INJECTION MOLDING DESIGN & DFM
Injection-molding-ready design, engineered to actually work.
We turn a concept into functional, manufacturing-ready CAD — internal mechanisms and all — designed for injection molding from the first part. Prototype it, prove it, then hand off tooling-ready files to your molder. Engineer-led, out of Apple Valley, California.
Tooling-ready
STEP, STL & native files
Prototype first
Validate in FDM before tooling
NDA-ready
Your IP, your files
Already have a CAD file?
Upload a STEP, STL, or 3MF and get an instant price on the spot.
No file yet? Just an idea or sketches?
That's most of our clients. Send your concept, reference photos, or sketches and we'll design it for you. Reach out and we'll take it from there.
WHAT YOU RECEIVE
Functional parts and assemblies, not a pretty shell.
You are not buying an exterior render. You are buying a real mechanical design — every part broken out, assembled, dimensioned, and ready for a mold shop to quote.
Functional parts, not one solid body
Reservoirs, seals, channels, pistons, button actuators, valves, threaded ports, snap fits — modeled as separate working parts.
Full assembly file
One assembly showing exactly how every part fits, mates, and moves together when the product is built.
Manufacturing drawings
2D drawings with dimensions, tolerances, and notes for any part that needs them — ready for a mold shop or machinist.
STEP, STL, SLDPRT & SLDASM
Native SolidWorks files plus neutral STEP for any CAD system, and STL for printing. Whatever your molder needs.
Exploded & cross-section views
See inside the mechanism. Exploded assemblies and section cuts for review, documentation, and investor decks.
Tooling-ready geometry
Geometry a mold shop can quote and cut from — not a concept render that falls apart the moment it meets a real cavity.
DESIGN FOR MANUFACTURING
Designed for the mold, not just the screen.
A part that looks perfect in CAD can be impossible — or wildly expensive — to mold. We build moldability in from the start so your tooling quote comes back sane and your first shots come out clean.
Draft & parting lines
Every face that leaves the mold gets draft. We place the parting line where it hides on the part, not where it scars a visible surface.
Wall thickness
Uniform walls to prevent sink and warp. Thick bosses are cored out and webbed so the part cools evenly and ejects clean.
Ribs & bosses
Stiffness from ribs, not bulk. Bosses sized for the screw or pin, filleted at the base, and kept off the show surface.
Gates & flow
Gate location chosen for fill, weld-line placement, and easy de-gating — so the part fills fully and looks right.
Undercuts & side actions
Snap features, threads, and clips resolved in the open-and-close direction where possible, or flagged for lifters and slides.
Tolerances & fits
Realistic plastic tolerances and clearances for seals, press fits, and moving parts — dimensioned on the drawing, not guessed.
HOW IT WORKS
From sketch to tooling-ready in four steps.
Design is an iterative back-and-forth, and we treat it that way. Most projects reach a solid working prototype in about a month, depending on complexity and how quickly we can turn feedback around together.
01
NDA & design review
Send sketches, mockups, and how you want the mechanism to work. We sign your NDA first, then return one firm fixed quote.
02
CAD & first prototype
We model the parts and assembly, designed for molding from day one, and deliver a 3D-printed draft in weeks 1–2.
03
Iterate & validate
We refine through the normal back-and-forth — fit, seals, clearances, DFM — and reprint until the mechanism actually works.
04
Tooling-ready handoff
You get the final part files, assembly, drawings, and views — ready for manufacturer review and injection-mold tooling.
CASE STUDY — PROTOTYPE TO INJECTION MOLD
100+ iterated parts. One production-ready design.
We partnered with Deuce Splitter to develop the Deuce Splitter 2.0 bucket and six modular attachments. Over the course of the project we prototyped over 100 distinct part revisions, all validated in FDM before a single dollar went into injection-mold tooling.
Every iteration refined wall thickness, draft angles, snap-fit geometry, and attachment-point tolerances. The result: a design that went to tooling with confidence. Patent pending.
