Choosing the right injection molding company can spell the difference between success and failure in getting your product to market in a timely manner and on budget. Here are 6 questions to consider when determining which plastic injection molding company is right for you:
Do they have a certified QMS?
A structured and well-run quality management system (QMS) helps ensure that the parts they make for you consistently meet appearance, strength, and dimensional specifications. For example, ISO 9001:2015 requires a company’s QMS to demonstrate their ability to provide parts that consistently meet your requirements. Has the company you’re considering been ISO certified by a recognized unbiased auditing firm?
Do they offer engineering support for new product development?
In order to strike the perfect balance between design integrity and manufacturing optimization, an injection molding company must have an experienced engineering team and the necessary tools create and validate product designs. They should also be able to conduct mold-flow analyses to refined your product during development.
Do they provide secondary operations?
Secondary operations like affixing labels, attaching fasteners, and assembling multi-part products provide an important value-added benefit. By performing these operations for you, injection molding companies can help streamline your overall production schedule.
Do they have enough presses?
When evaluating injection molding companies, it’s not enough to know that they can meet your immediate needs. You must also know if they’ll be able to meet potential future needs as your company grows and your needs change. This doesn’t necessarily mean they should already have the molding equipment you may need down the road, but they should at least have a firm expansion plan in place.
Do they have a robust customer service program?
Plastic injection molding isn’t a set it and forget it proposition – at least it shouldn’t be. As a business that’s partially reliant upon another business for your success, you must have ongoing confidence that the project managers who are responsible for your runs, etc. will communicate with you regularly about project status. This is essential to your being able to keep your overall project on time and on budget.
Who have they done work for and what have they done in the past?
Unlike investing, past performance in injection molding is a good indicator of future results. If the company you’re considering has worked, or is working with other high-quality, reputable companies, it’s a fairly safe bet that they’ll do a good job for you too. Take a close look at their customer portfolio, and call some of their current and past customers for feedback about the company.
There is no more important injection molding project than yours. To learn more about Proto Plastics, and how we can help with your projects, now and in the future, contact us today.