Appearance

Every designer has an idea of what their part(s) should look like and it is very easy to visualize the desired appearance with today’s CAD software and rendering tools. How closely the production parts will adhere to the designer’s vision depends on a combination of part design, mold design, and material selection. Parts with large variations in thickness may suffer from unsightly sink marks. Poorly placed or sized gates may cause mold filling conditions that result in poor surface finish or knit lines. It may not be possible to achieve a desired glossy finish with a fiber filled material.

Careful consideration of such issues minimize the chance for a surprise when the first parts come out of the mold.