Looking for Custom Polycarbonate Molds?
TheChocolateLife is collaborating with a Turkish manufacturer – Oflaz – that offers equipment for processing cocoa and making finished chocolate. Through this collaboration, TheChocolateLife can now offer extremely competitive pricing on custom polycarbonate molds.
TL;DR
100, Euro-standard 175x275x25 bar molds for under $2500, in as little as ten weeks, from starting the design phase to receipt of finished molds.
TheChocolateLife and Oflaz are your partners in this process. TheChocolateLife is your point of contact outside of Turkey. Oflaz is TheChocolateLife’s point of contact in Turkey. Oflaz is the interface with an established and highly-respected Turkish mold manufacturer, with whom Oflaz has a lengthy working relationship.
In this way, you don’t have to worry about doing business with a foreign supplier you don’t know.
If you are interested in taking advantage of this offer, email TheChocolateLife with “Custom Mold Inquiry” in the subject line.
Premium ChocolateLife members may be eligible for special member pricing.
Process
Click on the down arrow to the right of the title text to expand.
Step 1: Reach out to TheChocolateLife
The process begins when you contact TheChocolateLife, at which point we will gather the details necessary to produce a ProForma Invoice for your approval.
Once the ProForma Invoice is approved and the deposit paid (see Payment Schedule below) the next step begins.
Step 2: Design
In this step, TheChocolateLife works with you to make sure the design team in Turkey has everything they need to do their work, starting with the dimensions of the mold cavity, the weight of chocolate in each cavity, and any decorative design elements you want to include in the mold, including surface textures, company logos, and/or other artwork.
If there are existing designs for molds that inspire you or you have 3D CAD files, this is the time to share them.
Step 3: Design Review
After taking all the input it has been given, the design team produces an initial model in CAD incorporating any required technical details such as easing angles.
This design is reviewed virtually via 3D renderings and other tools before initial tooling begins.
Step 4: Tooling, Prototyping, and Review
After the design is approved, the initial tooling is done, and a silicone prototype mold is pulled.
The silicone prototype can be sent directly to you for approval, or (optionally), before the prototype is shipped, you can have chocolate bars produced in Turkey. These bars will be photographed and the images will be sent for review, expediting the approval process. The mold and bars will be shipped to you for final approval, after this visual review.
Assuming you don’t request changes to the initial tooling, a design to silicone prototype cycle takes approximately two weeks, not including the time required for international shipping and customs clearance.
Design or specification changes requested by the client restart the design/review/prototype approval steps. There is an additional cost for new tooling and insert a delay of up to two weeks into the process.
Step 5: Final Approval
Once the mold design is approved and the final payment is received, manufacturing your custom mold can begin.
Step 6: Manufacturing & Shipping
This stage takes approximately four weeks from final approval until your molds are ready to ship.
Pricing Schedule |
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|---|---|
MOQ: |
100 pcs per design |
Tooling Cost: |
175x275x25mm €800 — 205x275x25mm €850 |
Tooling costs include: |
Working from cavity parameters (dimension, weight) plus additional client design input to producing a prototype mold |
Design iteration/prototype mold: |
€200.00 / round |
Manufacturing Cost: |
175x275x25mm €750 — 205x275x25mm €850 |
Optional service: |
Produce bars from your prototype and send high-res photographs for review prior to shipping prototype mold, €125 |
Note 1: |
Clear or white polycarbonate, same price; ask about other mold material options |
Note 2: |
Other sizes available |
Not included: |
International shipping of finished molds, customs, applicable duties |
Production Schedule |
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|---|---|
Design & Prototype: |
Estimated time from receipt of deposit to first prototype: 2-3 weeks |
Design iteration/prototype mold: |
2-3 weeks / round |
Manufacturing Schedule: |
Estimated 4 weeks from final approval of mold design to shipping |
Note: |
International shipping and customs not included in timing estimates |
Payment Schedule |
|
|---|---|
Deposit: |
100% of tooling costs before start of work |
Final payment: |
Balance due before shipment (additional design iterations, other services, optional services, manufacturing costs, shipping costs, etc) |
If you are interested in taking advantage of this offer, email TheChocolateLife with “Custom Mold Inquiry” in the subject line.
Premium ChocolateLife members may be eligible for special member pricing.