Tooling Management
Working directly with selected production/ tooling suppliers, we oversee all technical aspects of tooling and off-tool sample development.
Tooling Strategy To ensure product, commercial and quality requirements are aligned
For many products that require moulded or cast parts, tooling is likely to be a major investment. There are many ways to approach tooling and not all will suit your product or project. From the number of cavities, tooling material and hardness, type of moulding machine to the amount of post processing or assembly, developing an optimised tooling strategy can lead to significant benefits to the overall manufactured cost and product delivery timing.
Tool Design Reviews To ensure the design intent is maintained
Woking directly with the toolmaker, Cobalt can provide technical oversight of the tooling design process. This involves detailed discussions with the toolmaker to plan the specification, configuration, and implementation of all key elements of an injection mould tool to ensure part design intent is maintained.
Typical elements include:
- Number, configuration, and layout of tooling cavities
- Tooling split/parting line positions
- Location, size and integration of sliders and moving elements
- Gate type, location, and geometry
- Position of ejectors and inserts
- Part marking and identification
- Design and integration of cooling channels
- Review and analysis of MoldFlow simulations
Off-Tool Sampling Support Part optimisation once tooling has been produced
Off-tool sampling is an iterative process to incrementally improve the geometrical accuracy and quality of parts made from new tooling and ensure the finished parts match the design specification and intent. Cobalt will work directly with the toolmaker and moulder during this process, providing independent technical support and quality assessment.
This process typically includes inspection and review of sample parts, preparation of detailed inspection reports, updates to component drawings and 3D CAD and troubleshooting of technical issues. Cobalt can also assist with project management and logistics to ensure sample parts are delivered on time to meet your deadlines and project milestones.
Tooling Trials Your onsite technical representative
For projects with large or complex tooling programs, or time critical milestones, Cobalt can provide on-site technical support during tooling trials and off tool sample production. This is often an intensive period working directly with the moulder and toolmaker to expediate the tooling development timeline by shortening the OTS and tooling improvement cycle and troubleshooting issues as they happen.