FAQs

Alpha-Mold provides a comprehensive range of surface finishing services to enhance the appearance, texture, and functionality of your parts. Our offerings include:

1、Metal Treatments: Anodizing, polishing, alodine, powder coating, and other finishes for metals to improve durability and aesthetics.

2、SPI for Plastic Injection Molds: Custom textures, matte or gloss finishes for mold tools to create specific surface patterns on plastic parts.

3、Painting & Plating: High-quality painting & plating services for both metal and plastic components to meet your aesthetic or functional requirements.

For guidance on selecting the right surface finish or specifying texture details, please refer to our finishes page.

We are committed to delivering high-quality materials and workmanship according to your initial order specifications. Upon request, we can provide full-dimensional reports and material certifications prior to delivery. Any disputes based on a subjective determination shall be brought to the attention of management, they will work in good faith to resolve any issues and ensure your satisfaction, as we value long-term business relationships built on trust and reliability.

While direct comparisons are complex, Alpha-Mold’s prices for plastic injection molds and CNC machined parts are typically 25-45% lower than those of suppliers in North America and Europe. Rather than competing solely on price with other Chinese suppliers, we emphasize high standards of efficiency, quick response times, and expert craftsmanship.

Tolerances depend on several factors such as part size, design geometry, material, surface finish, and manufacturing process. After confirming your order, we will conduct a design review to highlight areas where achieving specific tolerances may be challenging. We encourage you to specify which areas are critical to maintain tight tolerances and which can be adjusted to help save time and reduce costs.

General tolerance guidelines:

1、For CNC machining, we follow ISO 2768 (medium) for plastics and ISO 2768 (fine) for metals.

2、Typically, CNC machining tolerances range from ±0.005″ (±0.125mm) to ±0.0008″ (±0.002mm).

Please note that higher tolerances often lead to increased costs. All specifications should be clearly defined in your 2D drawings to ensure precision.

We prefer 3D CAD files in X_T, STP, STEP, STL, SolidWorks, or IGES formats. For 2D drawings, we accept DWG or PDF formats, as long as they contain clear dimensional details and specific manufacturing requirements.

Yes, your design is strictly confidential. We are happy to sign any necessary non-disclosure agreements. Additionally, we enforce a strict no-photography policy in our factory to ensure your product’s privacy. We pride ourselves on our long-standing reputation for working with numerous innovative designs while maintaining confidentiality.

We typically respond within one business day. If additional time is required, we will notify you promptly.

For new customers, payment is required in advance for rapid prototyping services. After a period of cooperation, we may extend 30-day credit terms based on order quantities. Tooling orders generally require a 50% deposit upfront, with the balance due upon sample approval. Terms are negotiable based on individual agreements.

In most cases, customers are responsible for submitting 2D and 3D CAD drawings. However, we do offer Design for Manufacturing (DFM) reviews to optimize your design. Additionally, we can assist with part design via reverse engineering if samples are provided. Mold design is one of our specialties, and we offer full mold design services to our customers.

Alpha-Mold has no minimum order quantity requirement. We support everything from one-off prototypes to mid- and high-volume production runs. 

Our standard shipping terms are Ex Works (EXW), where the customer is responsible for shipping, customs clearance, and other fees after the goods leave our facility. We also offer Delivery At Place (DAP) through DHL or FedEX Express for air freight, with the customer responsible for import duties and fees. Customers can also use their own shipping accounts (e.g., DHL, FedEx, UPS) if preferred. 

Import duties depend on the destination country and the type of goods being shipped. For customers in the U.S., prototypes used for development, testing, or quality control may qualify for duty-free import under MFN Duty Rate (US HTS Number: 9817.85.01). Most countries use the Harmonized System (HS) codes to classify goods, and duties vary based on this classification.

Lead times vary depending on the process, part size, and quantity. Prototype parts are typically ready within 5-9 days. Rapid injection molding can take 2-5 weeks, depending on the complexity. Most shipments are sent via air freight, which usually takes a few days to reach Europe or North America from China.