Why do lockable plastic case supplier quotes differ by a factor of two?

Answer: On locks and tooling: a coded lock adds 9.2 yuan per unit, and charging the mould once versus amortising shifts a first order 30%.

Can the padlock hole be drilled after moulding?

Answer: It can, but drilling removes the chamfer and leaves 3 mm of wall, which cracks on impact. Change the tool instead.

How is a failed coded lock replaced?

Answer: As a complete body, never a single dial, at 26 yuan per unit with a 50-piece minimum and 7 extra days.

With a 300-unit MOQ, can we sample first?

Answer: Yes, 3 to 5 pieces against a charge credited to the bulk order. Send the actual padlock, since bore errors only show once a lock is on.

Lockable plastic case supplier: four cost lines, three lock specs

Quick answer: Split every quotation into mould, lock, latch hardware and packing before comparing suppliers, then pin the lock option down with three figures: bore, hole spacing and shackle diameter. An unsplit price hides where the saving came from, and an unwritten hole size guarantees a sample that will not take the customer's padlock.

Four Cost Lines Behind One Quotation
Padlock Hole Specs: Bore, Spacing and Shackle
Coded versus Keyed Locks: Where the Difference Sits
Inspection and Accessory Delivery
Latch Material: Three Options and Their Trade-offs
MOQ, Mould Ownership and Payment Terms
FAQ

1. Four Cost Lines Behind One Quotation

A single unit price usually blends mould, lock, hardware and packing. A lockable plastic case supplier that will not break it down knows the comparison is won on whatever is easiest to shave.

Cost line	Where it hides	What to pin down
Mould and amortisation	One-off fee, or spread into unit price	Ownership, amortised quantity, tooling changes
Lock option	Per-unit premium by lock type	Padlock hole, keyed, coded adds
Latch hardware	Inside the unit price or separate	Resin grade, salt-spray hours, pull-out force
Packing and accessories	Most often omitted	Keys shipped with cases, spare ratio

The lock line moves first: between padlock-hole and coded versions of one shell, the gap runs 5.8 to 9.2 yuan per unit, and a single total hides it.

2. Padlock Hole Specs: Bore, Spacing and Shackle

On a lockable plastic case supplier drawing, the padlock hole is the only mechanical interface, and one size off blocks the customer's lock.

Lockable plastic case supplier: eight matte black cases stacked two tiers on a warehouse pallet, latches aligned, blue racking behind

Bore 8.5 mm, leaving 1.5 mm around a 7 mm shackle, and a gloved hand still clears. Hole spacing of 30 mm sets how long the lock body can be: a 40 mm padlock sits flush, while a 60 mm long-shackle lock fouls the lid edge and keeps the lid from seating.

Keep 5 mm of wall around the bore and a 0.8 mm chamfer so the shackle cuts neither hand nor flash. Place the hole 12 mm from the lid edge; closer, and a drop cracks it.

Write all three figures on the drawing, and the lock option is finally fixed.

3. Coded versus Keyed Locks: Where the Difference Sits

The gap between coded and keyed locks on a lockable plastic case supplier quote is not in the lock body. It sits in assembly time and after-sales.

Lock type	Per-unit premium	Replacement cost	Lead-time effect
Padlock hole, no lock	Baseline	Customer supplies	None
Keyed lock	5.8 yuan	18 yuan each	Plus 3 days
Three-dial coded lock	9.2 yuan	26 yuan each	Plus 7 days
Keyed lock with dust cover	7.5 yuan	21 yuan each	Plus 5 days

Coded locks cost more because each dial pack is aligned by hand: 40 seconds per unit and roughly 2% rework.

Below 800 units, that premium never amortises.

4. Inspection and Accessory Delivery

Inspection at a lockable plastic case supplier runs in two tracks: sample shells, test every lock.

Lockable plastic case supplier: three beige cases on a pallet moving along a roller conveyor toward an open loading dock

Sample shells at level II and AQL 1.0, watching hole drift and latch closure; open every lock, pair keyed sets once per 50 units, and scramble then reset each coded dial. Accessories need their own line: keys, spare latches and dust covers at 2%.

Without it, spares travel separately and cost more than the parts.

5. Latch Material: Three Options and Their Trade-offs

Latches carry load, so the material decides the failure mode rather than the price.

PA66 with 30% glass fibre: pull-out force up to 1,400 N, no rust after 96 hours of salt spray, brittle in cold;
POM: low friction and a smooth snap, weaker in impact than PA66, suited to smaller shells;
304 stainless overmould: best corrosion resistance at about 2.4 times the plastic cost and 0.3 kg extra per unit.

Each material has its own pricing basis: plastic per pair, stainless per piece with finishing separate, and mixing bases turns reorders into arguments.

A stainless bushing around the padlock hole slows bore wear, at 3.2 yuan per unit.

6. MOQ, Mould Ownership and Payment Terms

The minimum order from a lockable plastic case supplier and the mould belong in one conversation. Custom work usually starts at 300 units, on a four-cavity tool costing 28,000 yuan, paid outright or amortised across the first 1,500 pieces.

Lead time runs 32 days: 12 for the tool, 8 for moulding, 7 for assembly and lock setting, 5 for packing. Tooling slips most, and a drawing signed a week late pushes everything back. Moulding sits ahead of assembly, so a late lock shipment strands half-finished shells. Assembly is scheduled by lock type, at 55 seconds per coded unit and 30 seconds per keyed one. Payment is typically 30% deposit, balance before dispatch. Accounts older than two years can negotiate 60-day terms. Put lead time and terms in the same contract clause, or a delay leaves nothing to point at.

Conclusion

Choosing a lockable plastic case supplier is about how finely the price is broken down, not how low it lands. Once the four cost lines separate, a lock premium has nowhere to hide. Once the three hole figures reach the drawing, the sample takes a real padlock. Settle MOQ, mould ownership and payment terms early, and a lockable plastic case supplier comparison fits on one enquiry sheet.

This article discusses only the container (case body) side of specifications and design intent, and does not cover any handling, loading or use of the contents.