I have implemented control plans for our mold making area. Recently hired a project manger who is in disagreement. he says it is not necessary. Your comments please.
Bill

Bill-

Could use a little more information:

1) Are you selling the molds to customers?
2) Are these molds used in making your product?
3) Is this for an automotive manufacturer?
4) Are these "sand mold" such as the ones used in foundries?

My first thought is that it should be part of the FMEA and subsequently part of the control plan.

This is an 'oldie' that was never followed through on. Any contemporary comments or discussion from mold makers with respect to Mold Making Control Plans?

I spent years checking mold halves before they were put together, to make sure they would not crash when put in the press.
Each mold was different as far as the building and modifying, so we would use the finished part as our acceptance criteria.
Sometimes the molds were built to be way different than the part, so when the part would cool it would come into specification.
(inward/outward bow, flatness, shrink, etc.)
The only way to know if the build was successful would be to run samples.
We relied a lot on the experience of the engineers and toolmakers, definitely not an exact science.
Hope it helps,
Ed

I spent years checking mold halves before they were put together, to make sure they would not crash when put in the press.
Each mold was different as far as the building and modifying, so we would use the finished part as our acceptance criteria.
Sometimes the molds were built to be way different than the part, so when the part would cool it would come into specification.
(inward/outward bow, flatness, shrink, etc.)
The only way to know if the build was successful would be to run samples.
We relied a lot on the experience of the engineers and toolmakers, definitely not an exact science.
Hope it helps,
Ed

In addition to Ed's comment, we use in-process inspection of critical inserts to verify that the die is being built to spec. Primarily, we control the machines and the processes involved, and inspect as necessary. As Ed said, we don't really know if it was truly sucessful until we run samples. We do have a generic control plan which is used throughout the build process.
barbt

In addition to Ed's comment, we use in-process inspection of critical inserts to verify that the die is being built to spec. Primarily, we control the machines and the processes involved, and inspect as necessary. As Ed said, we don't really know if it was truly sucessful until we run samples. We do have a generic control plan which is used throughout the build process. barbt

Ah, yes, the good old "measure the steel" or "measure the part" debate.

My life in high pressure die casting was full of such heated debates. Some wanted to 100% lay out the mold steel before it ran, others said wait and measure a part.

There were all kinds of bizarre shrink and distortion things going on, where we had to go back and butcher (if you were from the mold shop) or fix (if you were from the foundry) the mold.

I suspect plastic is the same?

It is a pity i am in a plastic mold industry but i just have little knownlege about mold, i must try my harder

It is a pity i am in a plastic mold industry but i just have little knownlege about mold, i must try my harder

Welcome Joan. I like your attitude and the three post you dug-up from somewhere. It shows that you bothered to search. This positive attitude will take you somewhere, some days.

Enjoy yourself and enjoy learning at the cove.

I have implemented control plans for our mold making area. Recently hired a project manger who is in disagreement. he says it is not necessary. Your comments please.
Bill

Bill,

The control plans can be made processwise or product wise. It depends how it suits your organisation

T S Rao