Automotive Plastic Injection Molds Case Study: How Yihua Delivered Precision and Speed for a Leading EV Manufacturer
 

Introduction: Meeting the Demands of Modern Automotive Manufacturing

In the fast-evolving world of electric vehicles (EVs), lightweight materials, precise tolerances, and rapid production cycles are essential. One of the key technologies enabling this revolution is automotive plastic injection molding.

Yihua recently partnered with a top-tier EV automaker to produce high-volume, high-precision plastic components—demonstrating our deep experience, flexibility, and engineering excellence in automotive plastic injection molds.

This case study details how we helped our client scale production, reduce costs, and achieve consistent quality across millions of molded parts.

Project Background: Scaling EV Production with Injection Molding

As part of their newest vehicle line launch, the client needed a reliable plastic injection molding partner to:

• Design and manufacture mold tools for dashboard components, interior panels, and under-hood clips.
• Ensure dimensional accuracy and material strength for each component.
• Meet production targets exceeding 1 million parts annually.
• Comply with strict automotive industry tolerances and ISO/TS 16949 standards.

Yihua was selected based on our reputation for quality, fast tooling lead times, and the ability to offer both prototype and production-grade molds in-house.

The Challenge: Achieving Speed Without Compromising Quality

Automotive OEMs demand zero-defect quality, especially when it comes to safety-critical and customer-facing parts. However, the client faced:

• Tight product launch deadlines (under 12 weeks).
• Need for Class 101 molds (over 1 million cycles).
• Complex part geometries requiring side actions and multi-cavity tooling.
• Varying material specifications, including ABS, PA6 with GF30, and PC+PBT blends.

 

Heavy-duty CNC lathes’s Solution: End-to-End Injection Mold Service
Mold Design & DFM (Design for Manufacturability)

Our engineering team worked closely with the client’s design team to optimize part geometry for molding, ensuring manufacturability without sacrificing performance or aesthetics. We used Moldflow simulations to minimize warpage, sink marks, and ensure balanced filling across multiple cavities.

Class 101 Tooling with Hardened Steel

To meet durability and high-cycle requirements, we built hardened H13 steel tools, fully automated with hot runners and side actions. This enabled round-the-clock production with minimal maintenance downtime.

Rapid Prototyping & T1 Samples in Under 10 Days

We first delivered a set of prototype Class 105 molds for functional testing within 7 working days. After approval, our production tooling team completed Class 101 molds and delivered T1 sample parts within 10 business days, well ahead of schedule.

Scalable Production with Material Expertise

Yihua supported material selection based on mechanical requirements and cosmetic needs, including:

• ABS for interior trims with high surface finish
• PA6-GF30 for high-strength structural parts
• PC+PBT blends for thermal stability under the hood

Results: Cost Efficiency, Quality, and On-Time Delivery

KPI	Target	Achieved by Yihua
Tooling Lead Time	< 4 weeks	3.5 weeks
Dimensional Tolerance	±0.05 mm	±0.03 mm consistently
Annual Part Volume	1,200,000 pcs/year	1,280,000 pcs/year
Defect Rate	< 0.5%	0.12%
Client Satisfaction Score	-	9.7/10

Why Yihua for Automotive Injection Molds?

• ✅ ISO-certified production facility
• ✅ In-house DFM, tooling, and injection molding
• ✅ Competitive pricing with offshore and domestic options
• ✅ Proven experience in automotive plastics engineering

Client Testimonial

“Yihua exceeded expectations in every area—engineering, communication, and on-time delivery. Their deep understanding of automotive plastic injection molding helped us meet a critical launch deadline.”

Let's Build Your Next Automotive Mold Project

Whether you're prototyping a dashboard component or mass-producing connectors and brackets, Yihua is your trusted partner in automotive plastic injection molds.