Plastic or metal inserts can be used and the correct choice will depend on the on the dimensional tolerance of the part the wall thickness and the design of the mould itself. During manufacture metal inserts can overheat and affect the final part so in some cases it may be necessary to shield the inserts from heat to ensure the material surrounding it does not overcook.
It is also possible to design in handles which will form from the material or add handles in a similar way to inserts add metal plates to mark the part with information for identification and add threads. All of these types of specialist design areas rely on the correct flow of the powder material to form properly with a crisp clean part so good design and a high quality mould are essential however the additional cost of the mould is usually more than offset in producing a one-step part with minimal post production work necessary.
Many other types of fittings can be added post production and these may include threads taps or faucets screws and other features to aid in assembly of the final part.
