FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions -

Yes, our prices are truly fixed. Some companies post price tables but add surcharges when they actually quote. Our table is official; we accept orders at those prices. Our job is to build products—not to spend time writing quotes or haggling. Our fixed price list saves our time and gives you clear, predictable costs. Please use it with confidence.
See our pricing & process page here.

Ultra-low cost isn’t our strongest suit. It’s difficult in Japan to beat low-cost countries that assume large volumes, inexpensive auxiliaries, and low labor costs. However, for products developed from scratch in small lots, we can significantly reduce the total cost. New product development involves iterations and rework; design mistakes often cause duplicate investment. Using our experience and methods for lowering upfront costs, we can reduce overall cost for small-lot new products.

We can propose ideas that reduce the real cost. For example, consolidating four parts into one by design—fundamental design changes that lower costs. If you speak frankly with us, we can likely propose options.

However, we do not discount the numbers on the price table. All other customers follow the table; giving discounts only to specific customers would be unfair.

Minor acceleration is sometimes possible, but major compression is generally difficult. We often co-develop from industrial/mechanical design. We need time for back-and-forth to align intent; if we cut the schedule blindly, that time disappears. Making a product that won’t sell defeats the purpose, so we avoid extreme rush schedules.

Absolutely. We’ve helped many first-timers bring products to market. Please note: we are a Japan-based company and not well-suited to ultra-low-price, high-volume general-merchandise projects.

Development is an investment for you, but also for us. Design and engineering are labor costs; by themselves, they don’t sustain our company. Therefore, we ask for one condition when we accept development work:
“You have genuine passion for your product.”
If you have that, we never discriminate—even for individuals. We’d be happy to build it together.

Note: we do not buy “ideas.” We support development of your product only.

For new customers, our standard is 50% upfront, balance after delivery—regardless of company size or credit rating. Both sides start without knowing each other; risk exists on both sides. We therefore begin after receiving the first half to keep things fair.

We sometimes receive requests for open account due to “excellent credit,” but we decline. Even highly rated companies can delay acceptance; risk exists regardless of rating.

For molds (rapid or steel), even for repeat orders, we start manufacturing after receiving a 50% deposit. We build many molds—purchasing materials upfront across many tools creates a large exposure. To serve more customers, we cannot shoulder all initial costs at our risk. Thank you for your understanding.

We’re a manufacturing company full of engineers—many of us aren’t great at sudden phone calls. Repeated interruptions delay deliveries, so we once tried a call-answering service, but communication quality suffered and complaints increased. Given that experience, we removed phone support and are exploring better ways. We know this is inconvenient; thank you for your patience while we improve.

No. We do not accept settlement by promissory note—either before or after delivery.

Yes—but allow us to add a note. “Cool” and “sells well” are not the same.

“Cool” is judged by the requester’s taste. Designing to the requester’s taste may look cool to them, but will it satisfy the end user? If tastes differ, mismatch occurs. Professional designers aim to “hit” the end users. Subjective coolness isn’t the only input; we strive to deliver designs that are “likely to sell” and “make sense.”
See this article as well.

Usually yes. However, whether that design is manufacturable must be judged after we review the actual data. Plastic product design requires deep experience; not every concept can be turned into a product. Please understand.

If we just tidy the exterior during engineering, only engineering fees apply. If you want a proper industrial design process, separate design fees apply—covering user research, concept work, and ideation. These are scoped and quoted case-by-case (not fixed price).

In Japan, designers are relatively affordable overall. A typical product designer might cost JPY 400k–800k for about a month of dedicated work—often cheaper than programmers. Famous designers charge more, but their name can help sales; pricing can still be reasonable in that context.

Maybe—but it’s often risky. Whether proper research was done greatly affects outcomes, yet amateurs can’t easily tell the difference by looking at the result. Sales outcomes differ dramatically. With a professional hypothesis, you can also analyze what missed. That’s the value of pro design.

“Design” here refers to exterior/industrial design—forming a compelling look via market research and target definition. “Engineering” finalizes mechanisms and dimensions within that exterior so the product is physically and manufacturably feasible. It’s sometimes said: Design contributes to success; engineering contributes to avoiding failure.
Related article.

Probably not. Plastic engineering differs fundamentally from metal. Plastics expand/contract surprisingly; deformation, warpage, and sink are common uncertainties. Even experienced metal engineers should approach plastic as beginners.

That’s our specialty. Send the board; we’ll propose an enclosure that anticipates issues you may not yet see.

A specification defines the product’s requirements and direction. In manufacturing, nothing is “obvious.” Specs replace assumptions with precise instructions. Without a careful spec, products don’t get built.
See this article as well.

Yes—see our process. Note that plastic mass production has many “rules.” Minor violations can be fixed, but data that ignores fundamentals cannot be mass-produced as plastic parts. Thank you for understanding.

We can recommend materials we frequently use. While there is no single “right” answer, we can suggest options that generally avoid big problems.

