A mold design review serves as the critical checkpoint before production begins, verifying that the mold satisfies both engineering requirements and manufacturing constraints.

1. General Design Integrity
Is there a complete 3D CAD model of the mold?
Have all major assemblies and moving components been clearly defined?
Have design-for-manufacturing (DFM) and design-for-assembly (DFA) principles been applied?
Are material selections for all components appropriate for production volume, resin type, and operating environment?

2. Structural Integrity
Has Finite Element Analysis (FEA) been performed for stress and strain?
Are load-bearing sections adequately reinforced (e.g., gussets, thick walls)?
Have high-strength alloys or coatings been specified for wear-prone areas?
Has thermal expansion under repeated loading been evaluated?
Are lifting and handling features properly integrated into the design?
Are embedded sensors included for structural health monitoring (if applicable)?
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3. Mold Alignment and Parting Line Control

Are guide pins, bushings, and locks specified with wear-resistant materials?
Has long-term alignment under load been modeled?
Are parting lines, cores, and inserts precisely located and constrained?
Have side actions and moving inserts been analyzed for strength, fit, and repeatability?
Is the mold balanced to distribute injection and clamping forces symmetrically?
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4. Gating and Runner System

Have Mold Flow Analysis (MFA) simulations been completed?
Are gate types, locations, and sizes optimized for part fill and cosmetic quality?
Is the runner system balanced for uniform cavity fill in multi-cavity tools?
Is a hot runner system used (if applicable), and is it optimized for flow consistency?
Are multi-gate strategies or sequential gating needed?
Are flow sensors included to monitor and adapt in real time?
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5. Venting and Gas Management

Are vent sizes and locations optimized for the resin and part geometry?
Are self-cleaning vent features or vent inserts incorporated?
Are pressure sensors in place to detect vent blockages?
Has vacuum-assist venting been considered for complex or deep cavities?
Have predictive analytics or past defect history informed vent placement?
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6. Cooling and Thermal Management

Have thermal simulations been performed, (Moldex3D, Autodesk Moldflow)?
Are cooling channels optimized for even heat removal (Reynolds number, turbulence)?
Are conformal cooling channels used for complex geometries?
Are bubblers, baffles, or heat exchangers appropriately integrated?
Are temperature sensors and IoT-based monitoring systems included?
Are phase-change materials or gas-assisted cooling methods considered?
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7. Simulation and Predictive Technologies

Are CAD, FEA, and MFA results documented and reviewed?
Have predictive models been used to identify risk areas (venting, warpage, etc.)?
Are simulation results aligned with real-world process variables?
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8. Maintenance and Tooling Longevity

Are wear surfaces accessible and serviceable?
Are condition-based monitoring systems embedded (e.g., vibration, strain, temperature)?
Is preventative maintenance scheduling supported by sensor data?
Are self-lubricating or surface-treated components used where applicable?
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9. Efficiency and Sustainability Considerations

Has material waste been minimized via runner and gate design?
Are cycle times optimized through effective thermal management?
Has mold longevity been maximized to reduce lifecycle cost and waste?
Are sustainability or energy-saving objectives documented and addressed?
10. Final Review and Validation

Does the design meet customer specifications and tolerance requirements?
Has the tooling strategy been reviewed with production and quality teams?
Is the mold capable of meeting expected throughput with acceptable scrap rates?
Has a mold qualification plan been prepared (e.g., FOT/FAT/SAT or DOE)?
Has the design been signed off by tooling, process, and quality engineers?