| When flash memory first started gaining | | | | the moulding stage, this allows additional detail to |
| popularity as a marketing product it was primarily | | | | be added that could not be achieved using |
| content owners needing high quality compact flash | | | | moulded PVC alone. |
| and SD cards duplicated with promotional or retail | | | | The small scale process also means that as |
| content. Users included major mobile phone | | | | moulds and prototypes are quicker and less costly |
| manufacturers looking to include free content on | | | | to make, it is possible to repeat the prototype |
| their phones as a marketing exercise and digital | | | | stage to refine a design without either breaking |
| signage specialists needing fast turnaround times | | | | the budget or extending the lead time to |
| on timely content for in store use. | | | | unreasonable lengths. Although a 3D render can |
| USB manufacturers realized that by offering a low | | | | give a great deal of information about the final |
| volume custom printing option on what were now | | | | product it is never going to be as good as holding |
| being called Keyring USB, they could tap in to a | | | | a prototype in your hand. Once quantities get to |
| much wider market than just those companies | | | | the high hundreds of units then the custom |
| requiring content delivery.Off the shelf USB | | | | moulded options increase to include ABS plastic. |
| designs could be customised by screen printing | | | | This is a process that requires a heavier duty |
| and laser engraving. | | | | mould to be made which increases costs at this |
| The initial saturation of cheap plastic designs has | | | | stage of the process. |
| settled to leave a diverse range of promotional | | | | The advantages of ABS are both in hardness of |
| USB of varying quality, the most popular of these | | | | the material and in cost savings on higher volumes |
| keyring USB probably being the twister. A classic | | | | of custom moulded USB. Once the high initial cost |
| plastic casing with a metal sheath that spins round | | | | is accounted for the unit cost of manufacturing in |
| to reveal the USB plug. This metal sheath offers a | | | | ABS comes down due to the less labour intensive |
| good branding area, both screen printed and | | | | nature of this process. Custom USB casings are |
| engraved. | | | | stamped out using a heavy duty mould at high |
| In addition to supplying the more standard | | | | speed, meaning that not only is the actual |
| products, a custom moulded USB design service is | | | | manufacturing process more efficient but it is |
| also a major part of this new offering. From CAD | | | | possible to manufacture more product in a short |
| designs or product photos a realistic 3D custom | | | | space of time. The maximum number of USB |
| moulded USB stick can be created that not only | | | | housing that can be manufactured from a typical |
| truly reflects a brand's values but is also | | | | PVC mould per day will be in the region of 500 or |
| guaranteed to be a unique promotional item in the | | | | so whereas a stamper for ABS shells will be able |
| sea of similar looking USB promotions. With | | | | to run off several thousand in a day. The hard |
| materials such as recycled PVC, a custom USB | | | | plastic of ABS is also more versatile in terms of |
| promotional flash drive can be made for not much | | | | reproducing different material effects. It is possible |
| more than an off the shelf variety. PVC is | | | | for example to cover the plastic in a reflective |
| malleable and easily coloured so it makes an ideal | | | | chrome finish to mimic metal. |
| material for use in custom moulded USB shells. | | | | The final option for custom USB and the most |
| With an additional benefit of being more | | | | expensive is die cast metal. Here a mould is made |
| ecologically friendly than standard off the shelf | | | | from aluminium alloy in a similiar process to the |
| designs, PVC has gained tremendous popularity in | | | | process required for ABS moulding. Moulding from |
| this use. | | | | molten metal is of course a much more intensive |
| An additional benefit is that the moulding process | | | | process and requires a mould that can cope with |
| required for working with PVC is far less intensive | | | | the increased heat and pressures required for |
| than that required for ABS or other plastics. A | | | | metal moulding. This in turn will naturally increase |
| mould can be made in a matter of days, | | | | costs, resulting in a prototyping phase that is |
| compared to the weeks required for a heavy | | | | roughly twice to three times more expensive |
| duty ABS mould. This results in prototype | | | | than ABS. The timescales are also lengthened and |
| samples being turned around in a matter of a | | | | it is not unusual for metal moulding to take |
| week or two rather than the month or two | | | | several months from CAD design stage to final |
| required for ABS prototypes. Modern laser cutting | | | | product. Metal moulding is not a route to be taken |
| mould creation techniques allow for an incredible | | | | lightly as the complexity and tolerances of the |
| amount of detail to be incorporated onto even | | | | processes involved means that there is far more |
| small designs. Examples include tiny mobile phones | | | | to go wrong. With the flexibility and possibilities of |
| with buttons and lettering designed to look | | | | both PVC and ABS it is rare for a design to |
| identical to a regular mobile phone. Miniature | | | | require genuine metal to be successful. |
| vehicles have also been produced for haulage | | | | Whichever route is taken it is important to have a |
| companies decked out in the company's livery | | | | company with the experience and technical skills |
| using PVC. The process of moulding using PVC | | | | required for the smooth running of a custom |
| also allows for hand painting of the rubber during | | | | moulded USB promotion. |