Surface finish hub
Category overview and RFQ checklist.
Surface finish hubSurface finish
Surface Finish Cost Comparison for Injection Molding
Finish cost is mostly mold hours and risk, not a line item you add after the tool is done.
Surface finish
Rank finish spend before steel is ordered
Changing gloss after T1 is expensive because polish and texture are tied to the cavity.
SPI A faces dominate polish labor. Heavy VDI etch adds vendor lead time.
Secondary paint or soft touch belongs in program cost, not hidden in molding piece price alone.
Drivers
Typical cost rank (mold side)
Use for budgeting conversations, not universal pricing.
| Finish level | Mold effort | Change risk after T1 |
|---|---|---|
| SPI D matte | Lower polish | Moderate if texture deepens |
| SPI B gloss | Medium polish | High if gloss zone moves |
| SPI A mirror | High polish | Very high |
| Custom MoldTech | Texture vendor | High if plaque changes |
Quote checklist
What to send with CAD
Finish specs stall quotes when they live only in email threads.
Target finish per face
Secondary ops list
Timeline for texture plaques
Keep exploring
Related finish guides
Open siblings on the same hub path before you lock mold texture on the quote.
Color options
Appearance and resin color control.
Color optionsSPI finish chart
A1 through D3 on one page.
SPI finish chartMolding textures
MoldTech and VDI selection.
Molding texturesTexture selection
Pick a spec before steel is cut.
Texture selectionFAQ
Common questions
Will finish change piece price?
Cycle and yield can move with gloss requirements. Quote reflects the full program.
Next step
Ready to attach a finish target to your upload?
NetProto quotes one hardened steel tool with piece price. Finish level still drives DFM and mold texture scope.