DFM Process

Mold Design For Manufacturability (DFM)

Design Formanufacturability(DFM) report, it's a bridge between product developer and mold manufacturer. It has been implemented in many manufacturing industries and proved to a sufficient way to improve efficiency. A comprehensive DFM report for mold making project would be the first step to success. As a mold maker, the more potential problems you foresee, the less risks you had in the manufacturing process. Here are a summary for it.

Resin to be used
Many kinds of raw material are frequently used, such as PC, PC+ABS, ABS, PS, HIPS, Nylon, Material with glass or fiber filled suitability and price different of them are different. More importantly, the shrinkage rate is different, which is key factor to measurement and tolerance precision.

Draft on all surface

Draft angle is a necessary for part release from mold cavity, but it will change the appearance of the original product design slightly. It should run through by both the mold manufacturer and designer.

Thickness design
Rib thickness should be around 60% wall thickness, avoid uneven wall thickness, avoid thin wall area as much as possible.

Gating Type and Location
Gate location selection sometime is critical when the part have high requirement on surface finish. What kind of gate determines the way to produce and even the mass production cost.

Mechanical structure/Parting line
It's necessary to give a brief introduction of the mold design mechanical structure employed, such as sliders, lifters etc. Make sure the parting line is accepted.

Finish and engraving
Define the finish of the part surface, it could have many kinds of finish on one part. Define where would be the engraving and contents.

Next Steps in Mold Development

After DFM approval, our engineering team proceeds with detailed mold design and mold flow analysis to validate the design. Prior to shipment, each mold undergoes thorough mold testing to ensure production readiness. Explore our complete plastic mold capabilities or get in touch to start your project.

The 12-point DFM check we run on every part

Before we quote a mold, our engineers model your part in UG, run the flow study in Moldflow and write up what the design needs. These are the twelve things that report covers.

Resin and shrinkage — grade, filler content, shrinkage band and drying requirements
Wall thickness — nominal value and how uniform it stays across the part
Ribs and bosses — rib thickness around 60% of the wall, no thick junctions
Draft angle — on every surface, including textured faces that need extra draft
Gate type and location — position, vestige and the effect on weld lines
Runner system — hot, cold or insulated, and how the cavities balance
Cooling layout — circuit design and the cycle time it implies
Ejection — ejector layout and whether the part releases cleanly
Parting line — placement and what it does to the visible surfaces
Undercuts — lifter, slider or a design change, with the cost of each
Tolerances and GD&T — which dimensions the tool can hold, and which it cannot
Warpage prediction — flow study results and the shrinkage compensation we apply

Send your 3D file — get a written DFM report in 3 working days, at no cost

Send a STEP or IGES file with your part requirements. We model the part in UG, run the flow study in Moldflow and return a written DFM report covering the twelve points above — plus the design changes we recommend before steel is cut.

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No cost and no obligation. Prefer a form? Send your drawing here.