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I thought plastic was cheaper, since the majority of their products are plastic. Why not change from metal to plastic, since resin has air bubbles and seems to currently be giving them no end of headaches. My only thought is that im wrong, and plastic is stupid expensive now a days.

Plastic is cheap, but the molds for plastic injection molding are very not cheap.

Ah that makes sense, they would have alot of molds to replace. Thanks.

The master models have to be designed for injection moulding.

The resin process that GW are using allows them to make moulds from the same masters that are used to make moulds for metal models.

The metal figures that the replaced with the resin compound don't do enough sales to make it cost-effective to make them in plastic (except in the very long run, when they might pay off in 10 years).

They do need to refine their resin casting efforts though. I've seen garage casts of resin figures in that scale of a much better quality (better designed moulds help).

I was going to come in with a cyncial response, but I'm all out.

chromedog wrote:
They do need to refine their resin casting efforts though.

Agreed. But I don't think that's the only thing needed.

I've seen garage casts of resin figures in that scale of a much better quality (better designed moulds help).

Volume made and quality assurance procedures relating to that volume play a factor too I'd think.

Flashman wrote:I was going to come in with a cyncial response, but I'm all out.

It's a bit like that, innit?

Wow, I got a post deleted with no PM or anything. Nice.

I imagine the retooling and product investment to facilitate the change has driving the initial costs increases.

The initial start-up costs on plastic injection molding are large. The molds cost a lot, easily going into the tens of thousands of dollars. It takes large volume to make a profit from injection molding. GW simply doesnt sell enough of the single hero/character figures for it to be worth doing.

How do I know this?...I work in a plastic injection molding factory.

Just to convert the Metal Molds to take Resin cost GW 2 million pounds.

If the conversion from Metal to Plastic had taken place GW would have to replace all of the molds with Metal Dies, this would cost at a minimum of 20 million pounds.

Because the plastic they use can not be poured or spuncast it needs direct injection under intense pressure, that is why it is classified as Direct Injected Molded Plastic or IMP for short.

Oh no, not reasonable facts!

Achaylus72 wrote:Just to convert the Metal Molds to take Resin cost GW 2 million pounds.

If the conversion from Metal to Plastic had taken place GW would have to replace all of the molds with Metal Dies, this would cost at a minimum of 20 million pounds.

Because the plastic they use can not be poured or spuncast it needs direct injection under intense pressure, that is why it is classified as Direct Injected Molded Plastic or IMP for short.

Where did this number come from? It doesn't sound unreasonable, but I would like to see a citation if you have one.

Yeah, that's the first time I've seen that figure (2 million pounds) used. I'm curious to know the source too.

There's also the issue of what GW are doing with their recalled metal models?

Melting back down to ingots for sale through a metal merchant perhaps?

With the cost of refined tin these days (STILL the majority of the white metal allioy they used) that should recoup some costs.

I thought they were going to continue to sell the metal mini's (on their website) until their supplies ran out?

AesSedai wrote:Yeah, that's the first time I've seen that figure (2 million pounds) used. I'm curious to know the source too.

Eh, I remember reading a 4chan post/article/discussion/whatever that had an anonymous GW manager from Britain and he said that the creation of the baneblade mold cost 1 million pounds, so 2 million to restructure from metal to resin doesn't sound unreasonable, but more like a little low.

If anyone has a link to that 4chan post, they should post it here.

I wouldn't exactly call 4chan a reliable source of information.