Multi Section Moulding
Low Cost Tooling
The tooling is often a significant part of the total cost of procuring plastic parts. The approach taken by Precision Moulded Products’ Project Managers is to minimise the overall cost of tooling and parts includes:
Component Design
- To eliminate features that would increase tooling work without detracting from the aesthetics or functionality e.g. sharp corners, unnecessarily high tolerances.
- To design in features that add value to the part be it aesthetic or functional e.g. logo, combining two parts into one.
Detailed Internal Design Work
Moulding Process Selection
- PMP offer automatic moulding and manumolding. Each has an important role and correct selection is vital for the most cost-effective solution.
- Automoulding for higher volumes where a low piece part price is paramount.
- Manumolding for lower volumes where the very low tooling cost (up to 70% less) is a priority over slightly higher piece part prices.
Injection Moulding Tool
Tool Design
Principles of good tool design are applied with consideration to:
- Expected tool life.
- Use of in-house bolsters thereby only requiring cavity inserts to be purchased.
- Moulding more than one part at a time (multi-impression and "family" tools).
Tool Procurement
- In house for modifications and where the Project Manager needs to keep the closest contact during tool manufacture.
- UK toolmakers selected to match capabilities with price level.
- Far East toolmakers benefiting from lower cost and often reduced lead-time whilst the Project Manager retains control of your project.
Cost Tooling' focus means that PMP can offer their customers the most efficient and cost effective tooling and production solutions.
Fully Hardened Tooling
Tool Design
At PMP there are various tooling options available to customers, offering different levels of capability from prototype through to short pre-production runs through to full production quantities.
Precision Moulded Products can provide you with:
- Low volume : Soft tooling for a few thousand cycles
- Medium volume : P20 (pre toughened) tooling
- Higher volume : Fully hardened tooling in various guises
Where the cost of several mould tools would be prohibitive, PMP can offer Family tools that produce more than just one component design.
All available in Soft or P20 or Fully Hardened tooling
- PMP have 100+ man years experience of mould design, tool design and manufacture.
- PMP can tackle the most complex automotive and medical components to simple furniture feet!
- Simple component design can benefit from one of PMP's bolsters. This allows for insert design therefore minimising tool cost and moulding set up. Call Mike Knower today on 01371 876681 to see how you can benefit from our Insert Kits (One tool - Several kits).
- Some customers just tap into the company wealth of expertise for tool design and undertake manufacture of tooling and components themselves!
In House Tool Room
PMP have an on-site Tool Room with E.D.M machine facilities, which means reduced down time and continued production with required modifications managed on site.
PMP employ skilled design staff and toolmakers to enable fast turnarounds on component manufacture.
Manumold Tool
Typical applications include:
- Low volume production – often replacing metal parts
- Insert & Overmoulding - metal or plastic components or electrical wiring
- Prototyping prior to automated tooling for high volumes
- Internal and external threaded mouldings - without the need for unscrewing devices
UK vs Far East Procurement
Precision Moulded Products procurement ability is passed on to all their customers through reduced cost and often reduced lead times.
PMP project manage with tool design input to ensure the results meet customer time and budget expectations.
Far East toolmakers benefiting from lower cost and often reduced lead-time whilst the Project Manager retains control of your project
Far East
PMP have invested heavily in developing relationships with toolmakers in low cost countries that have stood the test of time. Every project is handled by local PMP staff, who oversee every step of the way to ensure that tools and components are delivered on time and at the right quality. UK engineers vet all drawings and assembly and European standard ancillary items are specified. PMP understand and manage the risks of Far Eastern manufacture. PMP have engineers on site to monitor the production of tooling or components. They will monitor the production quality and schedule sending information back to UK on a weekly basis. In addition they attend tooling trials and will send photos and dimensions of finished components at the time. UK staff visit the Far East when required.
UK
UK toolmakers are selected to match capabilities with price level. PMP project manage with tool design input to be sure the customers get what they need.
Inhouse
In house for modifications and where the Project Manager needs to keep the closest contact during tool manufacture. PMP skilled toolmakers ensure that high levels of quality are maintained throughout the manufacturing process. Precision toolmaking machinery is used in the tooling manufacture and production components can be measured on the TESA computerised measuring equipment.
