3D Printing vs. Injection Molding: What is the Difference?

When it comes to manufacturing plastic parts, 3D printing and injection molding both play important roles in the modern manufacturing process. They both use similar plastics like ABS. Despite similarities, however, they are very different processes and yield very different end results. In this article, we’ll take a look at 3D printing vs. injection molding so you can decide which one might be right for your needs.

Is Your Product Better Suited for 3D Printing or Injection Molding?

When deciding between 3D printing and injection molding, it’s important to consider your product and their use. Engineers both use 3D printing and injection molding to create plastic products of all shapes and sizes, but there are some significant differences between them. This is especially true when it comes to quality control, complexity, cost and ease of mass production.

Each manufacturing method has its own set of benefits and drawbacks, so your choice will ultimately depend on your project and your desired outcome. 3D printing is generally preferred for simple parts because it’s less expensive and faster than injection molding. If you are looking to mass produce, injection molding would be the best choice.

What is 3D Printing?

There are many different methods of 3D printing, but they all fall under a few basic categories. 3D printers use an additive manufacturing process, a process that adds layers on top of one another to create a part based off designs from scratch.

The most basic type of 3D printing is Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), which uses a filament-based extrusion process to build objects one layer at a time by extruding hot plastic through a heated nozzle into a fixed space. When working with FDM, you have control over everything from support materials, top layers, surface finish and more.

SLA 3D printing uses a UV laser to solidify liquid resin on a computer-generated model in successive layers until you’ve created your final product. Using an Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), the machine consolidates powder with heat and pressure, layer by layer, into the shape you desire.

Alternative methods of 3D printing include Electron Beam Melting (EBM) and Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS). EBM uses a powerful beam of electrons to melt powdered metal, which is then spread into thin layers based on your design and fused together to create your final part. DMLS printers use a directed energy beam to melt metal powder that is then fused together into your part design.

What is Injection Molding?

Much like 3D printing, injection molding is also an additive manufacturing process. Injection molding is the process of creating a three dimensional form by filling a mold with molten plastic. Once plastic cools, it produces a solid object. It’s an ideal choice for businesses that need low-volume production at an affordable price. You can quickly get your product into consumers’ hands and generate cash flow. Keep in mind that low-volume injection molding does require more design work up front. This can add time and cost to your product development cycle.

The Benefits of 3D Printing

3D printing has gained popularity in recent years, and many businesses have adopted it as a manufacturing technique because of its convenience and low cost. Companies are increasingly seeing value in replacing traditional manufacturing techniques. These include 3D printing because of increased flexibility, agility, customization and better quality control. Most 3D printers can operate at a much faster rate than injection molding machines, which means they can reduce costs significantly by reducing waste from poor-quality molds.

3D printing is significantly more cost-effective for companies because it reduces lead times and prototyping expenses. Instead of waiting weeks for an injection mold to be manufactured, companies can print prototypes at a much faster rate and reduce overall costs as well as inefficiencies associated with traditional manufacturing techniques. Moreover, companies that decide to use 3D printing instead of injection molding are no longer beholden to minimum order quantities (MOQs), which saves them money on their first orders from manufacturers and often reduces overall costs over time.

Advantages of Injection Molding

One major advantage of injection molding is its efficiency. The first step in creating an injection-molded part is designing it using computer-assisted design (CAD) software. This generates a 3D model that creates a mold that engineers can use to cast. Since these parts mold instead, they’re cheaper to produce and ship.

Another advantage of injection molding is speed. it can take several weeks or months to create a prototype via traditional manufacturing methods. With injection molding, you’re just a few days away from having your own finished product in hand.

Another benefit of injection molding is that it’s easier and faster to scale up production if your product becomes successful. PartsBadger can ramp up production quickly enough to meet demand or create a new product with minimal delay.

3D Printing Vs. Injection Molding: How Much Does it Cost to Manufacture Products?

Most times 3D printing typically costs less than injection molding to manufacture your products. This depends on the product and a variety of other factors. Injection molding uses pressure to form plastic or resin into a unique shape. It’s more expensive than simply placing an object in a vat of liquid plastic and letting it harden in one solid form. Also, size does not limit 3D printing when comparing to injection molding.

This changes when there are more products to manufacture. The more parts the company manufactures, the less expensive injection molding compares to 3D printing. This is because injection molding stays consistent when comparing to 3D printing.

However, injection molding is more versatile than 3D printing when it comes to design options. You can’t change your mind on how a 3D-printed object looks or what color it is once you’ve placed an order. This is because each layer of material adds another layer of physicality to that decision. That isn’t true with injection molding. You can completely customize your design or your product. This is as long as you have a talented team who knows how to make what you want happen.

Because of these differences, manufacturers choose to use 3D printing when they want a one-of-a-kind item. This can’t be mass produced through injection molding, or when they need small production runs. In most cases, manufacturing companies will opt for injection molding since it’s faster and more efficient than 3D printing on most occasions.

3D Printing Vs. Injection Molding: How to Calculate Cost

To calculate how much it will cost to manufacture your product using 3D printing or injection molding, you’ll need to know a few things. First, you’ll need to know how many units of your product you plan on producing and in what timeframe. Second, you’ll need to account for design  and shipping fees.

3D Printing Vs. Injection Molding: The Limitations of Each Process

3D printing is growing in popularity as more affordable equipment comes on to market. However, there are some limitations to 3D printing as a manufacturing process. This includes slower speed and higher price point than injection molding. If you’re looking to produce a lot of parts quickly at an affordable cost, injection molding may be right for you. 3D printing is more beneficial for short-run, customized products that require little investment in tooling.

In addition to that, injection molding is a more forgiving process in terms of its ability to produce parts quickly and cost effectively. For higher volumes of products, traditional injection molding machines have been around longer and are built better to handle higher volume production runs with an overall lower failure rate as a result.

Why Choose PartsBadger?

PartsBadger believes in creating functional products with premium parts and a unique design. Inspiring our customers to do more than they ever thought possible. We’re here to help you take your project from conception to final product. In the hopes of giving you peace of mind that you’re backed by a company that values your success!

If you’re looking for 3D printing or injection molding services, PartsBadger is happy to help! We partner with reliable vendors of parts and services. We deliver high-quality results on time and within budget! Let us know how we can be of service by contacting us here.