When you need plastic parts produced, you have two main options: hire an injection molding service to outsource your production, or bring injection molding in-house with a desktop machine. Understanding both options helps you make the right decision for your project, budget, and timeline.
What Are Injection Molding Services?
Injection molding services are contract manufacturers that produce plastic parts on your behalf using industrial injection molding equipment. You provide the part design (CAD file), they build the tooling (mold), and produce your parts at a per-piece price. Most injection molding services require minimum order quantities and upfront tooling fees.
Types of Injection Molding Services
Prototype Injection Molding Services
Low-volume injection molding services specializing in small quantities (50–500 parts) using aluminum tooling. Faster turnaround than production services but higher per-part cost. Useful for design validation before committing to full production tooling.
Production Injection Molding Services
High-volume contract manufacturers producing thousands to millions of parts using hardened steel tooling. Lowest per-part cost at scale but requires significant upfront tooling investment ($5,000–$50,000+) and long lead times (4–12 weeks).
Overmolding and Insert Molding Services
Specialized services for two-material parts (overmolding) or parts with embedded metal components (insert molding). Common for handles, connectors, and sealed assemblies.
LSR Injection Molding Services
Liquid silicone rubber (LSR) injection molding services for medical devices, automotive seals, and consumer products requiring flexible, biocompatible silicone components. The APSX-LSR is a desktop alternative for in-house LSR prototyping and small-batch production.
Typical Injection Molding Service Costs
| Cost Factor | Typical Range |
|---|---|
| Tooling (aluminum mold) | $1,500–$10,000 |
| Tooling (steel mold) | $5,000–$50,000+ |
| Per-part cost (low volume) | $2–$20 per part |
| Per-part cost (high volume) | $0.10–$2 per part |
| Minimum order quantity | 500–10,000 parts |
| Lead time | 4–12 weeks |
The Alternative to Injection Molding Services: In-House Desktop Molding
For prototyping, small batch production, R&D, and education, hiring an injection molding service is often the wrong choice. The costs are high, lead times are long, and minimum order quantities force you to commit before your design is finalized.
The APSX-PIM V3 is a fully automatic desktop injection molding machine that eliminates the need for injection molding services for small runs. With a compact benchtop footprint, 60-second cycle times, and compatibility with dozens of engineering-grade plastics, it produces the same quality parts as industrial injection molding services — at a fraction of the cost for low volumes.
When to Use an Injection Molding Service vs. In-House Machine
| Situation | Best Option |
|---|---|
| Prototyping / design validation | In-house desktop machine (APSX-PIM) |
| 1–1,000 parts needed | In-house desktop machine |
| Fast turnaround required | In-house desktop machine |
| IP / confidentiality concerns | In-house desktop machine |
| 10,000+ parts per run | Injection molding service |
| Very large parts (>6" × 4.8") | Injection molding service |
| No interest in operating equipment | Injection molding service |
Who Benefits Most from Replacing Injection Molding Services?
- Product development teams — iterate faster without waiting weeks for service turnaround
- Universities and engineering schools — hands-on injection molding education with real equipment
- Medical device companies — prototype silicone and thermoplastic parts confidentially in-house
- Small manufacturers — produce custom plastic parts on demand without minimum orders
- Defense and aerospace — controlled in-house production of small plastic components
Get Started Without an Injection Molding Service
If you're regularly paying injection molding service fees for prototypes or small runs, the APSX-PIM V3 typically pays for itself within the first few projects. With no minimum orders, no tooling markups, and parts ready in hours instead of weeks, in-house injection molding is the smarter choice for low-to-medium volume production.
For silicone rubber parts, the APSX-LSR brings LSR injection molding services in-house as well.
Browse all APSX injection molding machines or schedule a demo to see how in-house injection molding compares to outsourced injection molding services.