Injection Mold Project for ABS Furniture Accessories

Project Overview

Our client is a well-established furniture accessories manufacturer based in Turkey, serving high-end European furniture brands. They specialize in cabinet components and place high emphasis on aesthetic surface finish, product durability, and precise structure.

For this project, the customer requested the development of two plastic components for furniture use:

• Cabinet handles

• Cabinet legs/foot

Both parts are made from ABS material and are intended as visible exterior parts, which means the surface quality, texture, and structural integrity must meet high visual and functional standards.

Technical Requirements & Challenges

Although the product structure appears relatively simple, the customer had strict technical expectations, including:

• ABS material requires precise mold temperature and venting design to avoid common defects such as sink marks, flow lines, or weld lines.

• The surface must have a leather-like texture (etched pattern), with no drag marks, gloss inconsistency, or deformation after molding.

• The parts must be designed with sliding cores to accommodate undercuts and ensure easy installation in the final product.

• The mold must meet export standards and be durable enough for long-term production.

• The customer requested short lead time with no compromise in mold precision or part quality.

Our Solution

DFM Analysis & Early Stage Support

Our engineering team conducted a comprehensive DFM (Design for Manufacturability) analysis, covering:

• Gate location and part filling

• Parting line & texture flow orientation

• Ejection method and draft angle optimization

• Core/cavity layout for consistent cooling

We also helped the customer optimize the product structure slightly to make it more mold-friendly while preserving the design intent.

Optimized Mold Design

We tailored the mold structure with the following features:

• Sloped parting line transitions to avoid flash or texture interruption

• Slide cores and inserts for the handle part to support the undercut shape

• Enhanced cooling channel design for the leg section to reduce cycle time

• Mold base: S50C, Mold core/cavity: P20 steel, for mid-volume production

All components selected to meet HASCO standard, ensuring compatibility for global maintenance

Moldflow Simulation & Precision Machining

We conducted a Moldflow analysis to verify the gate location, filling balance, and cooling performance. Adjustments were made accordingly to ensure minimal air traps and uniform shrinkage.

The mold components were machined using high-precision CNC, mirror EDM, and slow wire cutting to achieve ±0.02mm dimensional accuracy.

T1 Trial & Surface Texture

We performed the T1 mold trial in-house, using our own injection machines. The parts came out well with leather-texture surface achieved via custom etching, meeting the aesthetic and functional requirements in the first shot.

Before shipping, we provided the customer with a full T1 trial report, dimension inspection report, surface texture photos, and trial videos for review.

Project Outcome

The full mold project was completed in just 4-5 weeks, from design to T1 sample delivery.

• First-shot success: T1 samples met all dimensional and surface expectations

• The customer was highly satisfied with our technical expertise, surface finish control, and fast communication

• The project has now moved into mass production, and we are discussing a second set of molds with the customer

• A long-term cooperation relationship has been established

✅ Why Choose Alpine Mold

✔ Comprehensive DFM expertise for optimized moldability
✔ Rich experience in surface texture control for aesthetic parts
✔ Weekly mold progress reports with efficient communication
✔ Full compliance with export mold standards (HASCO, DME, etc.)
✔ Over 10,000+ custom molds delivered with zero-failure record
✔ Proven track record with global clients in Europe, North America, Turkey, and more