Why do Chinese factories ignore orders under 5,000 units? We explain the thermal challenges of process stabilization, the economics of setup costs, and 3 strategies to successfully source low-volume die casting services for your startup.

It is the most frustrating silence in the hardware business.
You have a great product. You have a finalized design. You are ready to move from CNC prototyping to mass production.
You send RFQs to 10 factories in China for 500 units.
And you get… Silence.

Or, if you do get a reply, the price is astronomical.

As a buyer, you feel ignored. You think: “My money is green. Why don’t they want my business?”

At Sureton, we specialize in helping companies bridge the gap between prototype and mass production. We don’t ignore the “little guy” because we know today’s 500-unit order is tomorrow’s 50,000-unit order.

But to successfully source Low volume die casting services, you need to understand why the MOQ (Minimum Order Quantity) exists. It’s not arrogance; it’s the physics of process thermal stability.

Here is the insider’s guide to hacking the MOQ.

1. The Physics: Why 500 Units is “Hard”

CNC Machining is digital: You load a file, press a button, and the first part is perfect.
Die Casting is analog: It relies on Heat.

To make a good die-cast part, the huge steel mold (weighing 500kg+) must reach a specific, uniform temperature (e.g., 200°C).

• The Warm-Up: When we start a machine, we have to shoot hot metal into the cold mold for 30-60 minutes just to warm it up.

• The Scrap & The Yield Impact: The initial shots until thermal stability is reached are often non-saleable. This process establishment scrap can account for 10% or more of a very short run, making the effective yield poor and unit cost high. On a 10,000-part run, this same startup loss becomes negligible (<1%).

That’s the core inefficiency that MOQs are designed to overcome.

2. The Economics: The “Setup Charge” Solution

So, how do you get a factory to say “Yes”?
You offer to pay for the pain.

Most factories bake the setup cost into the unit price. For low volume, this makes the unit price look crazy (e.g., $20 for a $5 part).
Instead, ask for a breakdown:

• Target Unit Price: (Based on 5,000 qty pricing)

• Setup Fee: (A separate line item)

The Strategy: Tell the supplier: “I know my volume is low. Please charge me a fair, separate Setup & Process Qualification Fee that covers machine mounting, thermal stabilization, and initial sampling, but keep the piece-part price at a volume-based tier.”
This shows you understand their cost structure. At Sureton, we accept this model. It covers our technician’s time to hang the mold and warm up the machine, while keeping your BOM (Bill of Materials) cost stable for your investors.

3. Strategy: The “Annual Buy” (Inventory Holding)

You need 500 parts now. But you will probably need 2,000 this year.
Don’t order 500 four times. That is 4 setups, 4 warm-up scrap events, and 4 shipping charges.

The Strategy: Place a Blanket Order for 2,000 units.

• Ask Sureton to produce all 2,000 at once (achieving the efficiency of a longer run).

• Ask us to ship 500 now, and hold the remaining 1,500 in our warehouse.

• The Benefit: You get the lower price of the 2,000-unit tier. We get a smooth production run. We can store the balance for a pre-agreed period under agreed-upon inventory holding and release terms. This locks in your pricing and improves our production planning.

4. Strategy: Standard Mold Bases (MUD Frames)

Tooling cost is another barrier to low volume. Why pay $15,000 for a mold if you only sell 1,000 parts?

The Strategy: Ask for MUD (Master Unit Die) Inserts.
Instead of building a complete standalone mold (with its own heavy steel base, ejector plate, etc.), we only machine the “Core and Cavity” inserts.
These inserts slide into a Standard Frame that stays in our machine.

• Key Advantage: Lower Initial Investment. By eliminating the need for a custom mold base, plates, and standard components, tooling cost can be significantly reduced, often by a third or more, which is crucial for low-volume financial viability.

• Time Savings: Setup is faster because the frame is already in the machine.

• Ideal For: Small, simple parts in low volume.

5. The “Process Pivot”: Are You Sure You Need Die Casting?

Sometimes, the honest answer is: “You aren’t ready for die casting yet.”

If you need 200 parts, and the design is still changing, Die Casting is a trap.

• CNC Machining: For ultimate flexibility with no tooling investment.

• Vacuum Casting (Urethane Casting): For rapid, low-cost prototypes in plastic-like materials. 

• Bridge Tooling with Pre-Hardened Steel (e.g., P20): A cost-effective middle ground for production runs of several thousand parts, perfect for market validation before committing to full-hard production tooling. 

We Grow With You

Every giant OEM started with a small order.
At Sureton, we don’t judge an RFQ by its quantity, but by its potential.

If you are a startup facing the “MOQ Wall,” don’t give up.

Ready to turn your prototype into a viable production run?
Contact Sureton today. Be transparent about your current volume and your future projection. We will work out a Short Run Manufacturing plan—whether it involves setup fees, inventory holding, or soft tooling—to get your product to market.