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Panoramic Insight into the Injection Mold Industry: Forging Ahead in the Wave of Change

• 2025-07-04

Panoramic Insight into the Injection Mold Industry: Forging Ahead in the Wave of Change

I. Panoramic Analysis of the Injection Mold Industry

    Injection molds, as key equipment in industrial production, are widely used in numerous fields such as automobiles, electronics, home appliances, and packaging, and play a pivotal role in modern manufacturing. Its working principle is to inject molten plastic into a mold cavity of a specific shape. After cooling and solidification, plastic products with specific shapes and sizes are formed. From simple daily necessities to complex automotive parts, injection molds, with their characteristics of high precision, high efficiency and high consistency, have become the core tools for achieving batch production of plastic products.

(1) Current Development Status of the injection mold industry

    At present, the global injection mold market size is continuously growing. According to research data, the global injection mold market size reached approximately 30.37 billion US dollars in 2024 and is expected to rise to 38.35 billion US dollars by 2031, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.4% during the period from 2025 to 2031. Behind this growth trend lies the steady increase in demand for plastic products in various application fields and the new opportunities brought about by technological progress.

    In terms of regional distribution, Asia is the world's largest injection mold market, accounting for more than 50%. China, with its complete industrial chain support, huge manufacturing foundation and continuously improving technological level, has become an important force in the injection mold industry in Asia and even globally. In 2024, China's injection mold output value will account for approximately 30% of the global total. China has performed outstandingly in mold exports, with its products sold far to Europe, America, Southeast Asia and other regions. Meanwhile, the domestic market in China also has a strong demand for injection molds. The rapid development of industries such as automobiles, electronics, and home appliances has provided a vast market space for injection mold enterprises.

(2) The Development History of the Injection Mold Industry

    The development history of the injection mold industry is a history of continuous innovation. From manual production to mechanized and automated production, each transformation has driven significant progress in the industry. In the early days, injection molds were mainly manufactured by hand, which led to low production efficiency and difficulty in ensuring precision. With the advancement of the Industrial Revolution, mechanical processing equipment was gradually applied to mold manufacturing, significantly enhancing production efficiency and precision. Since the middle of the 20th century, the emergence of numerical control machining technology has brought about a qualitative leap in the injection mold industry, making it possible to manufacture molds with complex shapes. Entering the 21st century, with the rapid development of computer technology and information technology, the injection mold industry has ushered in the era of digitalization and intelligence. The extensive application of technologies such as CAE (Computer Aided Engineering), CAD (Computer Aided Design), and CAM (Computer Aided Manufacturing) in mold design and manufacturing has achieved full-process digital control of molds from design to production, effectively shortening the mold development cycle and improving product quality and production efficiency. Meanwhile, the rise of Industry 4.0 and the concept of intelligent manufacturing has prompted injection mold enterprises to accelerate their pace of intelligent upgrading, introducing intelligent equipment, automated production lines, and information management systems such as MES (Manufacturing Execution System) to achieve real-time monitoring, optimized scheduling, and quality traceability of the production process.

Processing equipment_Taizhou Jiefeng Mould Co.,Ltd. (jfmoulds.com)

Ii. Analysis of the Injection Mold Industry Chain

    The industrial chain of the injection mold industry covers three main links: upstream raw material supply, midstream mold design and manufacturing, and downstream application fields. Each link is interrelated and develops in a coordinated manner, jointly forming the ecosystem of the injection mold industry.

(1) Upstream raw material supply

    The raw materials of injection molds mainly include mold steel, mold bases, standard parts and auxiliary materials, etc. Die steel is the core raw material, and its quality directly affects the performance and service life of the die. In recent years, with the increasing demand for high-precision and long-life molds in the mold industry, the research and application of high-performance mold steel have become a trend. For instance, special mold steels such as mirror steel, hot work die steel and cold work die steel are increasingly widely used in injection molds. These steels possess excellent wear resistance, corrosion resistance, thermal stability and processing performance, and can meet the production requirements of various plastic products. As the fundamental components of molds, the standardization and modularization of mold bases and standard parts are constantly improving, which helps to enhance the efficiency of mold manufacturing and reduce costs. Meanwhile, with the development of mold manufacturing technology, the requirements for the precision and quality of mold bases and standard parts are also getting higher and higher. Although auxiliary materials such as mold release agents, lubricants, and cooling media account for a relatively small proportion of the mold cost, they also play a significant role in the normal operation of the mold and the quality of plastic products. For instance, high-quality mold release agents can facilitate the smooth demolding of plastic products and prevent surface damage to the products. Efficient cooling media can accelerate the cooling speed of molds and enhance production efficiency.

