Mold Design Engineer

1) It’s a role where you are required to receive, request, and track down information in the form of CAD files, specifications, verbal requests, technical data, as well as other forms of customer desired deliverables from multiple sources and translate that information using NyproMold standards as well as your mold design and CAD capabilities to produce a mold design that will result in a mold that when built to those design specifications produces the customers product to the quality specifications desired, at the cycle time estimated, and performs reliably (with only normal maintenance) for the life of the mold to at least the number of cycles warranted to the customer.

2)  Creating a mold design that can be efficiently and cost effectively manufactured. Communicating with the manufacturing team, learning and understanding manufacturing techniques and applying that knowledge within the design is critical.  Under design issues can result in very serious consequences and over design results in high cost. The challenge is designing in high speed performance and long low maintenance mold life.

3) Meeting and communicating design delivery commitments. In order to maintain a mold delivery schedule we must maintain deliveries in our mold design area as well as the manufacturing area. Setting milestone schedule goals, measuring against those goals and working corrective actions when issues arise to get the schedule on track is extremely important. The core need here is for good consistent productivity, communication, and on-time mold design delivery.

Mold design duties

·  Participate in Kick-off Work session (KOW) on assigned projects to determine and understand all the customer requirements and NyproMold design team deliverables. The following is a list of critical design requirements which the designer is responsible to document using the KOW checklist:

1.     Review customer data, 2D and 3D for moldibility and critical design requirements.

2.     Material resin and shrinkage.

3.     Ejection method, parting lines, runner system (hot/cold or both).

4.     Gate Location and type.

5.     Molding machine specifications and customer interface requirements (mounting method, part removal, etc.).

6.     Mold cavitation and desired molding cycle (Customer production requirements).

7.     Engineering calculations which can include cooling, de-molding, hydraulics, etc.

8.     Surface finish requirements of molded part.

9.     Establish concept and preliminary design deliverables.

·  Review overall design schedule deliverables and responsibilities with the design manager.  Communicate status and goals daily and escalate information issues to resolve as quickly as possible. The critical design milestones that require target dates are as follows:

Concept Stack Up Review

Preliminary Design Review

Preliminary BOM Release

3D Stack Release

Final Mold Design Release

When design milestone dates are at risk communicate with the design manager and develop and implement corrective action plans.

·  Create concept cavity/core stack up layout which includes ejection, gating, cooling and rough mold sizing.  This is to be reviewed with the mold design manager within 3 days from KOW meeting.  Design engineer will make changes based on this review and proceed with the preliminary design.  Once complete, designer to update design schedule and check-off operation.

·  Create preliminary mold design layout which needs to include the following for an internal review:

1.     K.O. type and locations.

2.     Runner system and gating type.

3.     Molding machine tie bars.

4.     Side action(s) (mechanical/hydraulic, etc.)

5.     Cooling circuits

6.     Preliminary steel selections

Drawings showing plan views and proper section views of the mold are also required for the internal preliminary review.  Note: Full scale drawings are preferred.

· Mold Design Manager is responsible to set up the internal preliminary review meeting which needs to include the Mold Designer, Engineering Manager, Program Manager and a Manufacturing representative(s).  Based on review, engineer will make the required changes and if required have an additional review(s) with the team.  Once complete, designer to update design schedule and check-off operation.

·  When design gets an internal review approval, the design engineer will proceed to prepare design for a customer review scheduled by the Program Manager.  The preliminary design checklist must be completed by both the mold design engineer and program manager at the customer review.  Any change requests must be reviewed internally and then made to the mold design. Once complete, designer to update design schedule and check-off operation.

·  Preliminary BOM is to be issued to the mold design manager.  Designer is responsible to make sure all BOM information is accurate for quantities (including spares), materials and sizes. Once complete, designer to update design schedule and check-off operation.

·  Create and issue RFQ’s for moldbase and hot runner suppliers per NyproMold’s Quoting procedures.

·  Mold design engineer is to proceed to complete the 3d stack-ups with all required features including vent reliefs, stamp pads, etc.  Once complete, the design engineer is to notify the manufacturing team that the stack up’s are ready for electrode extraction and roughing operations.  Design engineer is to review manufacturing requirements for roughing and supply required IGES files. Design engineer to notified design manager when this is complete.  Once complete, designer to update design schedule and check-off operation.

·  Mold design engineer is to proceed to complete the 3D mold design and review all mold design specifications to make sure requirements have been met.  Mold designer to go thru the design checklist. The following functional checks need to be reviewed:

1.     Will the mold run automatic and parts to fall freely?

2.     Is there sufficient ejector stroke?

3.     Do slides and/or lifters have proper travel and support?

4.     Any bad steel conditions and or weak shut-off’s?

5.     Do we have proper clearances between the cooling lines and near by hole features?

Once complete, designer to update design schedule and check-off operation.

·  Mold design engineer is to proceed with the detailing of the completed 3D design.  Design engineer is responsible to review all detailed drawings for proper dimensioning and stack up tolerances.  This also includes reviewing all surface finish requirements, critical dimension callouts and proper component descriptions and callouts.   Once complete, designer to update design schedule and check-off operation.

·  Mold design engineer is responsible to prepare the engineering package to submit to the Mold Design Manager for checking.  The designer is responsible to make sure that all required mold design checklists have been properly completed.  The design engineer is responsible to review the check print package with the checker once the checking has been completed along with any detailers involved on the design.  The design engineer is responsible to make sure all required changes are completed and notify the manufacturing team of any necessary changes that are already in progress, i.e. electrode and roughing processes.  Once complete, designer to update design schedule and check-off operation.

·  Mold design engineer is responsible to create the design release package for the manufacturing team.  Mold Design Manager may have engineering support that can help facilitate these requirements.  The following must be included as part of the design release process:

1.     Create 1 set of prints stamped “Approved” and with the “Work Center Comment” stamp on the back side, lower right corner.  This set of prints includes only prints required for the manufacturing floor.  Include (2) BOM’s.  The following prints can be excluded, mold assemblies, moldbase plates and hot runner drawings.

2.     Create “Master Book” which will include a full set of prints of the complete mold design.  Along with the design prints, the following must be included in the book:

a)    Critical Dimension sheet

b)    Master Book Checklist

c)     Moldmaker Print Quality Checklist

d)    Mold Completion Checklist

e)    Nypromold Owned Spares list

3.     Create IGES files and place them in the IGES sub directory under the “manufacturing” directory

4.     Create and follow-up on final moldbase and hot runner drawings with the selected vendors.

5.     Hand-off complete design package to the Mold Design Manager when ready.  Once complete, designer to update design schedule and check-off operation.

·  Mold design engineer is responsible to follow up with the manufacturing team to review the design package with the assigned lead mold maker.  The designer is to review any and all critical features of the mold design.

·  Mold design engineer is to review the progress of the mold build and work with the manufacturing team on any issues that arise during the mold build.

·  Mold design engineer is responsible to work with the program managers during the mold sample and de-bug of these molds and be part of the team to address any de-bug issues.  The designer is expected to be available for mold trials and test log meetings.  Any required design changes must be reviewed with the design, engineering or manufacturing manager(s).

1. Working knowledge of mold tool steels and the proper selection process.
2. Mold mechanical systems.
3. Complete understanding of part ejection methods, ejection selection criteria related to plastic materials, cosmetic requirements, and amount of ejection required.  Multi-stage, accelerated K.O.’s and delayed ejection that may also be required.
4. Good understanding of hot runner systems and cooling fundamentals for high cavitation and fast-cycling molds.
5. Mold mechanical systems.

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