Tag Archives: Project Management

Don’t Skip the New Mold Design Review

Many companies spend weeks, months, even years developing innovative products. Multiple design changes, testing, and rapid prototyping are used to ensure the product design is solid. With a part design in hand the product development team and shareholders are eager to see their hard work become a tangible part. Part files are sent out, purchase orders are placed, and the clock starts ticking on the ever important mold completion date.

The problem: the mold designs are left to the mold maker to determine with little to no oversight or review. With compressed timelines and pressure to hit projected completion dates, the mold designs are fast tracked and sent to production for the molds to be built.

We see it all the time; these molds arrive and are prepared for sampling. Sometimes there are obvious problems such as minimal water lines or small leader pins. Other times the problems are less obvious such as the tool steel wasn’t specified and wear issues begin to appear after time. These issues always cost time and money. They can affect quality, project milestones, and customer satisfaction.

Tooling is an investment. If the mold design and build quality are given the same love and attention as the part designs, you will get a good return on this investment. A well designed and built mold will always save money in the long run. The cost of the mold is rarely affected by the mold design review.

UPM knows the value of a well designed and built mold. We have over 50 years of experience designing and building molds. We build 50+ new molds every year and can rely on this experience to ensure you have the best possible tooling for your project. Contact us today to see how the UPM advantage can help make your new project on-time, on budget, and successful.