Outside of general design criteria, concerning shape, form and material type, it is beneficial to understand the following items, as well:
- What is the final function of the part?
- How does it interact with adjacent items in the assembly?
- What are the stresses applied when it is in use?
- How is the material interacting with the mold within the forming process?
The function of the part should always play a role in the design of a mold. Designing a molding process that will hold tolerances within a few thousandths of an inch adds unnecessary costs when tolerances of hundredths of an inch will not affect the functionality of the final part.
