Injection Molding worked example

Mold First Article Cost with sample production cost of 1,300 $: a worked example

This worked example runs the mold first article cost numbers for a tougher week than the baseline: sample production cost of 1,300 $ instead of the typical 2,500 $. Estimate the total cost of a first article inspection (FAI) from sample production cost, measurement labor, and documentation time.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Sample production cost (material + press + setup): 1,300 $ (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 2,500)
  • Measurement and inspection labor cost: 1,800 $ (held at the documented default)
  • Documentation and reporting cost: 900 $ (held at the documented default)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Total FAI cost = Production cost + Measurement cost + Documentation cost.
  • Total works out to 4,000 $ at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Element 1 works out to 1,300 $ at these inputs.
  • Element 2 works out to 1,800 $ at these inputs.
  • Element 3 + 4 works out to 900 $ at these inputs.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where sample production cost sits at 2,500 $ and the headline result is 5,200 $, this scenario comes in 23.08% below the baseline at 4,000 $.
  • Use it when quoting a new mold, after an engineering change that triggers a re-validation, or any time a customer requires a documented PPAP or AS9102 first-article submission. A result at this level usually justifies acting on the stressed input before touching anything else, because every other figure in the table is downstream of it.

Results at a glance

  • Total: 4,000 $ (headline result)
  • Element 1: 1,300 $
  • Element 2: 1,800 $
  • Element 3 + 4: 900 $

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Mold First Article Cost calculator, set sample production cost to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.