a wide range of manufacturing processes that can be utilized to manufacture prototype or small-batch part runs. In many cases, CNC machining or other processes are used during early development before injection molding is introduced for scalable, repeatable production.

Why Choose Fathom

Low Cost
Fathom offers a variety of pricing options, thanks to our domestic and offshore injection molding capabilities
High Quality
Our quality systems ensure that your parts are built to the highest level of quality
Quick Turnaround
Fathom offers three different shipping methods to accommodate your timing needs.
Online Quotes
Our online system provides INSTANT quotes for plastic injection molding, CNC machining and urethane casting.

Ready to Move from Design to Production?

Injection Molding Done with Expertise — Not Just Automation
Fast quoting is just the beginning. At Fathom, you get real engineering insight, proactive DFM guidance, and a streamlined path from prototype to full production — all backed by hands-on manufacturing experience.

Request a Quote Now
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