Injection mold production follow-up is a critical step in ensuring timely and quality mold delivery, and it runs through the entire process from mold design, manufacturing, mold trialing, to final acceptance. This work requires coordination among multiple departments, including design, processing, assembly, and quality inspection, to promptly identify and resolve problems in the production process to avoid delays or quality risks. For complex molds, the production cycle can often last for weeks or even months. Omissions in any link can affect the overall progress, so establishing a systematic follow-up mechanism is particularly important. Production follow-up personnel need to have solid mold expertise, be familiar with the characteristics and cycles of each processing step, and possess excellent communication and coordination skills to effectively promote the smooth progress of the production process.
Follow-up during the mold design phase is the starting point for production follow-up, directly impacting the feasibility and efficiency of subsequent manufacturing. In the early stages of design, follow-up personnel must participate in design reviews, focusing on the rationality of the mold structure, its degree of standardization, and its consistency with customer requirements. For example, they must check whether the cavity layout is conducive to mold filling and cooling, whether the ejection mechanism design is reliable, and whether the selection of standard parts complies with industry standards. For product drawings provided by customers, key dimensions, tolerance requirements, and surface quality standards must be confirmed to avoid rework later due to deviations in design understanding. At the same time, follow-up personnel must urge the design team to complete the output of three-dimensional models and two-dimensional drawings on time, and coordinate with the process department to conduct manufacturability analysis and optimize the design solution, such as simplifying complex structures to reduce processing difficulty and improve the versatility and interchangeability of the mold. After the design drawings are confirmed, they must be promptly distributed to each production department, and a technical briefing meeting must be organized to ensure that personnel at all levels understand the design intent and technical requirements.
Follow-up during the processing and manufacturing phase is the core of production follow-up, requiring strict control over the progress and quality of each process. The processing of mold parts involves multiple processes, including milling, grinding, EDM, wire cutting, and heat treatment. Follow-up personnel must develop a detailed process schedule based on the production plan, clearly defining the processing sequence, start and end times, and responsible individuals for each part. For example, after rough machining of the mold plate, its dimensional tolerances must be checked to ensure they meet the drawing requirements to avoid scrap due to insufficient margins after finishing. After EDM machining of the cavity and core, surface roughness and dimensional accuracy must be measured to ensure that the molded surfaces meet product requirements. For the machining of critical parts, follow-up personnel should conduct on-site inspections to verify the correct processing parameters, such as EDM pulse width and current intensity, to prevent improper parameter settings from affecting processing quality. When processing delays occur, the causes, such as equipment failure or material shortages, must be promptly analyzed and resources coordinated to resolve them. Production plans should be adjusted as necessary to ensure that overall progress is not significantly impacted.
Follow-up during the assembly phase focuses on ensuring the precise fit of all mold components, which directly impacts the mold’s final performance. Prior to assembly, follow-up personnel must confirm that all parts have passed quality inspection and are qualified, including ensuring that the model and specifications of standard parts are consistent with the drawings. During assembly, workers must be supervised to ensure compliance with process specifications. This includes ensuring that the clearances between guide pins and sleeves are within specified limits, that the ejector mechanism moves smoothly, and that the cooling channels are unobstructed and leak-free. The mold cavity and core are accurately aligned using a dial indicator or a coordinate measuring machine to ensure a close fit between the parting surfaces and avoid flash during mold trials. After assembly is complete, follow-up personnel participate in mold pre-assembly and commissioning, checking for smooth opening and closing, accurate ejector reset, and the sensitivity and reliability of all travel switches. If any assembly issues are discovered, such as part interference or jamming, they must be immediately coordinated with the relevant departments for rectification. The cause and solution must be recorded to provide a reference for subsequent assembly of similar molds.
Follow-up during the mold trial phase is crucial for verifying mold performance, requiring close collaboration with the customer and the injection molding shop. Before the mold trial, the follow-up personnel must confirm the mold trial plan, including the selected injection molding machine model, plastic raw materials, and process parameters, and verify that the mold has been installed and debugged as required. During the mold trial, key information such as melt filling, part molding, and mold operating sounds must be recorded to observe for defects such as missing material, flash, sink marks, and warpage. After the mold trial, the quality inspection department must be assisted in dimensional measurement, weight testing, and visual inspection of the product, comparing and analyzing the data with customer requirements. If the mold trial results do not meet expectations, the technical team must analyze the causes, such as cavity dimensional deviation, uneven cooling, or unreasonable process parameters, and develop a corrective action plan. For example, if flash is present on the part, it may indicate a poor fit at the parting surface, requiring re-grinding. If sink marks are present, it may indicate insufficient holding pressure, requiring adjustment of the holding pressure and time. Once any issues with the mold trial are resolved, a second mold trial should be scheduled until the mold meets mass production requirements.
Follow-up during the final acceptance phase is the final checkpoint before mold delivery, ensuring that the mold fully meets all customer requirements. Acceptance checks include mold appearance, structural integrity, operational reliability, product quality, and the completeness of relevant technical documentation. Follow-up personnel assist the customer in conducting mold run tests, continuously producing a certain number of parts to check the mold’s stability and durability, such as for wear on ejector pins and scratches in the cavity. Furthermore, they review the mold’s technical documentation, including design drawings, parts lists, mold trial reports, and maintenance manuals, to ensure completeness and accuracy. Any modifications requested by the customer during the acceptance process must be promptly addressed and re-verified. Upon successful acceptance, mold handover procedures must be completed, including signing the acceptance report and clarifying after-sales service terms. Furthermore, follow-up personnel must summarize the entire production process, documenting the mold production cycle, cost consumption, any issues encountered, and their resolutions. This will provide valuable experience for subsequent mold production and continuously optimize the production follow-up process.
