What is the different between prototypes parts and injection molding parts?

You can see the different between prototypes parts between injection molding parts as below:

Production process: Prototype parts usually refer to product prototypes or samples. They can be hand-made, 3D printed, or made by CNC processing. Prototypes are mainly used for product design verification and display (such as sample rooms, exhibitions), or crowdfunding, review, etc. They are characterized by diversity and customization. Injection molding is a mass production process in which molten plastic is injected into a mold and cooled to form it. This method is suitable for mass production of consistent products. Material selection: Prototype parts can be made of a variety of materials, including plastic, silicone, metal, clay, etc., depending on the design requirements and functions of the product. Injection molded products mainly use plastic materials, such as ABS, PMMA, PC, PP, PA,TPE,TPU etc., because these materials are easy to melt and shape.

Differences in use: Prototypes are mostly used for verification and testing in the early stages of product development, helping designers check the feasibility and functionality of the design. Injection molded products are final consumer products or parts for large-scale commercial sales and use.                                        Cost and efficiency: The production cost of prototype parts is relatively high because it involves complex production processes and possible manual operations. As for injection molding, due to its mass production characteristics, the mold price may be a bit expensive, but if a large quantity is needed later, the average cost per piece is lower, making it suitable for mass production. To sum up, prototype parts and injection molded products have their own characteristics in terms of production process, material selection and usage differences. Prototype parts serve more in the product design and development stage, while injection molded products are products of the production stage. The two complement each other and jointly promote the entire life cycle of the product from concept to market.