Want the same bridge from prototype to production? Let's talk. Visit DeuceSplitter.com
WHY INVENTORS & STARTUPS PICK US
A design partner built for getting to a real product.
An engineer, not a render shop
We design mechanisms that have to function in the real world, then back it up with proper DFM. You talk to the person doing the work.
Prototype before you tool
Cutting steel for a mold is expensive and slow to change. We prove the geometry in FDM first so your tooling money is spent once.
Honest, scope-based pricing
One fixed quote after we see your design. Refinements included, scope changes quoted up front. No surprise invoices.
Your IP, protected
NDA-ready, files assigned to you after payment, and deleted within 30 days. Built for pre-launch and patent-pending work.
Partner, not just a vendor
Optional equity or royalty arrangements in place of fees. We succeed when your product succeeds, so we treat it like ours.
Made in the USA
Designed and prototyped in Apple Valley, California. Fast feedback loops, no overseas time zones, no language gap.
PRICING, TERMS & YOUR IP
Clear terms before any work begins.
One fixed quote
Most functional designs run roughly $1,200–$3,000 by complexity. We confirm one firm price after reviewing your design — a 50% deposit starts work, balance on delivery.
Revisions by scope, not count
Fit, clearance, tolerance, and DFM refinements are included. New features or a change in direction are quoted separately, so you are never billed by surprise.
NDA-ready, IP yours
We sign your NDA first. All CAD files, improvements, and prototype files are yours after payment, and your files are deleted within 30 days.
Prefer a partnership? For the right product we will reduce or waive design fees in exchange for a small equity or royalty stake. We succeed when your product succeeds.
SERVICE AREA
Southern California's product-design and molding-prep shop.
Based in Apple Valley, CA, we serve the High Desert, Inland Empire, Los Angeles, and Orange County in person, and inventors and design firms across the United States remotely.
Hesperia · Victorville · Adelanto · Phelan · San Bernardino · Riverside · LA · OC · Remote
FAQ
Common questions.
Do you design parts specifically for injection molding?
Yes. Every model is built for moldability from the first part — uniform walls, proper draft, radiused corners, ribs and bosses instead of thick sections, sensible gate and parting-line locations, and undercuts resolved or flagged. You get a part a mold shop can quote and cut tooling from.
Can you model functional internal mechanisms, not just the exterior?
Yes — that is our specialty. Reservoirs, seals, channels, pistons, button and click actuators, one-way and slit valves, threaded caps and ports, snap fits, and living hinges, all modeled as separate working parts in a real assembly.
What files do I get?
Separate part files, one full assembly file, and 2D manufacturing drawings if needed — in STEP, STL, SLDPRT, and SLDASM, plus exploded and cross-section views on request.
How much does an injection-molding-ready design cost?
Most functional design projects land between roughly $1,200 and $3,000 depending on complexity and the documentation you provide. We give one firm fixed quote after reviewing your design. A 50% deposit starts the work; the balance is due on delivery.
How do revisions work?
Refinements within the agreed design intent — dimensions, clearances, tolerances, seal fit, wall thickness, draft, DFM tweaks — are part of the process and included. Scope changes, meaning new features or a new direction, are quoted separately so you always know what you are paying for.
Will you sign an NDA, and who owns the design?
Yes. We sign before reviewing pre-launch or patent-pending work, and all files and improvements are assigned to you and your company after payment. Files are deleted within 30 days.
Can you take a design from prototype to a working injection mold?
Yes. We iterate in FDM first so the geometry is proven before tooling money is spent — our Deuce Splitter project ran 100+ revisions before the design locked. We then deliver tooling-ready files and advise on the handoff to your molder.
I only have sketches and an idea. Is that enough to start?
Yes. Many of our clients start with sketches, mockups, and a description of how the mechanism should work. The more detail you provide, the faster and cheaper the design goes — but a clear concept is enough for us to begin.
Have a product to bring to life?
Send your sketches and how you want it to work. We'll sign your NDA, then send a firm quote and a plan to a tooling-ready design.
Also see: Rapid Prototyping · 3D Printing · Engineering Consulting