Moving an injection mold to a new molder

Can an injection mold be moved to another molder?

Yes. A production mold is a heavy steel tool, but it is built to come out of one machine and go into another, and molds move between molders all the time: when a supplier closes, when work comes back from overseas, or when a buyer wants a second source.

A move goes well when the paperwork, the parts in stock and the mold's condition are settled before the truck arrives. If you are planning a move, describe the mold on our quote form and we will follow up to talk it through.

What are the steps in a mold transfer?

Plastics Technology set out eight steps in 2011, and they still describe a good transfer: a written agreement between the parties; one team with clear contacts on each side; an on-site assessment of how the part runs today; a transfer schedule built from that assessment; safety stock; the fixtures, gauges and other equipment that go with the part; validation of the part at the new molder; and then production.

How much stock should I build before the move?

Enough to cover the time the mold is out of production, plus validation. Plastics Technology calls six weeks a typical time frame for the transfer and validation that the stock has to cover. A mold that needs repair at the new plant needs more. Plan the cushion with the old molder before you tell them the date.

What should travel with the mold?

Everything the part needs to run, not just the steel: the part drawings and approved samples, the process settings the old molder used, the maintenance history, spare inserts and wear parts, and any trim fixtures or check gauges. A mold that arrives with its history starts producing good parts sooner than one that arrives alone.

Will the new molder need to work on the mold?

Expect it to be checked before it runs. Rosti's tool transfer checklist includes an evaluation of the tool, converting its documents to the new molder's system, and validation samples. The mold also has to fit a machine: the clamp tonnage, the shot size and the space between the tie bars all have to suit it.

Our tool room is fully equipped to manufacture, modify and maintain your injection molding tools, and our overhead cranes are rated to 10 tons. Our machines run from 90 to 950 tons.

What do you need to look at a transfer?

The part file or a sample, the mold's size and weight, the machine tonnage it runs on today, the material and the annual quantity. Describe the mold in the project description on the quote form.