Digital Edition August 2023 | MoldMaking Technology

What's New and What Works in Mold Manufacturing

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Engineer See All

Artificial Intelligence
Why One CAD/CAM Vendor Keeps a Human in the Loop on Every AI Toolpath
IMTS 2026: Cimatron pairs AI-generated toolpaths with machine-sourced simulation data, arguing shops need verification, not blind trust, before AI recommendations reach the machine.

Design & Mfg. Software
My Take on IMTS 2026: Innovations Solving Real Shop Needs
Conversations during IMTS 2026 show a workforce shortage shaping every product decision and a manufacturing industry being honest about what AI can and can't do.

EDM
August's Most-Read on MoldMaking Technology
From shop-floor case studies and additive manufacturing scaling to sales alignment and knowledge retention — here's what MoldMaking Technology readers clicked on most in August.

Design & Mfg. Software
How Metal AM Cut Mold Cycle Time by 20%
Collaboration between a mold builder, metal printer manufacturer and simulation expert produced conformal cooling inserts that dramatically reduced injection molding cycle time while eliminating defects and improving part quality consistency.

Mold Components
July's Most-Viewed Products on MoldMaking Technology
From five-axis machining centers and CAD/CAM upgrades to ejector pins and AI-powered ERP tools — see the IMTS showcase products that caught moldmakers' attention in July.

Design & Mfg. Software
Reducing EDM Dependency
Optimizing roughing and electrode strategies in hard material mold machining.
Build See All

Artificial Intelligence
QUOTED at CONTRAX: Free Expert Sessions on How Manufacturing Work Is Sourced, Quoted and Produced
Free show-floor presentations cover automation, customer acquisition, performance benchmarking and AI-driven ERP.

Machining
The Square-Frame Machine Built for Mold and Die, But Selling Well Beyond It
IMTS 2026: A five-axis machine built specifically for mold and die work is finding its biggest customer base in aerospace, automotive and optical work instead.

Artificial Intelligence
Machine Tool Builder Betting Big (Literally) on Automation You Can Add Later
IMTS 2026: Kitamura's new 45-ton five-axis horizontal was built to accept pallet automation any time a shop is ready, not only at the moment of purchase.

Analysis
Closing the Loop on Ultra-Precision Mold Machining
Real-time measurement, compensation and process validation are transforming ultra-precision hard milling from skilled craftsmanship into scalable, repeatable production.

EDM
My Take on IMTS 2026: Innovations Solving Real Shop Needs
Conversations during IMTS 2026 show a workforce shortage shaping every product decision and a manufacturing industry being honest about what AI can and can't do.

Machining
The Gun Drilling Machine Builder That Reinvests 90 Percent of Its Profits, on Purpose
IMTS 2026: UNISIG ties its service reputation to a forced-investment policy, a new in-house grinder and AI used only to speed its own software development.
Maintain See All

Inspection & Measurement
The Inspection That Took Ten Seconds Instead of Ten Minutes
IMTS 2026: A live scanning demo compared inspection times side by side, showing how a handheld scanner cut a multi-minute inspection routine down to under ten seconds.

Inspection & Measurement
The Inspection Standard That's Trying to Make Paper Drawings Obsolete
IMTS 2026: A new machine-readable quality standard embeds every inspection requirement directly into a 3D model, aiming to replace ballooned paper drawings across the supply chain.

Artificial Intelligence
Why Moldmakers Are Moving Inspection Onto the Machine Instead of Into a Separate Room
IMTS 2026: Hexagon describes inspection shifting from a standalone CMM step into an in-process decision tool, verifying tools, machines and even molded parts as they're made.

Leadership
June's Most-Read on MoldMaking Technology
June's top articles reflected a focus on two converging themes: AI adoption in practical shop operations, and back-to-basics technical content that never goes out of style.

Surface Treatment
Expert Thin Wall Mold Restoration
Restoring high-speed packaging molds to peak performance through advanced techniques, precision machining and 50% faster turnaround times.

Analysis
How Digitized Inspection and AI Are Reshaping Mold Shop Workflows
AI transforms moldmaking inspection by turning measurement data into predictive process intelligence through connected digital workflows, replacing manual interpretation.
Manage See All

Supply Chain
Tariff Uncertainty Calls for Stronger Quoting, Supply Chain Visibility and Margin Tracking
Tariffs add cost risk to fixed-price mold programs, but shops can limit exposure by tightening quotes, mapping suppliers, tracking margins and preparing for reshoring opportunities.

Business Strategy
Ending Well: How Beanstalk’s Long-Game Approach Is Building a Family of Mold Builders
Two mold builder acquisitions and recent leadership additions reflect a new kind of buyer focused on legacy, alignment, operational depth and long-term growth, not quick turnover.

Economics
Moldmaking Index Rebounds in September as Employment Returns to Growth
A broad recovery led by hiring and new orders lifted the index to 56.4, reversing August's result and extending the expansion streak to nine months.

Leadership
MMT Chats: Wisdom Transfer Is Manufacturing's Survival Skill
Industry veteran Bob Smith shares crucial insights on mentorship as the key to overcoming manufacturing's growing skills gap.

Business Strategy
The Moldmaking Cycle: What Four Decades of Production Reveal About Industrial Investment
Four decades of metalworking machinery data show investment cycles that often diverge from National Bureau of Economic Research recessions, offering manufacturers an early signal.

