many mold project engineers usually meet a problem like how to quickly provide an accurate mold quotation to our customer when they get a mold quotation inquiry, it is a big problem, because as the mold industry grows, it’s competition intensifies,
accurate mold costing and quick response to a quotation inquiry become a critical step in this engineering tooling industry, voluminous studies are available in the literature on cost estimation. They can be grouped into four types of cost estimation approaches: direct, empirical, item by item, and template:
1) Direct estimation basically depends on the experience of the estimator, the estimate can vary widely.
2) the empirical approach is limited to a specific product type in each trade.
3) the item by item approach usually takes too long time to estimate. As the customer often expects a turnaround time of several hours for a quotation.
4) the template approach is built on sufficient data collected from successful deployment of the other three approaches.
Therefore, the practice of each approach only has acquired limited success in the mold industry.
Overall, getting your RFQ right will ensure your mould tooling purchase goes smoothly. We’ll list how in 5 steps below：
1. Provide as much detail as possible on your RFQ.
What features need to be included in your mould tooling?
Whatever the type of tooling required, it’s important to try to cover your specific needs for your production, and include these in your RFQs.
Leaving it to your supplier to determine your requirement for themselves is not ideal. For example, you may have a number of standard features for the fitting of the tooling to machines etc. These may be bespoke to you and, unless stated, will not be included in the quotation.
Give your supplier as much information as possible right from the start. Doing this at the RFQ stage will give you the best chance of receiving the most accurate quotation.
2. Discuss your production requirements.
Discussing your production requirement with your supplier may not only increase your production, but it could save you money on your tooling.
There may be options such as multi cavity moulds for a number of different components, or a more cost-effective solution for smaller runs.
For example, 1 mould unit could consist of 2 identical parts for increased production, or the same unit could consist of 2 different components for shorter runs.
3. Specify the material needed, or, if you don’t know, discuss this with the supplier.
Different types of mould tooling can be produced from a variety of materials, such as resin, tooling board, aluminium and steel. Depending on your application and the material you specify, the cost could vary.
You may already know exactly what material is required, but if you don’t, consult your supplier to find out what will provide more value in the long run. They should be able to recommend the most cost-effective options and point out both the advantages and disadvantages of the materials available. This will take into consideration the production requirement, lifespan of the project, budget, etc.
So, to get a quote for mould tooling that best suits your needs, make sure you specify the appropriate material in your RFQ. Discuss this openly with your supplier so they can advise accordingly.
4. Let them know your lead time requirement.
If you have a date you’ll need your mould tooling by, you should let your potential supplier know straight away.
Providing an indication of lead time requirement at RFQ stage means you won’t be quoted for projects that are unachievable.
That means you won’t waste time comparing quotes that won’t actually deliver. And, more importantly, you won’t accept a quote that will delay your tooling project.
5. Provide feedback.
Value your suppliers and they will value you in return.
Providing feedback builds relationships, and those relationships can go a long way when you’re on a tight budget.
Not only that, but the feedback you provide – be it positive or negative – will shape your supplier’s future offerings.
In future, your feedback may very well be reflected in your buying choices.
Quoting is time-consuming, and moldmakers want to spend their time quoting jobs that have the good promise of becoming a reality soon.To be frank, most of this sketch means time to waste as to moldmakers
Most shops will tell you that they can get started with just a napkin drawing, 2D sketch or other early-stage design. those quotes can be useful for ballparking a budget and scope for your project, but shouldn’t be carved into your budget in stone. The more comprehensive your drawing, the better your service provider will be able to understand the intricacies of your part’s form and function. Thus, helping the service provider to provide a more accurate quote.
If you’re a manufacturer of products that use plastic parts (or metal parts that can be converted to plastic), it’s likely you’ve considered the injection molding quote process. Injection molders are known for their ability to help product engineers create efficiencies with getting products to market faster and under budget. They also vary in their ability to produce low to high volume parts in a variety of sizes.
Obtaining an injection molding quote is the first step in determining which injection molder is the best fit for your part and unique specifications. In order to streamline your process, consider carefully before requesting an accurate quote for your part design, development and production.
Accuracy is the key here. An inaccurate quote that doesn’t reflect the full details of your job doesn’t do much good for your budget or your bottom line — and, in the worst case, can hurt you in the long run with cost overruns. It’s certainly tempting to get a quote as early as possible in the process — and not totally inadvisable to do so — but the further out you are from a finished design, the more flexibility you should allow in budgeting down the line. In other words, your early quotes should act much more as ballpark figures than set-in-stone numbers around which to plan.
The additional points below are more about the components that should go into an accurate injection molding quote, and all feed into this overarching theme: A quote isn’t much use if it’s not accurate.
A mold designer must know the type of resin used for many reasons including shrink rate and wear and tear on the tool. For example, a glass-filled nylon will require special consideration when determining the type of steel used and for planning the preventive maintenance schedule.
The size of the part and the cost of the resin make up most of the material cost. Some specialty materials can be quite expensive, especially projects that require imported materials. If the tool is a cold runner design with runners (sprues), the weight of the runner must be included as added material cost. A hot runner tool will save on material over a high-volume production project.
Any allowance of regrind material should be considered, and the possibility of a substitution material can be explored if additional properties are desired. The resin chosen is of high consideration when quoting the injection mold design and the production molding cost estimate.
We do our best to capture the information needed to provide an accurate quote. Please provide the following information, if known:
Part weight
Type of plastic
Total shot size
Overall part/mold dimensions
Mold open dimensions
Quantity
Color
For a more accurate quote, we encourage customers to submit a request through our online form system.
as for mold quotation, I think here we should have a discussion, and wish more mold engineer around the world join it
I think the engineer who is responsible for the mold quotation in the company needs to have a rich knowledge of mould and practical experience.
I am in charge of the mold quotation in the company, I think your suggestion is very valuable.
I am a mold maker, I can understand your suggestion about mold quotation,However, in the actual quotation, you will encounter many unexpected problems.