5 Inch ABS Collectible Figure with Tampo Printing OEM

A collectible figure is a decoration object first and a toy second, and the two goals pull the process in different directions. Toys are specified for play; collectibles are specified for surface quality — sharp edges reproduced from the master, clean colour breaks and print registration that survives inspection under a desk lamp. Our collectible line is run separately from our toy line for exactly that reason: different polishing, different paint booths and different acceptance samples.

The 5 inch platform is the standard desk-and-shelf size. We run 3 to 8 inch platforms on scaled tooling families so a series can be extended without redesigning the character.

ABS as the collectible resin

Rigid ABS holds the level of detail a collectible needs: crisp fabric folds, thin sword blades and fine facial geometry that soft PVC rounds off. It also takes tampo print directly without a flame or primer step, which keeps the colour line sharp at the artwork edge. Where a part needs a soft-touch feel, the same tool family can be cut for a TPE overmould pass, but that is quoted as a second operation.

Tampo printing

Tampo (pad) printing transfers ink from a etched cliche to the part through a silicone pad, which is why it can print a curved cheek or a boot sole with the same registration as a flat panel. Up to eight colours are practical on a figure, printed in a fixed order with each colour dried before the next. Registration is held to about 0.15 mm on flat faces and slightly looser on compound curves, and that tolerance is agreed before the cliches are etched.

• Multi-colour tampo directly on moulded ABS, no primer needed
• Metallic and pearlescent inks available for armour and trim
• Matte or gloss topcoat as a separate pass where the design calls for it
• Wash and dry-brush weathering quoted as hand work, priced per hour

Articulation and assembly

Desk collectibles are usually fixed-pose, which keeps cost down and lets the sculpture stand as designed. Where a series calls for articulation, we build ball and swivel joints in POM on the same principles as our PVC action figure programme, with the joint pins moulded in a harder resin than the body so the pose holds after repeated handling.

Display packaging

Collectibles live or die by their box. We mould the display packaging in the same plant: a clear window box with a printed card insert, a blister card, or a blind box with a full series of face designs. The insert is die-cut to hold the figure by its base so the piece does not rattle in transit, and the box artwork is printed in-house on the same registration standard as the figure print.

Compliance and licensing

Collectibles intended for ages 14 and up are labelled accordingly; anything specified for younger children is produced to the standard the buyer nominates, with third-party test reports from a laboratory appointed by the buyer. We do not reproduce protected characters or brand likenesses on our own initiative; licensed work runs only against the buyer's written authorisation.

Specification

Series economics

The driver of unit cost on a collectible is the number of sculpts in the series, not the number of pieces: each new sculpt is a new tool. A six-figure blind box series amortises six tools across the first production run, so the realistic entry point is a full series rather than a single character. We quote the tool set as one line and the decoration and packaging as separate lines, so buyers can compare our numbers against a decorator's quote directly.

For articulated play-scale figures, see the Action Figures & Collectibles category, or compare with our multi-part PVC action figure tooling programme.