Design to production
A part that is designed to be molded costs less every shot for years
How we review a design, and what we look for.
The design review
1. Draft and walls
Draft on every face, walls of even thickness, and ribs sized so they do not sink.
2. Gates and flow
Where the plastic enters, how it fills, and where the weld lines land.
3. Undercuts and actions
Whether the part needs slides and lifters, or a small change removes them.
4. Tolerances and fit
What the resin can hold, and what to control in the tool versus the process.
5. The report
A marked-up model and a list of suggested changes, with the cost each one saves.
TIMELINE
From model to shipped parts
Week 1
Review and quote
Moldability review, resin suggestion, tool and part quote.
Weeks 2 to 3
Prototype tool
Aluminum tool cut and sampled; parts in your hands in the real resin.
Weeks 4 to 11
Production tool
Steel tool designed, cut, polished and sampled.
Week 12
Approval
First shots measured and approved; process window set.
Ongoing
Production
Lots run to the setup sheet, tool maintained between runs.