(2) Midstream mold design and manufacturing

    Mold design and manufacturing are the core links in the injection mold industry chain. Their technical level and production capacity directly determine the quality and performance of the molds. In terms of mold design, with the development of computer technology, CAE and CAD technologies have become mainstream design tools. CAE technology, by simulating and analyzing the injection molding process, can predict in advance potential defects of the product, such as warpage, shrinkage marks, and weld marks, and provide optimization suggestions for mold design. This effectively reduces the number of mold trials, shortens the mold development cycle, and lowers costs. CAD technology has enabled the digitalization and visualization of mold design. Designers can conduct 3D modeling, assembly analysis and virtual debugging on computers, thereby enhancing design efficiency and accuracy. In the mold manufacturing process, numerical control processing technology holds a dominant position. CNC machining equipment such as machining centers, electrical discharge machining machines, and wire cutting machines can achieve high-precision and complex-shaped mold processing. Meanwhile, with the development of intelligent manufacturing technology, the application of automated production lines, industrial robots, etc. in mold manufacturing has gradually become widespread, achieving the automation and intelligence of the mold manufacturing process, and improving production efficiency and the stability of product quality. In addition, to meet the market demand for high-precision and long-life molds, some advanced manufacturing processes such as high-speed milling, nanofabrading, and additive manufacturing (3D printing) have also been applied in injection mold manufacturing. High-speed milling technology can achieve high-speed and high-precision processing of molds and improve surface quality. Nanofabrication technology can produce mold components with nanometer-level precision, meeting the manufacturing requirements of micro-injection molds. Additive manufacturing technology offers a new solution for the production of complex-structured molds, enabling the realization of mold structure designs that are difficult to achieve through traditional manufacturing processes.

(3) Downstream application fields

    The downstream application fields of injection molds are very extensive, covering multiple industries such as automobiles, electronics, home appliances, packaging, medical care, aerospace, etc. The demand for injection molds in these industries is characterized by diversity and personalization, which has driven technological innovation and product upgrading in the injection mold industry. In the automotive industry, with the acceleration of the development trends of automotive lightweighting and intelligence, injection molds are increasingly widely used in the manufacturing of automotive parts. For instance, a large number of plastic products are used in automotive interior and exterior parts, engine components, battery assemblies, etc., which puts forward higher requirements for the precision, quality and production efficiency of injection molds. Meanwhile, the rapid development of new energy vehicles has also brought new opportunities to the injection mold industry. For instance, the demand for injection molds for components such as battery boxes, charging pile shells, and motor shells is growing rapidly. 

    The electronics industry is another important application field for injection molds. The shells, structural parts, and components of consumer electronic products such as smart phones, tablet computers, laptops, and wearable devices are mostly formed by injection molding processes. With the acceleration of the product update and replacement speed in the electronics industry, the development cycle and precision requirements for injection molds are getting higher and higher. Precision injection molds have become the mainstream in the market. In the home appliance industry, injection molds are indispensable for the shells, inner tanks, and components of various home appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners, and televisions. As consumers' demands for the appearance design and functional performance of home appliances increase, injection mold enterprises need to constantly innovate their design concepts, improve the precision and quality of mold manufacturing, and meet the development needs of the home appliance industry. The packaging industry is one of the fields where injection molds are most widely used. Plastic packaging products such as plastic bottles, plastic boxes, plastic pallets, and plastic films are widely applied in industries like food, beverages, daily chemicals, and pharmaceuticals. 

    The demand for injection molds in the packaging industry mainly focuses on high-efficiency, low-cost and environmentally friendly molds. Meanwhile, with the increasing demand for personalized and customized packaging in the packaging industry, injection mold enterprises need to have the ability to respond quickly to market demands. The medical industry has extremely high requirements for the quality and precision of injection molds, which are mainly used in the manufacturing of disposable medical devices, medical consumables, and components of medical equipment. As medical products are directly related to people's lives and health, injection mold enterprises need to strictly abide by relevant medical device production standards and regulatory requirements to ensure the quality and safety of molds. The application of injection molds in the aerospace industry mainly focuses on the manufacturing of some non-critical components and interior parts. Although the application scale is relatively small, the requirements for the performance and quality of the molds are extremely strict, and they need to have characteristics such as high temperature resistance, high pressure resistance, high strength, and lightweight. With the continuous development of aerospace technology, higher requirements have been put forward for the technological innovation and product upgrading of injection molds.

Auto Mould_Taizhou Jiefeng Mould Co.,Ltd. (jfmoulds.com)

Iii. Technological Development Trends in the Injection Mold Industry

(1) Digital design and manufacturing technology

    Digital design and manufacturing technology is one of the core trends in the future development of the injection mold industry. It will run through the entire process of mold design, manufacturing, testing and maintenance. During the design stage, CAE and CAD technologies will be continuously upgraded to achieve more accurate simulation analysis and more efficient design optimization. For instance, CAE analysis software based on big data and artificial intelligence can integrate a large amount of mold design and production data, predict the injection molding effect under different design schemes through deep learning algorithms, and provide designers with more forward-looking decision-making basis. Meanwhile, the CAD software will achieve seamless integration with upstream and downstream systems, such as the material performance database of raw material suppliers, to ensure that material characteristics are fully considered during the design process. Connect with the production and manufacturing system to achieve direct transmission of design data and automatic generation of processing instructions. In the manufacturing process, intelligent manufacturing technology will be applied more widely. Industrial robots and automated production lines will become standard equipment in mold manufacturing workshops, enabling the automated processing, assembly and inspection of mold components. Meanwhile, by introducing Internet of Things (iot) technology, the interconnection and interoperability of production equipment and real-time monitoring of the production process can be achieved. Enterprises can remotely manage and schedule the production site, promptly identify and solve problems in production, and enhance production efficiency and the stability of product quality. In addition, digital twin technology will also make its mark in the injection mold industry. By establishing digital twin models of molds, enterprises can simulate and verify the entire process of mold design, manufacturing, assembly, debugging, and operation and maintenance in a virtual environment, identify potential problems in advance and optimize them, thereby shortening the mold development cycle, reducing costs, and improving the reliability and performance of molds.

