How Much Does Injection Mould Tooling Cost? A 2026 Nordic Guide
Injection mould tooling at Nordmould starts from €3,000 for a single-cavity aluminium soft tool. Hardened steel production moulds for complex, multi-cavity parts typically range from €15,000 to €80,000 or more. The gap between those figures is explained almost entirely by four variables: tool material, part geometry, cavity count, and required tool life.
What are the main factors that drive mould tooling cost?
Four factors account for the majority of tooling cost, regardless of where the mould is made.
Tool material. Aluminium grades machine quickly and cost less per kilogram than P20 or H13 tool steel. That difference translates directly into lower quotes.
Part geometry. Deep cores, side-actions (slides and lifters), thin walls, and fine surface texture all add machined detail and EDM time. A simple flat lid costs far less to tool than an identically sized part with internal ribs, snap-fits, and a constrained gate location.
Cavity count. A multi-cavity mould produces several parts per press cycle, reducing per-part cycle time. Each additional cavity adds machining cost to the tool block but shares fixed design and setup overheads.
Tool life target. A prototype run of 500 parts demands far less of a mould than a production run of 500,000. Hardened steel is specified when the tool must survive millions of shots without dimensional drift.
What is the difference between aluminium and hardened steel tooling?
| Attribute | Aluminium tooling | Hardened steel tooling |
|---|---|---|
| Typical tooling price | From €3,000 | From €15,000 |
| Lead time | 4–6 weeks | 8–11 weeks |
| Expected tool life | 10,000–100,000 shots | 500,000–1,000,000+ shots |
| Best for | Prototypes, bridge, low–mid volume | Production series, regulated industries |
| Material compatibility | Most standard thermoplastics | All thermoplastics including abrasive grades |
| Dimensional stability | Good for most applications | Superior for tight-tolerance parts |
| Repair and modification | Easier to weld and re-machine | More demanding; specialist tooling room needed |
Aluminium tooling is the right choice when time-to-first-part and capital efficiency matter more than raw longevity. Nordmould's Bridge tier is built around this: aluminium tooling, fast lead times, and no minimum-volume penalty for low-run orders.
Hardened steel is specified for high-volume production, medical or regulated applications, and parts in glass-filled or abrasive materials that would wear soft metal prematurely. Nordmould's Production tier provides hardened steel tooling through its vetted partner network.
How does cavity count affect both tooling and per-part cost?
Cavity count is the lever that connects tooling investment to part economics.
A single-cavity mould produces one part per cycle. A 4-cavity mould produces four parts per cycle using the same press time, roughly quartering the machine-time element of the part price. The tooling cost for a 4-cavity mould is higher than a single-cavity mould — but not four times higher, because fixed costs (design, DFM, runner system, mould base) are shared.
| Cavity count | Approximate tooling uplift vs 1-cavity | Effect on part price |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baseline | Baseline |
| 2 | +40–60% | −30–40% per part |
| 4 | +80–120% | −50–60% per part |
| 8 | +150–200% | −65–70% per part |
These are representative ranges; exact figures depend on part size and geometry. Nordmould includes cavity-count recommendations in its free DFM review, matched to your target annual volume.
What are realistic price ranges for common mould types?
The table below uses Nordmould's published starting price of €3,000 as an anchor. All figures are indicative; final prices depend on geometry.
| Mould type | Indicative range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Simple single-cavity, aluminium | €3,000–€8,000 | Flat or shallow parts, no slides |
| Complex single-cavity, aluminium | €8,000–€15,000 | Side-actions, textured surface |
| Simple single-cavity, steel | €12,000–€25,000 | Standard engineering plastics |
| Multi-cavity (4–8), aluminium | €10,000–€30,000 | Suitable for bridge/mid-volume |
| Multi-cavity (4–16), hardened steel | €25,000–€80,000+ | High-volume production |
| Insert moulding or overmoulding tool | Add 20–40% to base tool | Additional complexity for second shot or inserts |
How does tooling cost compare to per-part price over a production run?
Tooling is a capital cost paid once; parts are a recurring cost paid per piece. Higher tooling investment is justified when the per-part saving it generates is multiplied over a large enough run.
A straightforward break-even calculation illustrates this: if a steel multi-cavity mould costs €20,000 more than an aluminium single-cavity mould but reduces per-part price by €0.50, the break-even volume is 40,000 parts. Below that threshold the cheaper tool is more efficient; above it the expensive tool pays for itself.
Nordmould helps buyers model this at the quote stage. Because tooling cost and part price are quoted together, total programme cost is visible before any commitment is made.
What should you look for when comparing supplier quotes?
Written, itemised quotes make like-for-like comparison possible. When evaluating any tooling quote, request clarity on the following.
Tool material and grade. "Aluminium" covers a wide range of alloys with different hardness and longevity. Ask for the specific grade.
Cavity count. Confirm whether the quoted price is for a single or multi-cavity tool, and whether cavity count can be increased later.
Expected tool life. Ask for a shot-count guarantee or typical expectation in writing.
What is included. Some quotes exclude trial shots (T1 sampling), texture application, or mould storage. Others include them. Compare on total delivered cost.
Lead time in calendar weeks. A number, not a description.
Jurisdiction and IP ownership. EU-based tooling means the mould is under EU law and stays in your control. With Asian sourcing, tool ownership disputes are common and difficult to resolve.
Nordmould provides written, itemised quotes within 2–5 business days of receiving a STEP file or PDF drawing. The free DFM review is included at no charge and flags design issues before the tool is cut.
Frequently asked questions
How much does injection mould tooling cost? Tooling at Nordmould starts from €3,000 for a single-cavity aluminium mould. Hardened steel production tools for complex, high-volume parts can reach €30,000–€80,000 or more. The right tier depends on part geometry, volume, and material.
Is aluminium tooling worth it for low volumes? Yes. Aluminium tooling is well-suited for runs of a few hundred to tens of thousands of parts. It costs significantly less than steel and is produced faster — typically in 4–6 weeks. Nordmould's Bridge tier uses aluminium tooling for exactly this use case.
How does cavity count affect tooling price? Each additional cavity adds machining and material cost to the tool block, but shares fixed design and setup overheads. A 2-cavity mould might cost 1.5–1.8× a single-cavity mould, not 2×. More cavities reduce per-part cost at the expense of higher tooling investment.
Does part size affect tooling cost? Directly. Larger parts require a bigger steel or aluminium block, a larger press, and more machining time. A palm-sized enclosure and a large panel blank are completely different cost categories. Nordmould quotes both — the free DFM review identifies which cost band your part falls into.
What is the difference between tooling cost and part cost? Tooling cost is a one-off capital investment paid once per mould. Part cost is the recurring material, machine-time, and labour charge per piece. Amortising tool cost over a longer run reduces per-unit total cost significantly.
How do I compare tooling quotes from different suppliers? Ask each supplier for: cavity count, tool material, expected tool life in shots, lead time, and what is included. Nordmould provides itemised written quotes, making line-by-line comparison straightforward.
What is the tooling lead time at Nordmould? Aluminium tooling typically ships in 4–6 weeks; hardened steel tools take 8–11 weeks depending on part complexity. Nordmould confirms lead time in writing at the quote stage.
Send your STEP file or PDF to Nordmould for a free DFM review and a written tooling quote.
Last reviewed: 2026-05