After collaborating with the toolmakers on the design, the part is ready and approved for the T1 sampling stage. They will build the first tool with a 2-16-week lead time dependent on design considerations. T1 sampling demonstrates that the tooling functions correctly and produces ideal parts. After the T1 sampling is accepted, any necessary modifications and aesthetic mold texturing can begin. These additional modifications can take 1-2 weeks to complete. The modified molds, referred to as T2 samples, are sent for approval of texture and appearance. Once the T2 samples are approved, the toolmaker releases them to the contract manufacturer.

About Synectic Product Development: Synectic Product Development is an ISO 13485 certified, full-scale product development company. Vertically integrated within the Mack Group, our capabilities allow us to take your design from concept to production. With over 40 years of experience in design, development, and manufacturing, we strive for ingenuity, cost-effectiveness, and aesthetics in our designs.  Learn more about our new product introduction services and see how we can help your next project.

We consider die structure to minimize defects expected in mass-production from the stage of prototype dies, and utilize our design ability and die processing technologies we have cultivated over the years to design, manufacture, and assemble high quality injection molding dies and stamping dies.

After initial process development, qualifications, and validations, the tool enters a regular production maintenance schedule. Here the tool is regularly monitored for wear and other potential issues affecting part quality or tooling lifetime.

We manage the maintenance and repairs conducted according to the maintenance frequency decided for the shot count and the design and production history of injection molding dies and stamping dies as "die records." Our technicians that are well-versed in both injection molding dies and stamping dies maintain quality on a daily basis. Should a problem happen to occur, they can check the die records to go through the past history and changes.

The inspection jigs and tools used at our manufacturing sites are designed and produced in-house. We confirm that metal stamped inserts are non-faulty within the process, and if there is any indication of a fault such as deformation, we quickly identify and deal with it.

We conduct prior verification such as resin fluid analysis for mold conditions such as the gate position, resin injection pressure and filling time, and die temperature. We then determine the die structure upon comprehensively investigating the specifications, drawing requirements, and product shape received from the customer. The molding conditions are determined based on resin properties obtained in production history and past launch data such as resin fluidity, gas position and volume, and rate of contraction. Our molded products are produced from simple prototype dies according to customer evaluation and development steps.

Tooling, also known as a mold, refers to the negative cavity space where molten plastic resin is injected to create a part. High quantity and quality parts require proper tooling. Since tool design and construction are complex, fabrication requires significant capital investment and enough lead time to create an effective tool.

We start by checking the dimensions of the prototype, then check for internal defects such as voids and external problems such as glass fibers, short shots, sink marks, burning, and flash, which may occur due to the resin material/product shape. When performing die adjustment or changing conditions according to changes in the customer specifications, we are able to perform trial molding at our factory, which means that the new specifications can be quickly reflected in the molded product. We can then provide feedback on the status of product improvement. As customer assembly processes become more automated and higher precision is required for component units, we identify concerns before mass-production drawings/mass-production dies and conduct adequate prototype evaluations.

The tooling design process starts out in the prototype development phase. Here 3D printing, cast urethane, and machining techniques create prototype tools. These low-volume prototypes troubleshoot, develop, and validate the tooling design during pilot production. While this step may seem unnecessary, cutting down on errors in the manufacturing and assembly process early can significantly decrease time and cost later.

Once with the manufacturer, the T2 samples are placed into the production line for process development and part qualification. The tooling undergoes a series of molding studies that help outline the optimal conditions and characteristics for creating parts using that tool. The manufacturer runs experiment trials to isolate process inputs and corresponding impacts on part characteristics. This initial testing helps the molder validate an ideal processing window that produces parts within specification.

Proper tooling design and choices need to accommodate for complexity, lifetime, application, and potential production volume of the tool. Choosing which tooling to invest in is the hardest part of the tooling process. If the part is going straight into high volume contract manufacturing, then it will be most cost-beneficial to invest directly into expensive production tooling for the long term. In other cases, such as low volume manufacturing, using a prototype tool may be more beneficial until production increases significantly.

Toolmakers provide necessary assistance with the tool design process because they are well-versed in fabricating techniques and tooling design. They can run mold flow analyses to optimize the tooling design and choose the best locations for parting lines, gate, and ejection locations. A quality prototype design engineer will work closely with toolmakers to ensure the fabrication of the optimal tool for your application.

Tooling is the backbone of plastic injection molding. Without a proper tool design, your plastic part would never scale up properly. A quality tool design can save you enormous amounts of time and money during production. Before you contact a toolmaker, here are a few facts about tooling you should keep in mind.

The entire process from prototype to production can take months and significant investment to properly complete. Therefore it is vital to design your parts for manufacturing throughout product development. A product design prototyped using machining, or 3d printing, may not easily translate to a tooling design for high volume production. We recommend partnering with a product development company intimately familiar with the tooling design and the manufacturing process that will initially incorporate that knowledge into designing your product. If you are unsure how to get started or would like some expert advice on designing your tools, contact us and we would be happy to help.

With 3D scanner CMM from Keyence Corporation, we compare molded products at the prototype stage and CAD data with images to check for deviation and differences from the drawings. We also have coordinate measuring machines and Measuring microscopes, etc. measuring microscopes are also installed in our die manufacturing sites for on-the-spot checks.