QDP Academy
25+ years of injection molding knowledge, freely accessible
All the design choices, rules of thumb, and material properties that our engineers check every CAD file for, all in one place. No login-required course, just the knowledge with which we at QDP think in terms of molds.
Design for Manufacturing
Design choices and rules of thumb
The choices that make the biggest difference between a mold that runs smoothly and one that keeps sticking, and the rules of thumb our engineers use to check every design.
Wall thickness
Uniform and as thin as the function allows: the heart of every DfM process.
Read more ChoiceDraft angles
A few degrees of draft let the part release freely from the mold.
Read more ChoiceRibs and stiffeners
Stiffness from shape instead of mass.
Read more ChoiceGating and mold flow
Where the melt flows in determines quality and cost.
Read more ChoiceParting line and mold construction
The choice that directly sets your mold price.
Read more ChoiceMaterial selection
Part of the design, not separate from it.
Read more Rule of thumbCorners and radii
Where plastic really breaks, and how to prevent that.
Read more Rule of thumbHoles and cores
Cheap in injection molding, as long as they're well placed.
Read more Rule of thumbWeld lines
Where the flow front comes back together, and how to control it.
Read more Rule of thumbUndercuts
The biggest cost lever in the mold after the product size itself.
Read more Rule of thumbSnap joints
The workhorse of plastic assembly, provided they're correctly calculated.
Read more Rule of thumbScrews and bosses
Three routes to a connection, and when to choose which.
Read more Rule of thumbTolerances
As precise as necessary, not as precise as possible.
Read moreMaterials
Material properties at a glance
Thirteen materials with properties, mechanical values, and applications. See the full overview or go directly to a material.
ABS
Strong, impact-resistant and easy to process.
Read more MaterialASA
Weather-resistant and UV-stable.
Read more MaterialPLA (biobased)
Sustainable and biodegradable.
Read more MaterialHDPE
Chemically resistant and lightweight.
Read more MaterialPA6
Wear-resistant and mechanically strong.
Read more MaterialPA6 GF30
Reinforced with glass fiber for extra strength.
Read more MaterialPC
Impact-resistant, heat-resistant, transparent and opaque.
Read more MaterialPC/ABS
Strong, heat-resistant and impact-resistant.
Read more MaterialPHA
Biodegradable and sustainable.
Read more MaterialPOM
Low friction and high wear resistance.
Read more MaterialPP
Lightweight and chemically resistant.
Read more MaterialTPE
Elastic and wear-resistant.
Read more MaterialTPU
Flexible and impact-resistant.
Read moreWhat does this mean for your design?
Calculate your mold and piece price in 2 minutes, or ask our engineers for a DfM check.