Protoshop Offers High Quality,
Rapid Prototype Injection Molding and Mold Fabrication
Production-quality prototype parts from Carlsbad, CA, with typical 1-week lead times and mold iterations typically completed within 1 day.
We aim to replicate production plastic part quality as closely as possible with our prototype molds. We take on jobs with complex part requirements that other prototype molders turn away, within an 8″ x 6″ x 4″ part envelope. We’ve proven this through thousands of successful prototype molding projects.
Let our experienced plastics engineers review your part model in a live online moldability review and provide guidance that will yield prototype parts that meet your functional requirements.
Prototype Injection Molding Services
Inspection
Inspection of molded parts, with inspection reports sent automatically with each shipment and stored in the Protoshop customer portal
What You Get with Protoshop
Production-Equivalent Part Quality
We strive to replicate production part quality, without sacrificing speed.
Complex Part Geometries Accepted
Frustrated by rejected part geometry from other prototype mold vendors? Complex prototyping is our specialty including unusual materials, insert injection molding, and overmolding.
Rapid Mold Iterations
Our molds are intended to allow for quick iterations to part geometry, typically in just 1 day.
Complimentary Moldability Review
Our customers receive a complimentary moldability review of their part design where we will meet online to discuss areas that have the potential for molding defects. Personal attention ensures your part is successful the first time.
Prototype Material Selection Assistance
There are thousands of available thermoplastic grades. It can be difficult to select the right material without extensive plastics experience. Let us help you select the right material for your application.
Large Part Quantities, Molded Quickly
Several thousand parts may be provided per week from our prototype molds.
Molds Transfer to Any Contract Manufacturer
Our molds may be readily transferred to any contract manufacturer as needed.
Flexible Material Options
We have a variety of plastic materials in stock. We can also mold prototype parts using customer supplied materials or we can purchase new materials as needed.
How We’re Different
Experience
Protoshop differs from other prototype molders due to the proprietary injection molding method we have created for our prototype molding. While we still use state-of-the-art Arburg molding presses for molding parts, we have developed a specialized mold base for quick mold changes and more accurate parts. Our founders, Dylann Ceriani and Jimmy Isaacs, have over 30 years of medical product development experience in consumable plastic products and have designed and fabricated thousands of
prototype molds.
Mold fabrication and molding take place at the Protoshop facility in Carlsbad, California, which serves engineering teams across San Diego County and nationwide.
Personal Service
We seek to educate and work collaboratively with our customers using online moldability review meetings where we review areas of potential molding defects in their part models and explain why those areas may be an issue. Many online prototype molders only provide an automated review indicating issues found by their software. We feel that this personal interaction is critical for ensuring that your molded parts successfully meet your needs the first time.
A Dedicated Customer Project Portal
Every project runs through the Protoshop customer portal. Our portal informs customers by email when the project status changes, so you are aware of progress up to the minute. When parts are shipped, you’ll automatically receive FedEx tracking details and inspection reports. Requests to mold additional parts and to iterate molds are quickly and easily completed on the portal. The complete history of your project is always available, including quotes, packing slips, inspection reports, and mold iterations that can be viewed and downloaded at any time.
How the Prototyping Process Works
Upload part model for prototype mold quote
Accept quote
Mold fabrication (typically 1 week)
Mold sampling (25 sample parts) and client review
Order prototype parts as needed
Request rapid mold iterations as needed
Lead Time, Part Size and Tolerances
Lead Time
Typically 1 week; we will indicate the lead time when we provide your quote.
Maximum Part Size
Part may be up to 8″ x 6″ x 4″ (200 x 150 x 100 mm).
Maximum Part Volume
Shot volume up to 6 oz (170 g)
Tolerance
Typically ±0.004″ (0.1 mm).
Tolerance of ±0.001″ (0.025 mm) is possible with certain materials and part geometry. Let’s discuss your application.
Industries We Serve
Working in a Different Industry?
Protoshop molds prototype parts for any application that fits within an 8″ x 6″ x 4″ part envelope and a 6 oz shot. Upload a part model for a quote and a complimentary moldability review, and a Protoshop engineer will confirm whether prototype molding is the right next step.
Start Your Prototype Mold Quote
Upload a part model to receive a prototype mold quote and a complimentary moldability review from a Protoshop plastics engineer.
UPLOAD YOUR PART MODELPrototype Injection Molding FAQ
How long does prototype injection molding take at Protoshop?
Protoshop’s lead time for a prototype mold is typically one week, with the exact lead time is stated on each quote. Once a mold exists, changes to part geometry are typically completed within one day, so design revisions do not restart the schedule.
What part sizes and tolerances can Protoshop mold?
Protoshop molds parts up to 8″ x 6″ x 4″ (200 x 150 x 100 mm) with a shot volume up to 6 oz (170 g). Typical tolerance is 0.004″ (0.1 mm), and 0.001″ (0.025 mm) is achievable with certain materials and part geometries.
How many parts can a Protoshop prototype mold produce?
Each new mold is sampled with 25 parts for client review. After approval, Protoshop prototype molds can supply several thousand parts per week, which supports larger test builds that are impractical with 3D printing.
Can a Protoshop prototype mold be moved to a production manufacturer?
Yes. Protoshop mold inserts can be transferred to any contract manufacturer as a program moves toward production. The production molder must then fit the mold inserts into a MUD frame compatible with their molding presses.
Does Protoshop review part designs before molding?
Every customer receives a complimentary moldability review. Protoshop engineers meet with the customer online to walk through areas of the part model that could cause molding defects and explain why.
