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Tooling engineering, controlled for the life of the mold
Our engineers own every stage of your mold, from the first design review to maintenance in production. Steel machining is done by qualified, NDA-signed toolmakers under our control.
Lifecycle tooling control
Each stage has an owner, an output and a check before the next stage starts.
| Stage | What happens | Done by | Output |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. DFM review | We review the part for moldability: wall thickness, draft, gate location, inserts and tolerances, and propose changes before steel is cut. | Hengtai engineering | DFM report agreed with the customer |
| 2. Moldflow simulation | Filling, packing, cooling and warpage are simulated to set gates, runners and cooling. | Hengtai engineering | Moldflow report |
| 3. Mold design | The mold is designed for the material, cavitation and annual volume, including steel selection and hot runner. | Hengtai engineering | Approved 3D mold design |
| 4. Mold build | Steel is machined, hardened and assembled by a qualified, NDA-signed toolmaker. Our engineers follow the build and inspect critical components. | Qualified toolmaker, supervised by Hengtai | Built mold, component inspection records |
| 5. Trials and PPAP validation | Trial runs on our injection molding machines, dimensional checks, process capability and sample approval. | Hengtai | PPAP at the level the customer requires |
| 6. Maintenance and changes | Preventive maintenance, repairs and engineering changes for the life of the mold, including molds transferred from other suppliers. | Hengtai in-house, or with pre-qualified suppliers | Maintenance and change records |
Why we work with partner toolmakers
The Yangtze River Delta around Shanghai has one of the most mature toolmaking supply chains in the world. Instead of tying our own capacity up in cutting steel, we build molds with a small group of qualified toolmakers who have signed NDAs with us.
This lets us scale molding capacity while keeping control of every tooling stage: design, build follow-up, validation and maintenance stay with our engineers, and you deal with one supplier.
Toolmaking equipment at our partners
Equipment at one of our qualified toolmaking partners, shown with their permission. Machining accuracy is as stated by the partner.
| Machine | Brand | Machining accuracy |
|---|---|---|
| Sinker EDM | Sodick, mirror finish | 0.003 mm |
| Sinker EDM | Naiyong Jingji CNC | 0.01 mm |
| Machining center | Hama | 0.01 mm |
| High-speed engraving and milling center | Hama | 0.005 mm |
| Wire EDM | Makino | 0.001 mm |
| Wire EDM | Sodick | 0.002 mm |
| Large surface grinder | Kent | 0.005 mm |
| Surface grinder | Wangpan | 0.002 mm |
| Milling machine | Topone | — |
Request a quote
Send us your part drawings or 3D files for a tooling quote, or ask about transferring an existing mold.