(II) Application of high-performance Materials

    As injection molds develop towards high precision, long service life and high performance, the application of high-performance materials will become an inevitable trend. In the field of die steel, new types of die steel materials are constantly emerging, such as powder metallurgy die steel, hot work die steel, cold work die steel, etc. Powder metallurgy die steel is prepared through a special powder metallurgy process and features uniform structure, no segregation, high hardness and good wear resistance. It can effectively enhance the service life and performance of molds. Hot work die steel has excellent strength, toughness and thermal fatigue performance in high-temperature environments, and is suitable for manufacturing mold components that withstand high temperatures and pressures during injection molding processes. Cold working die steel features high hardness, high wear resistance and good toughness, and is often used to manufacture cold stamping, cold extrusion and other dies. In addition to die steel, other high-performance materials such as ceramic materials, composite materials, and smart materials have also been applied to a certain extent in injection molds. Ceramic materials have the advantages of high hardness, good wear resistance, high temperature resistance and corrosion resistance. They can be used to manufacture key components such as the core and cavity of molds, thereby enhancing the service life and precision of molds. Composite materials combine the advantages of multiple materials. For instance, carbon fiber reinforced composites feature high strength and lightweight, and can be used to manufacture structural components for large injection molds, reducing the weight of the molds and enhancing production efficiency. Intelligent materials such as shape memory alloys and piezoelectric materials can automatically adjust their own performance in response to changes in the external environment, providing new ideas for the intelligent design and manufacture of injection molds. In addition, with the continuous improvement of environmental awareness, the application of degradable materials in injection molds will also gradually increase. Biodegradable plastics such as polylactic acid (PLA) and polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) have excellent biodegradability and environmental friendliness, and can be used to manufacture injection molds for disposable plastic products and packaging materials.

(3) Green manufacturing technology

    Under the global advocacy of green development, the green manufacturing technology in the injection mold industry has developed rapidly. Green manufacturing technologies mainly include energy conservation and emission reduction, resource recycling and utilization, as well as the application of environmentally friendly materials. In terms of energy conservation and emission reduction, injection mold enterprises have reduced energy consumption and carbon emissions during the production process by adopting energy-saving injection molding machines, optimizing injection molding process parameters, and recycling waste heat. For instance, the new energy-saving injection molding machine adopts a servo motor drive system, which can save 30% to 50% of energy compared with traditional hydraulic injection molding machines. By optimizing injection molding process parameters, such as adjusting injection speed, pressure, and temperature, plastic waste and energy consumption can be reduced. Meanwhile, the waste heat generated during the injection molding process is recovered by using equipment such as heat exchangers for preheating raw materials or heating the workshop, achieving the secondary utilization of energy. In terms of resource recycling, mold remanufacturing technology has received extensive attention. By adopting technologies such as surface repair and additive manufacturing, used molds can be repaired and remanufactured to restore their performance to or approach that of new products, extend their service life, and reduce resource waste and environmental pollution. In addition, injection mold enterprises also attach great importance to the recycling and utilization of waste materials and scraps generated during the production process, converting them into reusable raw materials through classification, processing and other methods. In terms of the application of environmentally friendly materials, in addition to the degradable materials mentioned earlier, injection mold enterprises also actively adopt non-toxic, harmless and low-volatile environmentally friendly raw materials and auxiliary materials, such as environmentally friendly mold release agents and lubricants, to reduce harm to the environment and human health. Meanwhile, in the surface treatment process of molds, environmentally friendly electroplating and coating technologies are adopted to replace the traditional treatment processes that contain heavy metals and are highly polluting.

(4) Micro injection molding and precision injection molding technology

    With the continuous increase in the demand for miniaturized and precise products in industries such as electronics, medical care, and aerospace, micro injection molding and precision injection molding technologies have become important development directions in the injection mold industry. Micro-injection molding technology is mainly used to manufacture plastic products with very small dimensions and high precision requirements, such as micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) components, micro-sensors, and micro-medical devices. Compared with traditional injection molding technology, micro-injection molding technology has higher requirements in aspects such as mold design, injection molding process, and equipment selection. In terms of mold design, it is necessary to adopt high-precision processing equipment and advanced design concepts to manufacture mold cavities and cores with dimensional accuracy reaching the micrometer or even nanometer level. At the same time, issues such as the venting and cooling of the mold should be taken into consideration to ensure that the plastic melt can be evenly filled