Figure: Checking a molded plastic part against its design sketches. Why Plastic Product Design Requires More Than Appearance A well-designed plastic product has to do more than look good sitting on a shelf. It needs to perform safely, hold up in its intended environment, go together efficiently on the assembly line, and eventually be disposed of or recovered without generating needless waste. Early in development, designers typically weigh several manufacturing routes, and custom plastic injection molding is one option that comes up often when a product calls for detailed, repeatable parts made at scale. The choice of process—much like the choice of material—should be driven by what the product actually needs, not by convenience or habit. Decisions made at the earliest design stages have a ...