Mold Manufacturing Process Overview

Process Steps

1. Design - Part analysis, mold flow simulation, 3D mold design (2-4 weeks)
2. Material Procurement - Order mold steel, hot runner system, standard parts (1-2 weeks)
3. Rough Machining - CNC roughing of cavity and core blocks (1-2 weeks)
4. Heat Treatment - Stress relief, hardening, tempering (3-5 days)
5. Finishing - CNC finishing, EDM, polishing (2-4 weeks)
6. Fitting & Assembly - Fit ejectors, cooling, hot runner, slides (1-2 weeks)
7. Trial & Testing - Mold trials, dimensional inspection, process optimization (3-7 days)

Total Lead Time

Simple mold: 4-6 weeks. Medium complexity: 6-10 weeks. Complex multi-slide/hot runner: 10-16 weeks.