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Plastic Injection Molding Tool Transfer Guide

Transferring an injection mold tool doesn’t have to be stressful or overly expensive. There are several important questions to consider during the injection molding tool transfer process.

What are the benefits of transferring an injection molding tool?

It’s important to evaluate manufacturing capabilities and quality requirements as early as possible to make sure the partnership is a good fit for both parties. Transferring a tooling asset can be an opportunity to realign skills and requirements. The transfer process also provides a chance for a third party to thoroughly evaluate the condition of the mold.

What are the drawbacks of transferring an injection molding tool?

In many cases, it can be challenging to get accurate and detailed tooling records for older assets. However, in today’s digital era, tooling records (including build and ECN) are much easier to access.

What are some best practices for transferring injection molding tools?

  • If possible, plan for a reasonable time buffer to ensure you have enough supply throughout the transfer, evaluation, conversion, and re-qualification parts of the process.
  • Share the reason for the transfer.
  • Create a transfer checklist to make sure you provide or receive current information. This list can be long, but it should always include part drawings, 3D files, last shots, dimensional records, quality gauges, maintenance history, quality history, tooling drawings, any auxiliary or robot requirements, etc. Download a helpful checklist to get started here.
  • Give the new injection molder at least a week to conduct their own tooling evaluation, and to replace fittings, couplings, and connectors as needed for their practice.
  • Complete a full dimensional layout after the transfer. Note: This is a great time to re-evaluate plastic component conditions and dimensional results.

What should a manufacturer look for in a new injection molder?

  • Financial stability.
  • A strong record of following a clear procedure plan that is evaluated step-by-step and documented. The plan should educate all staff from sales and engineering through production on what to expect before the tool arrives at the facility.
  • A robust design for manufacturing process (DFM) that highlights the value lost when design, prototyping, and production are treated separately—instead of being integrated into one manufacturing chain.
  • Mold simulation software (e.g., SolidWorks). Injection molders who use simulation tools like SolidWorks Plastics Premium software provide up-front design validation that offers insight into plastic part geometry that would be difficult, costly, or impossible to predict with traditional methods.
  • Manufacturing – it’s critical that the injection molder has both production capacity and existing machines that match the requirements (tonnage, barrel size, platens, etc.).
  • Quality – the new injection molder should have quality systems in place to maintain and control optimum part quality.
  • Materials – the injection molder should have expertise in processing and logistics for the right resin categories.
  • Value-Add Requirements – the injection molder should have the equipment and team to make sure the part can be shipped as intended.

What should you expect from program management team roles?

Your team will consist of an account manager, account engineer, program launch manager, tooling and quality representatives. This team is responsible for all aspects of the takeover process, from timeline management and tool review to assessment, sampling, and PPAP submission. They ensure your transfer programs move efficiently through each step of the process in a timely manner.

What are the phases of an injection mold tool transfer process?

  1. Partnership: Key to the success of the project in establishing and maintaining defined communication channels.
  2. Assessment: During this time, the team works with the customer to thoroughly understand production functions from order entry to shipment.
  3. Schedule: Based on the on-site assessment, a transfer schedule will be developed.
  4. Safety stock: Six weeks is a typical time frame for safety stock allotment.
  5. Validation: The goal of validation is to obtain customer approval on each part that will be produced in the new injection molding facility.
  6. Production molding: Once part validation is complete, the new injection molder’s production team will begin to produce the plastic components.

All phases of the plastic injection tool transfer process are critical – particularly the validation phase. Working with an experienced injection molding team that uses the latest technology and innovative manufacturing processes will mitigate associated risks and get your part to the production molding phase faster. Working with a team that has depth in their technical backgrounds will be an integral asset to the commitment and investment made to the transfer process.

Are you looking for the right partner to help facilitate an injection mold tool transfer? Plastic Components, Inc. is here to help. Download our tool transfer checklist here – or contact one of our experienced engineers to discuss your immediate needs.

Injection mold tool transfers require organized and proactive planning, communication, and investment to ensure all project goals and expectations are met.