Design for Manufacturability

Optimize your part design for injection molding with our comprehensive DFM analysis and expert recommendations.

What is Design for Manufacturability?

Design for manufacturability is also known as design for manufacturing or DFM in short.

In the industry of plastic injection molding, DFM is more often like "design for moldability", as mold makers focus on the feasibility of the injection molding process. At YumingPlastopia, we make a report (normally in PPT) on DFM to show customers how to optimize part design, our molding solution and potentially problematic areas of your plastic parts.

Why DFM Report?

Sometimes you may rush to publish your unique design to the market, hoping to skip some steps to make the tooling as fast as possible. However, DFM is not the step that is worthy of skipping.

Sample DFM Report

Download our sample DFM report to see what's included in a comprehensive manufacturability analysis.

Download Sample
DFM Report Sample
30%
Reduce Tooling Rework
30%
Avoid Molding Mistakes
20%
Reduce Production Cost

What DFM Report Can Tell You?

With a simple part design as an example, you will get to know what our DFM report can help you with.

1

General Information

General information is an overview of the data of your part design and the coming mold. It helps you and the mold maker to double-check all the data before proceeding.

General Information DFM Report

Part Data

Part dimension, part weight, part material — all the essential specifications of your design are verified and documented.

Mold Data

Mold steel, feed system, gate type — key mold construction parameters are outlined for your review and approval.

2

Mold Layout & Size

Mold Layout shows how the runners will be laid out. If you have a tooling engineer, they can double-check if the layout is right for your mold.

Mold Layout & Size DFM Report

The mold layout determines cavity arrangement, runner system design, and overall mold dimensions — critical for both cost and quality.

Learn more about runners →
3

Gate

The gate in the report is not your only option. You can let us know if it affects cosmetics or functionality. Our engineers will recommend the optimal gate type based on your part geometry and requirements.

Gate Type DFM Report

Sub Gate

Automatically trimmed during ejection. Ideal for parts requiring no visible gate marks on the appearance surface.

Edge Gate

Located on the parting line. Simple and cost-effective, suitable for most general-purpose applications.

Find out other types of gate →
4

Parting Line

Most parting lines are usually located on the edges of the molded parts, which looks like "invisible". However, some lines may be obvious, which locate in or around the middle of the part.

Parting Line DFM Report

Parting line placement is one of the most critical decisions in mold design. It affects both the appearance and functionality of the final part.

Learn more about parting lines →
5

Draft Analysis

You can send us your design with draft added, or we can do this job for you. Thanks to advanced software, we can analyze what drafts are necessary very fast.

Draft Analysis DFM Report

Recommended Draft

A minimum of 1° per side is recommended for most applications. Textured surfaces may require 3-5° depending on texture depth.

Insufficient Draft

Without adequate draft, parts may stick in the mold, causing scuff marks, part deformation, or even mold damage during ejection.

Learn more about draft →
6

Thickness Analysis

We do thickness analysis for your part. If the wall thickness is not uniform, you will have to re-design the part to eliminate the issue of sink marks, or you can accept the issue if sink marks do not affect cosmetics.

Thickness Analysis DFM Report

Uniform Wall

Uniform wall thickness ensures even cooling, reduces warpage, and produces cosmetically acceptable parts consistently.

Non-uniform Wall

Thick sections cool slower, causing sink marks, internal voids, and dimensional instability in the finished part.

Find out wall thickness for specific plastics →
7

Lifters or Slides

Lifters or Slides are areas of the plastic injection molds that are used for creating undercuts. There are split lines left after movement of lifters or slides.

Lifters & Slides DFM Report

If split lines from lifters or slides are not acceptable for your part's appearance, you will need to re-design the part to remove undercuts entirely.

Lifters

Internal lifter mechanisms create undercuts on the inside of parts. They leave witness marks on the interior surface.

Slides

External slide mechanisms create undercuts on the outside of parts. Split lines are visible on the exterior surface.

See solutions here →
8

Ejector Pin Marks

Marks left by ejector pins, which are long pins used in the injection molds to push the final molded product out of the mold. The marks cannot be removed due to the process of injection molding.

Ejector Pin Marks DFM Report

While ejector pin marks are unavoidable, their location and size can be optimized. We'll recommend pin placement on non-cosmetic surfaces whenever possible.

Learn how ejector pins work →
9

Surface Finish

Surface of texture or polish should be decided before machining the molds. It is not recommended to change them after the mold is created, which might be too late, as the draft may not be machined again as specified texture.

Surface Finish DFM Report

VDI Texture

VDI 3400 standard textures ranging from fine to coarse. Common in industrial and consumer product applications.

SPI Polish

SPI A1~D3 finish standards from mirror polish to rough texture. Selection depends on cosmetic and functional requirements.

Learn more about texture →

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