MIM tools cost between 12,000 and 120,000 euros. The range is not a matter of chance but the result of concrete decisions — number of cavities, tool steel, hot-runner versus cold-runner system, multi-component or single-shot moulding. This article shows how to assess the figures realistically for your component type.
The base price: single cavity
A single-cavity tool for a standard MIM component (weight 5–30 g, standard geometry, no undercuts) typically costs 12,000 to 22,000 EUR in Europe. This price includes:
- Tool steel 1.2343 (pre-hardened) or equivalent
- Runner manifold with a single point gate
- Simple ejector geometry
- Sampling guarantee for 500 shots
Number of cavities — the most important lever
With the number of cavities, the tooling costs rise not linearly but degressively. A two-cavity tool does not cost twice as much as a single-cavity one, but around 1.5 times as much. A 16-cavity tool not 16 times as much, but 6 to 8 times.
| Cavities | Relative tooling cost | Cycle time (vs. 1-cavity) | Typ. annual volume |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,0 × (base) | 1,0 × | up to 30.000 |
| 2 | ~1,5 × | ~0,55 × | 30k – 100k |
| 4 | ~2,3 × | ~0,30 × | 100k – 400k |
| 8 | ~3,5 × | ~0,18 × | 400k – 1 Mio |
| 16 | ~6,0 × | ~0,11 × | 1 Mio – 3 Mio |
| 32 | ~10 × | ~0,07 × | over 3 Mio |
The cycle time naturally does not fall in proportion to the number of cavities: distribution, pressure build-up and cooling time remain largely constant. In practice: a 16-cavity tool runs about 9 times faster than a 1-cavity tool, not 16 times.
Family moulds: one tool, several components
For assemblies with several parts — for example two housing halves plus a cover — a family mould can be economical. Prerequisite: the parts have a comparable weight and wall thickness, so that they behave similarly in the moulding and sintering process.
Advantage: a single tool, a single process approval. Disadvantage: a defect or wear in one cavity area paralyses all variants. Rarely used for Tier-1 automotive, but often sensible for consumer goods with > 200k annual volume.
Hot runner versus cold runner
MIM feedstock is more sensitive than standard plastic: it contains metal powder that places an abrasive load on the runner. Hot-runner systems are possible for MIM, but more expensive (surcharge 8,000–20,000 EUR) and more maintenance-intensive. Usage recommendation:
- Cold runner: For volumes up to 500,000 parts/year, standard materials. The runner remnant is recycled, but with a material loss of around 8–12 %.
- Hot runner: From 500,000 parts/year, in particular for expensive materials (Ti, Inconel). Amortises itself through the higher material utilisation.
The amortisation model
The most important calculation is not "what does the tool cost?", but "when has the tool paid for itself through the unit-price advantage?". In simplified form, the amortisation formula for MIM is:
Amortisation (parts) = tooling cost / (unit-price difference)
For a 4-cavity tool at 45,000 EUR and a unit-price saving of 0.35 EUR compared with a 1-cavity alternative, the amortisation point is at around 129,000 parts. This must be compared against the annual volume — and against the expected service life of the product.
What is always included in our quotations
We state tooling costs in three lines: tool manufacture, one-off, amortisation surcharge per part (if distributed across the unit price), maintenance reserve (typically 4–7 % of the tool total per year). This way you see the total cash flow, not just the purchase price.
Further reading
- MIM vs. investment casting vs. machining — why tooling costs are the decisive break-even factor.
- Guide-Price Calculator — an interactive calculation incl. tool amortisation over your annual volume.
- Design for MIM — how design decisions determine tool complexity.