Tooling Product News

Coordinating an Acceptable Transfer, Part 4: Third-party reps to the rescue

By Randy Winton
Published: January 11, 2010

For all involved in a tool transfer, there are many considerations that must be addressed in order for a successful transition to occur. But at the end of the day, any oversights by either the original molder or the receiving molder will be a problem for the OEM’s tooling engineer.

The tooling engineer believes on good faith that the original molding plant, we’ll call it Plant A, will pull in all the elements for a punctual transfer, including spare components and auxiliary equipment, mold books containing vital documentation for the receiving plant (Plant B), plus article and mold drawings and last shots.

It is also taken on faith that the tooling engineer believes that, when the molds arrive on Plant B’s dock, the toolroom manager there must make his own cautious, yet methodical assessment of what has arrived by taking inventory of every item received, and working with the process engineer and QC department, inspect and sample the molds as-is to ascertain any issues or surprises.

The tooling engineer’s goal is to achieve a seamless transfer without any stoppage of product flow. That’s the number one consideration. A product is being manufactured and must make it to the market place on schedule.

That said, the tooling engineer probably doesn’t have the resources to be in both plants and oversee the shipping and subsequent receiving of the tools and related equipment and materials. It’s often believed that, because the OEM is the ultimate customer, conscientiousness from both plants is assumed.

However, Plant A is probably not happy about losing this project to another molder, and it may be unclear as to what extent they are obligated to thoroughly provide for the transfer. The new molding vendor, Plant B, could possibly manage the transfer, but the degree at which Plant A will work harmoniously with Plant B is a concern.

This is where a neutral, third party representing the OEM can be a solution. Plant A most likely won’t allow a competitor in his shop, but he will allow the customer—or his representative—in his shop to manage the transfer process. This third party could be an independent consultant, a third-party molder that does other projects for the OEM, or it could be the original moldbuilder, if experienced in tool transfer coordination.

A neutral third party can ensure that the transfer is handled efficiently, in a timely manner, and without incidents or surprises during the process. The third party’s marching orders have nothing to do with providing molding or replacement molds or components, so it can make assessments and recommendations to the OEM that are not biased.

Another benefit of enlisting the services of a neutral third party in the transfer is that training may be provided at Plant B that will help with the knowledge transfer of nuances associated with the tooling from its previous location, especially if the neutral third party is granted the ability to see the molds in production at Plant A. A maintenance plan can be put into place sooner rather than later, based on past practices. Ultimately, more information is likely to be shared with the OEM or its appointed neutral third party vs. the new molding vendor at Plant B, and this information can ensure uninterrupted performance.

From the OEM’s perspective, utilizing an unbiased third party provides more opportunity to:

Verify that the molds’ accessories and documentation were properly prepared.
Know that the molds’ histories were provided.
Verify the receiving molder properly starts up and assesses the tools.
Verify maintenance plans are in place for long-term production.
Know there is minimal disconnect on the knowledge transfer between the two plants.

A tool transfer must be coordinated systematically. Whether that is accomplished with an independent third party, or the OEM’s tooling engineer is given the resources to coordinate it in-house, only a hands-on approach will reduce the occurrence of headaches downstream.

Author Randy Winton is global training manager at ToolingDocs.

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