China is among the top molding suppliers in the world. Not only does it offer very cheap prices, but its quality of manufacturing is commendable as well. However, businesses wanting to purchase injection mold China face several bottlenecks. These include enduring products they can trust, looking at quality control aspects, and safeguarding intellectual property. This article aims to identify the common mistakes most buyers make and explains how to avoid them while purchasing injection molds from China.
- Selecting an Unreliable Supplier
Perhaps one of the biggest challenges buyers face is dealing with a supplier that does not meet their expectations. With a countless number of mold makers in China, it becomes almost impossible to tell which one provides quality and which one does not.
How To Avoid:
- Check the suppliers’ credentials thoroughly alongside certifications and customer reviews. This process may take longer than expected, but it will help you find a reputable supplier.
- If a supplier is credible, they will agree to most mold orders. Test their molds first before placing bulk orders.
- Use Alibaba, Made in China, or use direct referrals from the industry to obtain credible sources.
- Make an onsite factory inspection to see the ability of the manufacturer or hire a third-party agency to check their capabilities.
- Language Barrier and Communication Gap
There are many users facing issues because of communication gaps. Discrepancies like mold not being produced as needed or the final product being less appealing than anticipated, delays are common as well.
Avoiding Costly Consequences:
- Instruct attention to the English dialect proficiency of the staff or procure a translator.
- Mold details must be painstakingly documented such as composition, allowances, and polish.
- Employ through sketches and 3D CAD drawings so as to not leave any loose ends
- Determine schedules for production milestones and provide samples for approval at each milestone.
- Cutting Corners on the Quality of the Materials
Some vendors can save money by using substandard materials, which will result in weak, brittle, or inconsistent injection molds.
What Should Be Done to Prevent It:
- Define materials with great detail on the contract ie, hardened steel aluminum, or even P20 steel.
- Obtain material certificates and carry out quality inspections.
- Engage an independent testing laboratory to confirm the material composition of the mold.
- Neglecting the Mold Engineering and Design Support.
A mold that is poorly crafted can result in defects, higher scrap rates, and inefficient processes in production.
What Should Be Done to Prevent It:
- Work with a supplier that has strong design and engineering capabilities.
- Ask for DFM (Design for Manufacturability) analysis before starting the production.
- Check if there are sufficient cooling channels, venting, and part ejection features in the mold that is to be designed.
- Do prototyping prior to mass production so as to identify design defects early.
- Not Allocating Adequate Resources For Quality Control And Testing.
The QA requirements are often disregarded assuming that this will save time. The result is defective or poorly fabricated molds which then leads to expensive remedial work and costly downtime.
How to Avoid:
- Conduct in-person inspections or outsource to a QA company.
- Build a comprehensive quality control system, which encompasses FAI and sample sign-off processes.
- Request the supplier to provide test reports and videos of the mold trials before shipping out the product.
- Payment Issues and Fraud
The overseas supplier poses several payment risks which include a scammer setting up as a supplier, undisclosed costs, and a lack of payment security.
How to Avoid:
- Opt for more secure payment forms like L/C and escrow accounts.
- Pay in milestones rather than paying in full and upfront.
- Check the supplier’s business registration against verified Chinese business databases.
- Intellectual Property (IP) Rights Infringement Issues
Some overseas suppliers’ IPs steal using your designs to manufacture and sell goods without your permission.
How to Avoid:
- Issue Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) and Non-compete Agreements (NCA) before you release the designs for others to see.
- Issue patents and trademarks for your design in China.
- Work with suppliers who have a good reputation for honoring IP rights.
- Implement split manufacturing of sensitive parts to reduce the risk of IP theft.
- Ignoring Lead Times
Due to manufacturing delays, shipping issues, or customs clearance, many buyers fail to account for extended lead times.
How to Avoid:
- Outline a specific delivery date in the corresponding contract.
- Add delay buffers in your production timetable.
- Select proven on-time suppliers.
- Disregarding After-Sales Services
Certain suppliers are overly generous with their offer, forgetting to detail some critical support services. This means that buyers are left to fend for themselves with little to no help after receiving the molds.
How to Avoid:
- Ask suppliers to provide warranty and post-sales claimed services.
- Check that mold maintenance is extensively documented.
- Ensure adequate replacement or return allowances are established for molds claimed defective.
- Overlooking The Total Cost of Ownership
While molds from China are relatively inexpensive, their low initial cost comes with the expense of frequent replacements due to deteriorated durability or maintenance.
How to Avoid:
- Establish costs, mold life requirements, and maintenance sustained.
- Include shipping Consider expenses, customs duties, and after-sales services.
- Use advanced feature-enhanced durable molds.
Final Thoughts
Working with injection mold in China comes with a number of advantages. However, utilizing those advantages requires wiping out the risks of poor performance. If you pick the best supplier, control quality, safeguard IP, and manage expenses, high-grade injection molds that suit your production needs can be secured. With proper due diligence and planning, the benefits of China’s injection mold industry can be enjoyed while evading major blunders.