The mold designer will design the mold according to the product designer’s drawings. The mold designer should determine the mold base standard, core and cavity materials, cooling system, runner type and location, gate type and location, parting line location, ejection system, etc. Once all of this is determined, the mold designer will use the software used to map the mold in 3D and make a bill of materials, including all the components the mold will use. When designing an injection mold, the designer should consider the shrinkage rate of the product material, the geometry, the balance of the runner and cavity, the balance of the cooling system and smooth ejection. There are still many problems for mold designers to think about, how to deal with inconsistent wall thicknesses, and how to make products with high-gloss surfaces.

The mold maker makes the mold after receiving the drawings and diagrams from the mold designer. Some mold components are standard and should be purchased from other suppliers. Some parts should be custom made by CNC mills, EDMs, grinders and drills.

Standard parts are mold bases, thimbles and other guiding, positioning and buffering things. Standard components should also be machined to hold custom components.