Post Termination Asset Inspection and Tooling Clearance Verification Procedures
Verification of foreign-owned tooling clearance requires hard-stamped Chinese bailment marks, notarized site audits, and structured financial set-offs.
Injection Mold Inspection
Meaning
This quality control process evaluates the physical condition, dimensional accuracy, and operational readiness of injection molds before they are approved for mass production in China. Under standard procurement protocols, injection mold inspection involves a series of physical checks, dry cycle tests, and sample production runs to verify that the mold meets the buyer’s specifications. The process is conducted at the mold maker’s facility before the tooling is cleared for shipment or transferred to the molding factory.
It applies to all new, modified, or repaired molds used for plastic part production. The inspection stops applying once the mold has been accepted by the buyer and integrated into the regular production line, after which it is subject to routine maintenance checks rather than formal inspection.
Inspection Procedure
The execution of injection mold inspection begins with a visual and physical check of the mold base, plates, and external components. The inspector verifies that the mold is marked with the correct tooling numbers, that the cooling and hydraulic connections are properly labeled, and that the safety locks are in place. The mold is then mounted on a dry-testing machine to perform a series of dry cycles, checking the alignment of the ejector plates, the movement of the slides, and the operation of the hot runner system.
Once the mechanical movements are confirmed, the mold is loaded into an injection molding machine for a trial run. The technician produces a series of sample parts, which are inspected for surface defects, such as flash, sink marks, or short shots. These samples are also measured to ensure they meet the dimensional tolerances specified in the drawing.
Technical Boundary
The validity of this inspection is constrained by the compatibility of the mold with the test machinery and the raw materials used. If the inspection is conducted on a machine with different clamping forces or screw diameters than the production machine, the sample parts may not accurately represent the final production quality. Furthermore, the test must use the exact plastic resin specified for the final product, as different materials have different shrinkage rates and flow characteristics that affect the part dimensions.
The inspection cannot guarantee the long-term wear resistance of the mold steel, which can only be verified during high-volume production runs. These boundaries require the inspector to document any deviations from the production conditions in the final inspection report. This report is used to approve the mold release.
Supply Chain Benefit
Implementing a rigorous injection mold inspection process reduces the risk of receiving defective tooling and avoids production delays at the manufacturing facility. When defects are identified at the mold maker’s factory, they can be corrected quickly and at the maker’s expense. In contrast, discovering mold issues after the tool has been shipped to the production factory leads to long delays, shipping costs, and disputes over liability between the mold maker and the molder.
The approved inspection report and the corresponding sample parts serve as a baseline for future quality audits and tool maintenance. This documentation protects the foreign buyer’s investment and ensures a smooth transition from the tooling phase to mass production. This process is a critical gatekeeper for supply chain quality.