Communications and Purchasing of Injection Molds

Purchasing Injection Molds

Purchasing Injection MoldsWhether you are purchasing an injection mold from the tool shop down the street or half the way across the world, communications is one of the most important ingredient in a successful program.

Injection Molds Website Portal

Total Solution Plastic as invested in and developed the most sophisticated Web Portal available. No more lost files or email, no more wondering where your mold is in the process, just log on to our secure site (SSL) and view in real-time. You can access your project from any computer anywhere in the word. Check out www.totalsolutionplastic.com.

Purchasing of an Injection Mold

Injection Mold Management

injection mold managementWhether you are purchasing an injection mold from the tool shop down the street or half the way across the world, communications is one of the most important ingredient in a successful program. Total Solution Plastic has invested in and developed the most sophisticated Web Portal available. No more lost files or email, no more wondering where your mold is in the process, just log on to our secure site (SSL) and view in real-time and in English.

You can access your project from any computer anywhere in the world. Now isn’t that much better than dealing with late night or early morning calls. Or you could jump on an airplane and go see your mold. How expensive is that? Not to mention that while you are there the work is stacking up on your desk.

Injection Mold Accountability

We also provide accountability. Action items are generated and assigned for the whole team to see. This keeps things moving forward. Gantt files are available for your review. In one convenient place we offer you total management of your injection mold. Whether it is to provide status for a meeting, look up an action item of two weeks ago, cover for a sick employee, or just deal with the day to day management of your program, all of the information necessary is there. And if you really want to see the value of this program let’s manage 5 injection mold or ten. It doesn’t matter each project is managed individually with all of the appropriate information at your fingertips.

Communication is the key to a successful project and a quality mold. Done right it also provides for
Increased cost and time savings. Check out our web site at www.totalsolutionplastic.com. We talk about our project management system as well as our company and capabilities. Then give us a call and let us show you how we can save you money with a great injection mold managed with great communication.

Understanding Injection Molds

Please follow the link below to watch a video that explains the many features of an injection mold.

Injection Mold Making – Eight Phases of a Tool Transfer

Eight Phases of a Tool Transfer
Article From: MoldMaking Technology, Sherry L. Baranek , John Berg, Marketing Director from MGS Mfrg. Group 2

Posted on: 4/1/2011
tool transfer injection mold

Eight Phases of a Tool Transfer

It is big news when an OEM decides to move a substantial number of existing molds from one molding operation (either their own in-house/captive facility or an outsourced molder) to a selected custom molder.

Tool Transfer

Mold transfers—particularly large ones—require upfront planning, communications and investments that yield the goals and expectations of the project. A complete understanding of the OEM’s goals must be in place at the injection molding operation taking responsibility for the change in venue. The information and activities required leave no room for anything but complete cooperation and disclosure from both sides.

The eight phases of a transfer include:
1. Contractual agreement
2. Partnership
3. On-site assessment
4. Schedule
5. Safety stock
6. Equipment purchase/consigned equipment
7. Validation
8. Production molding

A contractual agreement should be established that provides legal commitment from both parties. The contents will protect the interest of all companies involved over the length of the agreement.

A dedicated and empowered team (see Transfer Program Management Team Sidebar, page xx) must be defined upfront based on the requirements of the project. Both companies must be willing to make whatever personnel arrangements are necessary to ensure success—forming a partnership with open lines of communication between the two management groups.

A detailed on-site assessment of the manufacturing operations at the current facility is required to develop a seamless transfer. During this time, the Project Management transfer team works with the current molding operation to thoroughly understand the production functions from order entry to shipment. This is an especially critical step. It is likely to be the only opportunity to capture the wealth of information that, in many cases, has not been properly documented. Molds that have run for years in the same press by the same operators are often taken for granted because they have run, seemingly successfully, for years.

The small shortcuts and down and dirty fix-ups are seldom noted and shared with management; instead, they become tribal knowledge. Only through observation and interrogation by appropriately experienced technicians (toolmakers and process engineers) are the actual production procedures understood and many hidden manufacturing sins revealed.

Based on what was learned from the on-site assessment, a transfer schedule will be developed. This again will be a joint effort as both parties must participate in its success. All parts, molds and associated production equipment will receive a scheduled date to transfer.

The originating production facility will be responsible to build safety stock per the production requirements of the transfer schedule. The amount of stock needed will be determined during the on-site assessment. The idea is to build enough safety stock that will allow for the tools and equipment to be transferred and validated at the destination facility. Typically, a six-week timeframe will work within the transfer schedule. It is likely that additional shifts and/or weekends will be needed to keep the safety stock build schedule on course.

