CNC for Injection Molds

Aluminum rapid tools.
Steel production molds.
Mold components.

CNC machining of complete injection mold tooling. 7075 aluminum rapid tooling in 14 days for 5,000-20,000 shot life. Production steel tooling (P20, H13, S136) for 500,000+ shot life. Mold bases, cavities, cores, ejectors, specialty components.

Mold Tooling Quote Injection molding service

Rapid Al 14-day P20/H13/S136 SPI-A2 polish 5-axis capable

01 · Tool types

Tooling categories we build.

Different production volumes and part complexities justify different tool types. We build the full range from aluminum prototype tooling through steel production tooling.

Rapid aluminum tooling

7075-T6 Al · 14-day

5,000-20,000 shot life. For pilot production and bridge production before steel tooling ready. 40-60% of steel tool cost.

P20 pre-hardened steel

300 HB · production

500,000+ shots. Pre-hardened tool steel, machined directly without heat treatment. Workhorse production tooling.

H13 hardened steel

50 HRC · high-temp

1M+ shots. Heat-treated to full hardness after machining. For abrasive filled resins, high-temperature molding.

S136 stainless tool steel

52 HRC · corrosion

Corrosion-resistant tool steel. For medical, PVC, optical applications where rust would contaminate parts.

Mold bases

Prefabricated

DME, HASCO standard mold bases — CNC customization for specific insert geometry.

Inserts & components

All steel grades

Ejector pins, sleeves, slides, lifters, cam actions, hot runner components.

02 · Mold features

What we machine in mold work.

Cavity blocks

Precision-machined cavity blocks with polished surfaces, cooling channels, venting

Core blocks

Core inserts with draft, textured surfaces, undercuts handled via lifters or slides

Slides and lifters

Side-action mechanisms for undercuts — CNC-machined with precision sliding fits

Ejector systems

Ejector plates, pins, sleeves — precise pin fits to prevent flash

Cooling channels

Drilled and milled cooling lines. Conformal cooling via 5-axis machining for complex parts

Gates and runners

Cold runner channels, gate geometry, sprue bushings

Hot runner pockets

Pockets for hot runner manifold systems — precision cavity geometry

Texture-ready surfaces

Surfaces prepared for EDM texturing, chemical etch, or laser texturing

Mold-close surfaces

Precision parting lines — flat within 0.005 mm across large cavities

FAQ

Mold Tooling questions.

Aluminum rapid tool: $3,000-12,000, 14-day lead time, 5,000-20,000 shot life. Steel production tool: $15,000-80,000, 6-8 week lead time, 500,000+ shot life. Break-even analysis: if production volume uncertain, or market validation needed, start with aluminum. If volume committed at 50,000+ parts, go directly to steel. Many customers use aluminum tool for pilot production, then invest in steel tool once market demand confirmed.

SPI-A1 (mirror, ≤Ra 0.01 µm) for optical parts. SPI-A2 (high polish, Ra 0.05 µm) for premium cosmetic. SPI-A3 (medium polish, Ra 0.1 µm) for general cosmetic. SPI-B (fine stone, Ra 0.4 µm) for draft angles, non-visible surfaces. SPI-C (paper polish, Ra 0.8 µm) for standard production, textured surfaces. SPI-D (bead blasted, Ra 1.6+ µm) for matte appearance. Higher polish = higher mold cost. Specify only what part appearance requires.

P20 pre-hardened: 4-6 weeks typical. H13 with heat treatment: 6-8 weeks. S136 stainless: 6-10 weeks. Complex multi-cavity production tools: 8-12 weeks. Rush service available for 40% premium — cuts 30-40% of lead time. For very urgent programs, hybrid approach: aluminum rapid tool for first production + steel tool in parallel for production ramp.

5-axis CNC is increasingly standard for mold work. Advantages: complex 3D surfaces in single setup, conformal cooling channels, tool access to difficult features, better surface finish on contoured surfaces, reduced EDM requirement. For complex production molds, 5-axis often reduces overall project time and cost despite higher hourly rate. We handle 5-axis mold machining as standard capability.

EDM (sinker): good for sharp internal corners, deep narrow features, hardened material after heat treat. Slow, consumable electrodes required. 5-axis milling: faster, better surface finish, minimum inside radius limited by tool geometry. Modern mold workflow: 5-axis mill as much as possible, EDM only for features impossible to mill. Reduces electrode costs and shortens lead time vs traditional EDM-heavy workflow.

DME mold bases (US standard): stocked sizes from 4x4 to 30x30 inches. HASCO mold bases (European standard): metric sizes. Progressive Components and Futaba components available. We buy mold base sets, machine cavity and core plates to customer specifications, assemble with customer-specified hot runner system or cold runner design. For critical production, full-function testing before delivery.