Prices range widely (about JPY 200/kg to 2,000+/kg, even ¥20,000 for niche grades). Parts may weigh ~10 g—so the difference per part might be pennies. Often, boosting function to increase product value is wiser than chasing resin unit price. For material-heavy products (e.g., buckets, bath units), material price matters—but we don’t handle those ultra-high-volume, low-cost products.

Gloss depends more on mold surface finishing than on resin. With good polishing/finishing, most materials can look glossy; high-gloss resins can enhance it further. Note: such finishes show scratches and dirt more easily.

That tactile feel is mostly about mold surface texture, not resin family. Choose resin based on functional needs; we’ll set the texture to achieve the feel.

Great for prototypes; not recommended for mass production (materials, cost, accuracy). Even if the prototype was printed, we may need to rework wall thicknesses, etc., for molding.

We always deliver physical samples after design. We use several methods; CNC machining (subtractive milling) is the most common.

We strongly advise against it. At minimum, do a 3D-printed check. Hidden traps abound; even with prototyping, issues can surface. Prototyping is now inexpensive—use it to reduce risk.

Mass production of plastic parts has strict rules due to mold and injection constraints. Prototypes can ignore those constraints; molding cannot. The rise of 3D printing makes it tempting to “go straight to mass production,” but there’s a big gap between prototype and molding.

Injection molding pushes molten resin into a cooled mold at very high pressure—often 400+ kgf/cm² (that’s 40+ tons on a 10×10 cm area). The mold must withstand that, cycle after cycle. Molds are large, heavy, and made from hard, specialized steels that are difficult to machine—hence the cost.

A typical ~100-ton class mold takes ~1–1.5 months end-to-end, including design, ordering standard parts and raw blocks, machining, assembly, trials, fixes, re-trials, and customer approval. Overlapped work often gets us to about 1.5 months in practice.

We don’t recommend 3D printing for mass production. There are four major additive processes; each has pros/cons, and none covers all mass-production needs for general housings (materials, cost, precision).

A simplified mold vs. a full steel mold. We use aluminum cassette-type molds to reduce price and lead time.
About our rapid molds / General knowledge on simplified molds

Whether the shape is highly free-form/3D curved. Most requests fit the Basic grade. Figures or highly stylized surfaces may require Premium due to complex curves/undercuts. Share details and drawings for guidance.

Yes. See our special page: details here.

We don’t sell molds in principle. For injection factories wishing to integrate our system, we may license and sell—please consult us.

Aluminum is softer than steel; life is shorter. Generally ~2,000–5,000 shots overall; sliding inserts can start wearing around ~500 shots. We notify customers that paid maintenance may be needed roughly every 500 shots.

Yes—matte/pebble textures are possible on aluminum, though they wear faster than on steel. Texture may fade noticeably over 500 shots. Light colors hide this better.

There are many build methods. Some cut cost by reusing old bases or “direct-cutting” cavities into base plates, sacrificing durability. Others overbuild and get pricey. Since quotes rarely state build style, ask how the mold will be built and judge against your durability/volume needs.

Typical Japanese practice guarantees ~100k shots. Family tools (multiple parts in one mold) may be ~10k–50k. Using hardened steels can extend life to 300k–1,000k shots.

Usually yes. Having the mold drawings helps; otherwise internal details are unknown. Note: factories generally don’t guarantee third-party molds against damage—they won’t intend to break them, but risk exists without full internal knowledge.

Possible via reverse engineering: scan/measure, create drawings, build a mold, and produce parts. It’s more work than starting from zero for molding. For 3D-print copies only, polygon data can sometimes be printed directly without full drawings.

Yes—regularly. Please consult us.

Share detailed defect info—we may suggest process and handling fixes. Many overseas issues stem from handling/pre-treatment rather than mold or press defects. If unfixable: (1) import the tool and repair in Japan, or (2) build a new tool.

We frequently get requests for consulting, but as a rule we don’t take consulting engagements. Thank you for understanding.

We mainly handle injection molding—the most common method for plastic parts. We also work with other methods (casting, heat press, etc.). If others say “impossible,” a different method may work—feel free to ask.

These are the fun ones. If someone, somewhere makes it and you wonder “how,” our engineers want to figure it out. Please contact us.

Yes—up to roughly 1,000 pcs per lot (we’re not a high-volume assembler).

Yes—for small lots.

We don’t have the facilities/space for RF pairing tests in-house. We can introduce a partner lab.

Plastics scratch easily; handling during assembly matters. SMT houses used to rigid PCBs can scratch plastics with ESD mats if not experienced. As a plastics-focused shop, we’re used to proper handling. Please consult us.

We deliver to Techno Labo’s internal standards by default and generally don’t customize per customer for small-lot work. However, for customers whose last six months exceed JPY 1M per month (¥10M/year total), we may align to specific standards—please consult us.

Plastics have theoretical DIN tolerances; we reference them in our internal standards (see here). DIN ranges are broad; some tightening is achievable via mold design—ask us.

Please see our quality guidelines: here.

No.

We can provide ROHS, UL, and SDS. We generally ask customers to prepare chemSHERPA.

No.