CustomPartNet
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October 6, 2026
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Updated October 6, 2026
A good first step is to filter your supplier list down to the shops that fit your requirements, such as experience with glass-filled nylon, machine tonnage, or specific certifications. Location matters too, since it affects shipping costs and lead time. For a rugged product like a power tool, the right molder can influence the final result as much as the housing design itself, particularly when you are planning large volumes or a long-term program. Reviewing sample parts is another smart move. They show you what a supplier can really do, and a quick look at a molded part often tells you more than a spec sheet. Use our supplier network on the right to compare qualified suppliers, view sample parts, and request quotes.
Injection molding is the most commonly used manufacturing process for the fabrication of plastic parts, and it is a natural fit for power tool housings. A housing is a thin-walled enclosure that often needs many ribs and bosses on the interior, and injection molding can form all of those features in a single shot. The process needs an injection molding machine, raw plastic material, and a mold. The plastic is melted in the machine and injected into the mold, where it cools and solidifies into the final part.
Cycle times are short, typically between 2 seconds and 2 minutes, and each cycle has four stages.
Clamping. The two halves of the mold are closed by the clamping unit. The clamp must hold the mold shut with enough force during injection, otherwise the plastic can push the mold open and leave flash on the part.
Injection. Plastic pellets are fed from the hopper into the barrel, where a reciprocating screw advances and melts the material through pressure, friction, and heater bands. The molten plastic is then injected into the mold very quickly, and the buildup of pressure packs and holds the material in the cavity.
Cooling. The plastic begins to cool as soon as it touches the mold surfaces. Some shrinkage occurs as it solidifies, and packing during injection offsets part of it. The mold cannot open until the required cooling time has passed.
Ejection. Once the part is cool enough, the mold opens and the ejector pins push the part out of the cavity. The mold then closes and the cycle starts over.
Afterward, the runners and any flash are trimmed from the part. Nylon scrap can often be reground and mixed back in with virgin material at the proper regrind ratio.
Polyamide (PA), commonly known as nylon, is a strong, wear-resistant thermoplastic. Common grades include Nylon 6 and Nylon 6/6. Power tool housings take a beating from drops, vibration, heat, and oils and greases, and nylon handles these conditions well. Key advantages include:
High strength and toughness for rugged, drop-prone tools
Excellent wear resistance for areas that see rubbing or sliding contact
Good chemical resistance to oils, greases, and common shop fluids
Glass-filled grades available for added stiffness and strength
Good performance in repeated-use, high-vibration applications
Compatible with coloring, so housings can be molded in brand colors
Wide availability from material suppliers, which supports consistent sourcing
One thing to plan for is that nylon absorbs moisture. Resin generally needs to be dried before molding, and absorbed moisture can slightly change the dimensions and properties of the finished part. Experienced molders account for this in their process controls, and it is worth raising early when you discuss critical dimensions.
The injection molding process uses molds, typically made of steel or aluminum, as the custom tooling. The mold core and mold cavity form the part cavity, and channels such as the sprue, runners, and gates direct molten plastic into it. Cooling channels run through the mold walls to carry heat away from the plastic.
Several factors influence the cost of a mold:
Size of the part envelope, which sets the mold base size
Projected area and depth of the cavity
Feature count, side-cores, lifters, and unscrewing devices
Tolerance and surface roughness requirements
Expected production quantity, since higher volumes call for a higher class mold that resists wear
Power tool housings bring a few common tooling considerations:
Many ribs and bosses for screw posts, motor mounts, and internal structure
Clamshell designs with two housing halves that must fit together accurately
Undercuts for latches, vents, and switch openings that may need side-actions
Glass-filled materials, which can wear mold surfaces faster and may call for hardened tool steel
Gate placement and uniform cooling to control warpage
Multi-cavity or family tooling for higher-volume programs
A few design rules help keep tooling cost and defects down. Keep wall thickness uniform, add ribs instead of thickening walls, and keep rib thickness to roughly 50 to 60% of the wall they attach to. Support bosses with ribs or gussets, and apply a draft angle of 1° to 2° to walls parallel to the parting direction. Each external undercut adds a side-core, so it pays to simplify features where you can.
PA injection molding is widely used across the power tool industry for parts such as:
Drill and driver housings
Circular saw and jigsaw housings
Angle grinder bodies and guards
Handle and grip frames
Battery pack housings
Charger housings
Trigger and switch components
Gear case covers
Internal brackets and motor mounts
Cordless outdoor equipment housings
Illinois has a strong manufacturing base, with molders and mold makers serving tool OEMs, startups, and contract manufacturers throughout the Midwest and North America.
Nylon combines strength, toughness, and wear resistance at a reasonable cost, which suits tools that get dropped, vibrated, and handled in tough job site conditions. Glass-filled grades add extra stiffness for housings that carry loads.
Both are polyamides and are commonly used in injection molding. Nylon 6/6 is generally a bit stiffer and more heat resistant, while Nylon 6 is usually a little tougher and easier to process. Your molder can help you choose the grade that best fits your tool's loads and operating temperatures.
Nylon absorbs moisture from the air. Molding wet resin can cause cosmetic defects such as bubbles and may weaken the part. Drying the pellets before molding is standard practice for nylon.
Tooling costs vary widely with part size, complexity, number of cavities, and expected volume. A simple single-cavity mold costs far less than a multi-cavity tool for a large housing with side-actions. Per-part costs depend on part size, material use, cycle time, and annual volume. Our injection molding cost estimators can help you build a budget before you request quotes.
Warping is most often caused by non-uniform cooling, which can come from uneven wall thickness or uneven mold temperature. Keeping walls uniform, using ribs for stiffness, and working with your molder on gate location and cooling channel layout all help. Glass-filled grades can warp differently along and across the direction of flow, so it is worth discussing early.
Yes. Many Illinois suppliers offer design-for-manufacturing support, prototyping, tooling, pilot production, full-scale manufacturing, assembly, and packaging services.
Injection molding is most economical for medium-to-high production volumes because the tooling cost is spread over more parts. Production runs commonly range from thousands to millions of parts.
Get competitive quotes from Illinois injection molding suppliers experienced with nylon housings. Upload a CAD file, drawing, or product concept and receive quotes from qualified suppliers matched to your project requirements.
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