Free checklist · Printable PDF · From Jack Cheng, tooling principal

Injection mold transfer checklist.

Moving a mold to a new molder goes wrong in the same few places: no proof you own it, no process sheet, no last-shot samples, a crate that lets water lines rust, a press it does not fit. Tick through this before the tool leaves, and again when it lands.

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Part / mold no.From molderTo molder · date

1 · Ownership, before you ask

Tooling PO or agreement naming you as owner
Proof of full payment for the tool (invoices, wire records)
Asset tag on the mold with your company name and tool number
Open invoices settled or disputed in writing, so the tool is not held over a balance
Written release date agreed with the current molder

2 · Data package

Part 3D CAD (native and STEP) at the current revision
Mold 3D and 2D drawings, cavity layout, cooling and ejector layout
Mold component BOM: steels and hardness, standard parts, spares
Hot runner drawings, zone map and controller settings
Change history: engineering changes and repairs since T1

3 · Process record

Last validated process sheet: melt and mold temperatures, injection speed and pressure, hold, cooling, cycle time
Press used: tonnage, screw size, shot size
Resin and colorant: grade, supplier, let-down ratio, drying settings
Shot count to date and the maintenance log

4 · Quality file and samples

Last-shot samples from the final run: several per cavity, labeled date, cavity, press
Golden sample if one was signed
Last first-article or dimensional report and the control plan
Known issues: flash, short shots, sink, cosmetic limits agreed with the buyer

5 · Prepare and ship the tool

Photos and video of the mold open and closed, cavities, cores, ejector side
Cleaned and rust-preventive applied; water lines blown dry and plugged
Hot runner wiring and connectors labeled; loose inserts and spares bagged and listed
Mold strap fitted; crated on skid with lift points marked
Freight insured at replacement value; packing list matches the BOM

6 · Confirm the new press fits

Clamp tonnage and tie-bar spacing clear the mold width
Platen size and mold height range (min and max daylight)
Locating ring diameter and sprue bushing radius match the nozzle
Ejector pattern, shot size, water and hot runner connections

7 · On arrival

Inspect against departure photos before signing for damage
Clean, service and check vents, gates, slides, lifters and water flow
T1 trial using the old process sheet as the starting point

8 · Qualify before production

Compare T1 parts with last-shot samples, cavity by cavity
First-article dimensional report against the drawing
New process sheet signed, then release the first production lot

JCH Design & Manufacturing · jchtrade.com/guides/mold-transfer-checklist · (321) 323-4474 · Free to copy and share with credit.

Move the mold, keep the program: prove ownership, pull the process record, crate it right, check the press fits, run T1 against last shots

Why transfers go wrong

The tool is the easy part to move. The knowledge is not.

A mold is steel, but a running program is steel plus the settings, the resin and the shared idea of what a good part looks like. When a tool moves without its process sheet and last-shot samples, the new molder starts from zero and the first lots drift. Jack handles tool audits, transfers, re-sampling and re-qualification for buyers moving programs to partner factories in Taiwan and Vietnam.

Tooling and molds →

Who owns an injection mold after I pay for it?

Whoever the paperwork says. Ownership should be written into the tooling purchase order or a separate tooling agreement, with proof of full payment and an asset tag on the mold. Without that, a molder can hold the tool over a disputed invoice.

What should I get from the old molder before the mold moves?

The mold and part CAD, 2D mold drawings, the bill of mold components, hot runner drawings and controller settings, the last validated process sheet, the resin and colorant spec, the last first-article report, and a set of last-shot samples from the final production run.

Why do I need last-shot samples?

They are the reference the new molder has to match, and they show the condition of the tool when it left. Keep several shots from the final run, labeled with date, cavity and press, plus the golden sample if there is one.

Will my mold fit the new molder's press?

Check before it ships: clamp tonnage, tie-bar spacing, platen size, mold height range, locating ring diameter, sprue bushing radius, ejector pattern and shot size. A mismatch means adapter plates or rework.

What happens when the mold arrives?

Inspect it against the departure photos, clean and service it, then run a T1 trial. Compare the parts with the last-shot samples, run a first-article dimensional check, and only then release production.

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Moving a mold and want a second pair of eyes?

Send the part, the mold details and where it is now. Jack will tell you plainly what the transfer involves.

Book a 15-min call