{"id":4133,"date":"2026-10-05T15:35:55","date_gmt":"2026-10-05T13:35:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.popterror.com\/?post_type=pt_guide&p=4133"},"modified":"2026-10-05T17:03:53","modified_gmt":"2026-10-05T15:03:53","slug":"figure-production-lead-time","status":"publish","type":"pt_guide","link":"https:\/\/www.popterror.com\/en\/studio\/guides\/figure-production-lead-time","title":{"rendered":"How long does it take to make a custom figure? Lead times step by step"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u201cWe need them for next month\u2019s trade show.\u201d It is the sentence no studio likes to hear, because a figure produced in series is not made in a few weeks. In this guide, we detail each step, what makes it longer, and how to build a realistic schedule to hit your launch date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why does it take several months to make a figure?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Because the steps are sequential<\/strong>: you cannot make a mould before approving the prototype, or start production before approving the pre-production sample. And several steps involve back-and-forth<\/strong>: each correction restarts a cycle of making and shipping a sample.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On top of that come shipping<\/strong>, often long, and safety testing<\/strong>, which has its own lead time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How long does each step take?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Step<\/th>What happens<\/th>Typical duration<\/th>What makes it longer<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Brief and design<\/td>Directions, sketches, turnaround<\/td>2 to 4 weeks<\/td>Character created from scratch, many rounds<\/td><\/tr>
3D modelling<\/td>Production volume<\/td>2 weeks<\/td>Complex character, many parts<\/td><\/tr>
Prototype<\/td>3D print, corrections<\/td>3 days of printing, plus corrections<\/td>Several versions to test<\/td><\/tr>
Moulds<\/td>Tooling<\/td>1 month<\/td>Steel injection, large size<\/td><\/tr>
Pre-production<\/td>First \u201cfactory\u201d sample<\/td>2 weeks<\/td>Paint or mould corrections<\/td><\/tr>
Production<\/td>Moulding, painting, assembly<\/td>1 month<\/td>Large quantity, many colours<\/td><\/tr>
Inspection and packing<\/td>Checks, boxing<\/td>2 weeks<\/td>Blind box (distributing the models)<\/td><\/tr>
Safety testing<\/td>Laboratory<\/td>Included in quality control<\/td>Several materials and colours<\/td><\/tr>
Shipping<\/td>Sea or air, customs<\/td>6 to 8 weeks by sea, 10 to 15 days by air<\/td>Sea freight, peak season<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Usual total, including approval rounds and sea freight: 6 to 8 months for an existing character, 7 to 9 months if the character has to be created or for a blind box. Some steps can overlap: packaging is designed while the moulds are being made, and testing can start on the pre-production sample.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Chart:<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Chart:<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The typical duration of each step, from brief to delivery.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n