Workforce Development
Your People Are Already Using AI. Now What?
Let's face it — the question most mold shop leaders are asking about AI is the wrong one. "Are we ready?" assumes you have the luxury of waiting. You don't.
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Workholding
- Webinars
- Videos
- Events
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- Basics/101
Webinars See All

On Demand
MMT Tech Days: Mold Design Fundamentals: A Framework for Smarter Decisions
This webinar breaks mold design down into its three essential pillars — Flow, Thermal and Mechanical. Each pillar will be covered by four leading mold builders, with each sharing their decision-making strategies for comparing common design choices, from gating and cooling to steel selection and ejection strategies. The webinar helps both new and experienced designers establish a shared language and consistent approach to designing robust, efficient tooling.Industry veterans will appreciate insights from peers who’ve lived these challenges, while newer designers and toolmakers will gain clarity on how critical components fit together — and why certain decisions matter more than others. This webinar won’t attempt to cover everything, but it will deliver high-value fundamentals, real examples and the perspectives that drive better design choices.
Videos See All

Education
MMT Chats: Press Health, Medical Molds and a Future in Mold Engineering
Penn College student John Conklin is combining academics, industry experience and curiosity to build a career focused on meaningful engineering impact.

Leadership
MMT Chats: Wisdom Transfer Is Manufacturing's Survival Skill
Industry veteran Bob Smith shares crucial insights on mentorship as the key to overcoming manufacturing's growing skills gap.

MMT Chats: Turning Plastic Part Curiosity Into Hires
Zach Clark explains how Electroform's two-hour shop tours and backward mold walkthroughs turn curious students into committed future hires consistently.

Artificial Intelligence
MMT Chat: Structure, Succession and the Next Generation
Lauren Fischer explains how Dynamic Tool balances flexible ISO systems, succession planning and new outreach to build its shop workforce.

Business Strategy
MMT Chat: Custom Software, AI and Next-Gen Talent
MPC's tooling manager builds AI-integrated ERP software in-house, tackling mold shop scheduling while linking AI adoption to next-generation workforce appeal.

3D Printing
What Comes After the Test Bed
Atomic Industries has spent a few years proving its technology works. Now they’re scaling it.
Events See All

4 Nov 2026
AMBA West Michigan - Business Dinner Meeting & T.A.P. Awards
The AMBA West Michigan chapter hosts Business Dinner Meeting & T.A.P. Awards on Nov. 4, 2026 in Belmont, MI.

17 Nov 2026
Formnext 2026
As hub for Additive Manufacturing, Formnext is central information platform for industrial 3D Printing experts and production professionals from a wide range of application industries. With the trade show in Frankfurt, up-to-date industry information and networking opportunities 365 days a year, we bundle expertise, create in-depth professional exchange and access to the latest AM solutions.

18 Nov 2026
Molding Conference 2026
Educating and Connecting Leaders in Injection Molding For more than 30 years, the Molding Conference has provided expert education sessions and unique networking opportunities for the injection molding community. The team at Plastics Technology has worked to curate a schedule of cutting-edge and contemporary topics that span all aspects of the injection molding process. Learn tips, techniques, and best practices to implement at your shop from injection molding's top minds.

8 Feb 2027
SPE South Texas Section - International Polyolefins Conference (IPC) 2027
The SPE South Texas Section chapter hosts International Polyolefins Conference (IPC) 2027 on Feb. 8-11, 2027 in Galveston, TX.

23 Feb 2027
Additive Manufacturing Strategies 2027
Additive Manufacturing Strategies is a 100% in-person event February 23-25, 2027 in New York City. This industry touchstone conference brings together AM stakeholders from all over the world. AMS includes panels and keynotes on topics most critical in the fast-growing world of additive manufacturing. Bringing together the industry’s leaders in a contained networking environment makes AMS the place for startups to access capital, for financial institutions and investors to sharpen their radars, and for the AM industry to focus on the business of AM.AMS 2027 is “in-person only” to ensure maximum networking and discussion.

16 Mar 2027
AMBA Conference 2027
AMBA hosts AMBA Conference 2027 on March 16-18, 2027 online.

4 Nov 2026 New & Upcoming
SPE Automotive Innovation Awards Gala Register Now
Suppliers See All

Additive Manufacturing

Business Development

Cleaning & Pretreatment

Inspection, Testing, Measurement

Manufacturing Execution & Automation Software & Controls

Manufacturing Services

Materials

Pollution Control & Sustainability

Supplies

Temperature/Pressure Control Equipment

Workholding
Basics/101 See All

FAQ
September's Most-Read on MoldMaking Technology
From IMTS 2026 takeaways and AI in the shop to shop-floor stories and workforce building, here's what MoldMaking Technology readers read most in September.

FAQ
The Making of a Manufacturing Professional: From Korea Training To CNC Machine Programming
Months after his training trip to South Korea, Jeremy Draper applies what he learned to manifold manufacturing and CNC programming back at Yudo's U.S. facility.

FAQ
Understanding Hot Runner Temperature Controllers
Learn what’s new and what’s possible in the various hot runner temperature controller formats, including modular, GUI-style and advanced GUI-style systems.

Maintenance & Repair
June's Most-Read on MoldMaking Technology
June's top articles reflected a focus on two converging themes: AI adoption in practical shop operations, and back-to-basics technical content that never goes out of style.

Mold Components
Tooling: Why Ejector Pins Break And How to Prevent It, Part 2
Here’s the when and how to reduce the unsupported length of pins.

Basics
5 Tips for Smarter, AI-Powered Quoting in Moldmaking
AI-powered quoting tools trained on a shop’s own data deliver faster, more accurate and secure estimates tailored to real operations.
Mold Design & Optimization

New Product Development
Strategies for moldmakers to effectively manage new product development projects.

Strategic Mold Design
With complex plastic parts it can be difficult to deliver proper cooling and venting.

Mold Design Series
The mold specification document is essential for injection molding success, connecting design requirements with manufacturing processes and quality control standards.

Injection Mold Design Handbook
All successful mold build projects start with examining the part to be molded to ensure it is moldable and will meet the customers' production objectives.
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