Property Name  

 Injection Molding   Thermoforming   Blow Molding

Thin-walled: Cylindrical,
Thin-walled: Cubic, Thin- Thin-walled: Cylindrical, Thin- Thin-walled: Cylindrical,
Shapes
walled: Complex walled: Cubic, Thin-walled: Thin-walled: Cubic,
(Flat) Complex Thin-walled: Complex

Part size Envelope: 0.01 in³ - 80 ft³

Weight: 0.5 oz - 55 lb Area: 0.04 in² - 300 ft² Envelope: Up to 105 ft³
Thermoplastics
Materials
(Composites, Elastomer,
Thermosets) Thermoplastics Thermoplastics
Surface finish 16-Apr 60 - 120
- Ra (μin) (1 - 32) (16 - 120) 250 - 500
± 0.008  ± 0.04  ± 0.04 
Tolerance (in.)
(± 0.002) (± 0.008) (± 0.01)
Max wall 0.03 - 0.25 0.015 - 0.15 0.015 - 0.125
thickness (0.015 - 0.5) (0.002 - 0.25) (0.01 - 0.24)
10000 - 1000000 10 - 1000 100000 - 1000000
Quantity
(1000 - 1000000) (1 - 100000) (1000 - 1000000)
Months
Lead time
(Weeks) Days Days

Can form complex shapes

and fine details, Excellent Can form complex
Advantages surrface finish, Good shapes with uniform
dimensional accuracy, wall thickness, High
High production rate, Low Can produce very large production rate, Low
labor cost, Scrap can be parts, High production rate, labor cost, Little scrap
recycled Low cost generated

Limited to hollow, thin

walled parts with low
Disadvantages degree of asymmetry,
Poor control of wall
Limited to thin walled Limited shape complexity, thickness, Poor surface
parts, High tooling and Limited to thin walled parts, finish, Few material
equipment cost, Long Scrap cannot be recycled, options, High tooling
lead time possible Trimming is required and equipment cost

Applications Housings, containers, Packaging, open containers, Bottles, containers,

caps, fittings panels, cups, signs ducting
   Rotational Molding   Polymer Extrusion   Compression Molding

Flat, Thin-walled:
Thin-walled: Cylindrical, Cylindrical, Thin-walled:
Thin-walled: Cubic, Thin- Cubic, Solid: Cylindrical, Flat, Thin-walled: Cylindrical, Thin-walled:
walled: Complex Solid: Cubic Cubic, Thin-walled: Complex

Area: 0.005 in² - 16 ft²

Envelope: Upto 670 ft³ Diameter: 0.04 - 6.0 in Weight: 0.2 oz - 35 lb
Thermoplastics Thermosets

Thermoplastics (Elastomer, Thermosets) (Composites, Elastomer, Thermoplastics)

16 - 63
Jun-60 (8 - 75) Jun-60
± 0.04  ± 0.04  ± 0.04 
(± 0.016) (± 0.01) (± 0.006)
0.1 - 0.25 0.016 - 6.0 0.06 - 0.5
(0.02 - 0.50) (0.0008 - 6.0) (0.03 - 0.8)
100 - 1000 1000 - 200000
(1 - 8000) 10000 - 1000000 (100 - 200000)
Weeks
Days Weeks (Days)

Can produce large parts

with uniform wall Good surface finish, High
thickness, Low tooling production rate, Low labor
and equipment cost, Little cost, Little scrap
scrap generated generated Low labor cost, Little scrap generated

Limited to hollow, thin Limited to uniform cross

walled parts, Cannot form sections, High equipment Limited shape complexity, Few material
fine details, Low cost, Long lead time options, High tooling cost, Long lead time
production rate possible possible
Storage containers
(tanks, vessels, bins), Rods, bars, tubing, sheet,
housings cable, frames Housings, panels, dishes