Diverse production processes are decided on different materials and characteristics.
The mass production process of collectible toys is as follows: Design, Prototype, Tooling, Injection, Decoration, Assembly, and Packing.
The injection process is widely used in the production of everyday plastic products.
For example, computers, telephones, fax machines, keyboards, cups and stereos. In the toy industry, the injection process is primarily used for high-precision assembled toys, such as GUNDAM and LEGO. The blind box series is also mainly produced using the injection process.
The production of the injection process is rough as follows.
The solid plastic raw materials (PVC, ABS) are melted at a specific melting point and injected into the tooling at a certain speed under the pressure of the injection machine. The tooling is then cooled via the water channels, which cures the liquid plastic, resulting in a finished product that matches the design from the tooling cavity. The entire injection process can be fully automated, from loading raw materials into the tooling to the completion of the products. This process is suitable for mass production because it is fast and efficient. Additionally, it allows for the creation of products with complex shapes, high precision, and consistent quality, regardless of the size.
The tooling is the core of the injection process.
The tooling must be precise and stable because it is used at high temperatures and subjected to frequent use. The injection process uses metal tooling, most commonly made from steel and copper. The cost of tooling with a simple structure and general materials is low. However, if the products require high precision, the tooling cost will be higher.
A completed collectible toy figure is usually assembled with multiple plastic components (such as the head, torso, limbs and accessories).
Producing them through the injection process requires many sets of metal tooling. The cost of making and maintaining the tooling is high and the production cycle is longer. Typically, 3,000 to 5,000 sets are produced to balance cost-sharing, production efficiency, the limitations of the injection process and the complexity of the steel tooling.
Except for the high cost of the tooling, the Achilles' heel of the injection process is the parting lines and the gates.
The injection tooling is composed of two parts: the injection side and the release side (also called the negative and positive tooling or the front and back tooling). There will inevitably be small gaps at the junction of the two parts of the tooling. The liquid plastic injected into the tooling will leave a thin line on the surface of the finished product, known as the "parting line" which is a common process defect. The gates are residual marks left at the connection between the runner (the channel through which the liquid plastic flows in the tooling) and the product body during the injection process.
Parting lines and gates are inescapable in the injection process. The quality and premium feel of collectible toys are reflected in the treatment of the details.
The parting lines and gates of higher-quality, more exquisite collectibles are not obvious. They are either placed at the edges, where they are less noticeable, or treated with polishing and repaired after demolding.