About Multi-Cavity Molds

Multi-cavity molds can be a great way to scale up your manufacturing process, but there are some things you should know about them before designing your mold to get the best results.

What’s the Difference Between Multi-Cavity and Family Molds?

While multi-cavity molds and family molds may sound like two different terms for the same thing, they are actually different. Multi-cavity molds have cavities for multiples of a single item, while family molds have cavities for different products of a similar size made from the same material and color. For example, if your product required a left and right hand side to be made from the same material and color, it would be a great candidate for a family mold.

Family molds have some benefits, but there are also downsides to creating different parts in the same mold, like a higher risk of defects. In general, multi-cavity molds are the better option.

The Benefits of Multi-Cavity Molds

Multi-cavity molds have a variety of benefits compared to single molds, including:

• Lower overall capital investment. It’s cheaper to create one mold that makes four parts than it is to create four individual molds.
• Shorter lead time. Since more parts are produced at once, orders can be filled quicker.
• Reduced part price. Machine times and labor are reduced for multi-cavity molds compared to multiple single molds.
• Easier scalability. Large orders are easier to fill using multi-cavity molds.

How to Improve Multi-Cavity Mold Design

Unfortunately, creating a multi-cavity mold isn’t as simple as copying a single mold design multiple times and forcing it into a single piece. The larger and more complex a mold gets, the more opportunities there are for defects to be created.

Here are some ways to create the best multi-cavity mold design and reduce the chances of defects.

Avoid Side-Actions When Possible

Side-action is a great way to add holes to parts on individual molds, but they are more expensive and prone to problems on multi-cavity molds. You may have to get really creative trying to design a multi-cavity mold for a product with holes in it.

Consider the Gate Type

There are a wide variety of gate types involved in injection molding, and some are better for multi-cavity molds than others. For example, tab gates (also known as edge gates) are a preferred gate type for multi-cavity molds because of their flexibility and large vestige, while pin-style and hot tip gates are better options for single molds because they can solve challenges with complex part geometries. Part of our mold design process involves finding the optimal gate type and size for the part.

Choose the Right Material

Some materials work much better in multi-cavity molds than others, so selecting the right material is crucial to the success of your mold and the end product. There are thousands of different materials so lean on our expertise to help narrow down the search to find the best resin for your product .

Focus on the Details

All the details you should pay attention to when creating an individual mold become even more important when creating a multi-cavity mold, because the margin for error is slimmer. When designing the mold, a few things you should pay extra attention to include:

• Wall thickness
• Draft
• Surface finish
• Ribs

Contact UPM for Your Injection Molding Needs

Universal Plastic Mold has been a leading manufacturer of plastic injection molding for more than 50 years. We have the experience you need to create your products, whether you use multi-cavity molds, family molds, or individual molds.Get a quote today by clicking here or calling 1-888-893-1587.