Custom Action Figure Design: 4 Tips for Creating New Toys
Posted on: 8 March 2016
Action figures have been around for decades and entertain children of all ages. If you've got a new idea for the next great action figure, then there are several steps for creating and showcasing your design. After the basic design is all planned out, the first step is to get the toy into production. By working with an injection molding company, you can get all of the pieces made and prepare your toy for presentation. Here are multiple tips you can follow to stay organized and help your toy launch become a success.
Toy Materials
As you plan out the different sections of the action figure you want to create, there are a number of materials to choose from. Traditional action figures use a mix of plastic resins and other materials like nylon to create the different parts. For each separate component, an injection molding company will have to make a new mold. This will ensure that the materials do not mix and the figure is created with the best quality. Discussing the different materials with injection molding companies will help you make the best decisions. For example, if your action figure has a cape, an injection molding company may recommend a softer and more flexible resin like nylon. The costs of each material should be considered for your budget, as well. A company can give you estimates on the prices for materials and various sizes that you plan on creating.
Prototype Molds
Before going into mass production, one way that an injection molding company can help you is through a prototype. By having a prototype made, you can ensure that the figure matches your model and works the way it's supposed to. The best part about making a prototype is that if the mold is a success, you can simply reuse it. If the mold needs adjustments, it can be melted down and reformed for use in the new prototype. This can help save both time and resources as you master the action figure creation. A prototype mold will typically have no colors applied to it. This is simply to get the mechanics of the figure down. Specific colors and designs can be applied once you move to a later stage.
Child Testers
When creating toys, your number-one priority is the child who uses it. By gathering your own children or other young family members together, you can get a true test of the toy before attempting to bring it to the market. Through a child-testing session, children can play naturally with the toys and you can take feedback from the way they interact, use the toy, and mix it with other toys they use. It allows you to figure out any possible defects or safety hazards. Once the children are done playing with it, you can ask them opinions and figure out things they would like to change or things that they loved the most.
Mass Production & Samples
Once the final design is set, you can work with the injection molding company to go into mass production. The process of injection molding is done very quickly on a mass basis. This means that you can have hundreds of action figures produced in a single day. With the quick processing, you can be fully prepared to showcase your action figure line at various toy events around the country. The figure designs can also showcase the opportunity for licensing options. For example, you can reach out to marketing companies to tie in your figure designs and features for upcoming movie releases or television shows. It's also a good idea to produce a small mass production of the figure so you can hand out samples to potential distributors. This allows them to experience the toy firsthand and see the potential success that it could have.
By breaking down all of these elements, you can fully budget and plan your action figure creation. It's important to see the big picture while still focusing on little steps.
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