What is OEM vs contract manufacturing?
OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) produces parts for their own branded products, while contract manufacturing involves outsourcing production to a specialized partner like Evok Polymers. Contract manufacturers handle design, tooling, and production for your specifications, allowing you to focus on your core business while leveraging our injection molding expertise, equipment, and economies of scale.
How to qualify a contract manufacturer?
Qualifying a contract manufacturer involves evaluating their technical capabilities, quality systems, experience in your industry, and financial stability. Review their certifications (like Six Sigma), request sample parts and case studies, tour their facilities, assess their communication and project management approach, and verify their capacity to scale with your needs. At Evok, we provide transparent process documentation, comprehensive first article inspection reports, and detailed cost breakdowns to demonstrate our capabilities.
What is the typical timeline for injection molding project development?
Our five-stage development pipeline typically spans 12-24 weeks depending on complexity. Concept feasibility takes 1-2 weeks, alpha research with prototyping 2-4 weeks, beta development with single cavity tooling 4-8 weeks, qualifications and production tooling 4-8 weeks, and product launch preparation 1-2 weeks. We optimize each phase for speed to market while maintaining quality standards.
How much does injection molding tooling cost?
Tooling costs vary based on part complexity, size, cavity count, and precision requirements, typically ranging from $5,000 to $100,000+. We're very upfront with costs and provide detailed breakdowns so you can contribute to optimized design decisions. Our approach focuses on building the best tooling solution while minimizing cycle time and achieving the lowest possible per-part pricing for your production volumes.
What materials can you work with for injection molding?
We work with a comprehensive range of thermoplastic materials including commodity resins (PP, PE, PS), engineering plastics (ABS, PC, Nylon), and high-performance polymers. Our material selection service guides you through material and texture science to match your specific application requirements for strength, temperature resistance, chemical compatibility, aesthetics, and cost-effectiveness.
What is your minimum order quantity for production parts?
Minimum order quantities depend on your specific project, tooling investment, and part complexity. We work with clients on runs ranging from small batch production (500-1,000 units) to high-volume manufacturing (100,000+ units annually). Our goal is to optimize tooling and processes to make your project economically viable regardless of volume, with transparent per-part pricing.
Do you provide design assistance for injection molding?
Yes, our CAD design services ($110/hour) review and modify your files for mold-ready design for manufacturing. We can start with your 3D file or model from scratch, implementing changes for moldability, wall thickness optimization, gate and vent sizing. Our team provides detailed redlining documenting how design modifications improve manufacturability and reduce costs.
What quality control measures do you have in place?
We employ rigorous quality control including molding trial reports monitoring fill speed, knit line locations, zone temperatures, and cycle times. First article inspection includes 30 measurement points per cavity for critical dimensions and 5 points for non-critical dimensions. We provide comprehensive data on process variation with Cp and Cpk analysis before locking down production processes, ensuring consistent jewelry-quality components.