The new molder may need to purchase any non-consigned equipment that may be critical to production of the transfer parts. Consignment equipment typically includes tooling and spares, fixtures, inspection gauges and all other product specific equipment. The new molder usually accepts standard maintenance responsibility on these items. Major tooling refurbishments will need to be quoted and submitted for approval.

The goal of validation is to gain customer approval on each part to be produced at the new molding facility. A process based on similarity to the existing manufacturing process and golden samples is typically initiated. Flexibility in this process must remain, as individual companies may require product specific production controls.

Upon validation approval, the new molder’s long-term production staff will manage and produce the products within the constraints of the contractual agreement per the projected volumes for each part in the transfer package.

Why You Should Outsource Your Injection Mold Project

Custom Injection Mold - Medical EquipmentThe investment to design, implement and maintain in-house injection molding projects can be complicated and costly. Resources needed to devote to this endeavor, such as equipment and personnel, are circumvented by outsourcing such projects to expert companies. Using an outsourced company with a history of experience, and the latest cutting-edge equipment, can easily outweigh the undertaking of in-house operations.

Injection Mold – Lower Costs Because No Capital Investment Needed

Injection molding projects come with requirements that include injection molding equipment, maintenance of that equipment, personnel to design projects, personnel to operate the equipment, and other production employees. Commercial space is necessary to house the equipment and personnel. The capital investment to cover these expenses can be costly. Outsourcing your injection molding projects can be the best solution to keep costs low and have one point-of-contact for all projects.

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Using Scientific Injection Molding to Ensure Reliable and Repeatable Product

Plastic Injection MoldingIn a previous article blog, Injection Molding Process Validation Using Scientific Molding, the standard (baseline) process was established. Coupling the established standard (baseline) process, scientific molding principles and monitoring of the four plastic variables during production runs, helps to Ensure Reliable and Repeatable Product.

Injection Molding Process

For this article I am using references to the human body, because like the human body an Injection Molding Process is complex, and also has a lot of variables and interactions that effect the way it runs. To simplify the complexity of both we can externally monitor and observe key variables.

Standard procedure for a doctors visit starts with a check of your vitals (four plastic variables) temperature, heart rate, blood pressure and weight. Observation of how you look and sound, a quick look at your chart (baseline standard process) and a diagnosis is made. This was accomplished with external data of the internal process from common inexpensive instruments when in properly trained and licensed hands can Ensure a Reliable and Repeatable diagnosis.

At Crescent we pride ourselves in having the Scientific Injection Molding Knowledge and Training Certifications that help us to Ensure Reliable and Repeatable Product.

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Guidelines for Designing Plastic Injection Molded Components

Injection Molded Plastic componentPlastic injection molding offers many benefits.  In large runs, molding is much cheaper than machining the parts individually, and the manufacturing speed is much faster.  However, when designing a part that will be molded, there are some special considerations that need to be applied.

Because plastic molded parts are injected into mold cavities (voids) and over cores (standing steel), they require draft in order to release from the mold.  Draft is the amount of taper on the vertical walls of the plastic part.  Without draft, a part will either not eject from the mold, or sustain damage during ejection.  Typically, draft angles between 1° and 2° are required, but can vary depending on part restrictions and specifications.

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The Value of Automated/CNC Quality Inspection Equipment in Injection Molding

Injection Molding - Quality Inspection EquipmentAre you looking for superior custom injection molded plastic components? Do you work in an industry, such as medical devices, pharmaceutical, safety, defense or aerospace that has little room for error or faulty components? Crescent Industries uses automated/CNC quality inspection equipment to dramatically reduce the incidence of inferior components making it through the QC check points and thus ensure that you, our client, is getting the best custom injection molding product possible.

To make sure that our employees are able to deliver the quality that our customers expect, Crescent Industries uses automated equipment for measurements and data acquisition. The Crescent team is committed to listening to and understanding our customers’ needs and consistently shipping injection molding products that meet these agreed upon specifications.  [Read more…]

Equipment and Technology to Manufacture Injection Molds

CNC MachiningInjection molding is an advanced manufacturing discipline requiring quality precision injection molds to produce quality precision injection molded components.  In the past, mold building utilized skill and trial error to manufacture new injection molds, today to achieve the ultimate success companies use technology, computerized equipment and skilled labor to manufacture new precision injection molds.

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Reasons Why Automation is Vital for Injection Molding Today

Automation in Injection MoldingAutomation in injection molding projects minimizes hands on involvement, resulting in improved consistency, repeatability, product quality and ultimately the best value for the customer.

Robotics can be used throughout the injection molding process during the insert molding or over molding process, helping to assist in secondary operations and quality inspections.  Using automation processes can eliminate waste, produce consistent quality components and at a faster cycle time.

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