custom plastic board game figures,plastic miniature figures for board games

Steps of making custom toys

Prototyping

Based on the information and imagery that you provide, a sample prototype is produced. The cost of this sample will vary with the process that needs to be used for production.

For plastic and vinyl figures, a sculpt will be produced of your design based on your imagery, or you can provide us with a mold-ready sculpt that we will reproduce for manufacturing. Times for creating a sample sculpt are typically 12-15 working days. Changes are made until you are satisfied with and approve the design, all at no additional charge and without obligation to order. Once the sculpt looks good in photos, a pre-production sample is produced out of Polyurethane (PU) and sent to you so you are able to give “hands on” approval of the final design. When you place an order, molds will be created to mass-produce your figures in your chosen material. If you decide to proceed with production, the sample fee is refunded as a credit towards the manufacturing order. If you decide you are not ready to proceed with production then the sample is still yours to keep.

For resin figures, your prototype may be cast out of resin and a simpler mold construction process is used, reducing initial costs (but not per piece cost) as compared to plastic and vinyl. For low quantity runs, this is usually the least expensive option overall.

Manufacturing

Mold making time is about 30 days for most molds. Production times for plastics and vinyl following the creation of the molds are usually in the range of 25-35 days. Once production is completed, delivery times via ocean are approximately 30-40 days, while air freight times can vary from 2-10 days depending on the freight carrier. Rush orders are usually possible for an additional fee.

Toy Manufacturing Costs

Pricing of each manufactured toy varies with the particular design, size, and quantities. Much of the cost of plastic and vinyl toys is in the cost of the molds that are made for production. The molds are often complex and require multiple parts in order to get the highest quality reproductions. We will limit these costs as much as possible without sacrificing quality.

Our quotes estimate expected mold and manufacturing costs. We will provide firm prices for both after you approve your prototype and are ready to begin production, also taking into account any fluctuations in material and production costs. These prices are good for a fixed period, usually 30 days. If you include your postal code in your quote request, we will also estimate shipping costs. Calculating precise shipping weights and volumes prior to manufacturing is very difficult, but we can often give you an idea of likely final costs of the toys as delivered to your door or loading dock. When it is time to ship your completed order, we will have a firm quote based on actual measured weights and cubic volume of the shipment.