Injection Tooling

Why it dominates a custom project

A bespoke enclosure means a bespoke mould: precision-machined steel, made once, then producing thousands of identical parts.

That structure has two consequences. The cost is fixed, so it falls entirely on the first order and amortises across volume — which is why tooling and MOQ are linked. And the lead time is not compressible, because it is machining time at an external tool shop, not assembly time on our floor.

This is why “can we change the enclosure?” is a schedule question before it is a price question.

The distinction that decides your timeline

Changes divide cleanly into two categories, and knowing which side you are on is the most useful thing you can establish early.

No new tooling: cell selection, parallel count within the existing space, BMS firmware, connector and harness layout, feature options such as USB or a power switch, label artwork, retail packaging.

New tooling: any change to the enclosure’s external geometry, mounting interface, or major internal structure.

The first category is quick and cheap. The second is a project. Our OEM program maintains eleven enclosure families precisely so most builds land in the first category.

Ownership matters more than cost

The question buyers most often fail to settle: who owns the tool?

If the supplier owns it, moving production elsewhere means paying for tooling again — real switching cost, whatever the contract says about the design. If you own it, the tool can in principle move, though practical transfer still depends on the tool shop and the receiving factory.

Settle ownership, storage, maintenance responsibility, and what happens at end of life before the tool is cut. Afterwards, the leverage has already been allocated. See ODM for how this fits alongside design and exclusivity terms.

What to send

A frame drawing or a physical sample at enquiry stage. We will tell you whether an existing family fits — and if it does, tooling leaves your schedule entirely.