Aluminum or Steel: Which is Best for a Plastic Injection Mold?
ICOMold has always made plastic injection molds out of hardened steel. But in some cases injection molds can be made out of aluminum. So how do you know if a steel mold or an aluminum mold is best for your plastic injection molding project? There are advantages and disadvantages of each, depending on certain variables of your project. The major differences are:
* Modifications: Steel molds are easier to modify than aluminum if you have design changes, so they’re a better choice if there’s a good chance your part may have design revisions.
* Speed: Aluminum molds can be faster to produce than steel molds, but they are not as durable or easy to modify.
* Cost: Aluminum molds can be cheaper than steel molds. In China, where we make steel injection molds, there is not a significant cost difference. In general, the advantages of steel outweigh those of aluminum.
These are some of the main differences between our aluminum and steel molds, but there are additional factors to consider. For more details, please visit the Aluminum Molds page of our website.