Conventional, long-life tooling is expensive, which often makes it unfeasible for low-volume production scenarios, which require specialized low-volume tooling. Without innovative thinking, high per-piece part/tooling costs can render even the best designs uncompetitive. Worse yet, new products might not even get to market! So what do you do in a situation that calls for a Read more

Here’s a fairly typical prototyping and low-volume production scenario: The prototype performed well in testing so injection molding tools were commissioned. Months later, the first molded components were assembled. Much to the team’s dismay, parts that should have moved jammed. Design changes were needed and the launch date suffered. Understandably, panic and recriminations followed. Close Read more

In an era when car companies sell some 17 million vehicles a year in the U.S., it seems at first glance that there is little reason for the automotive components industry to explore low-volume manufacturing. The reality is rather different. Niche vehicles and the development of new models drive a constant need for parts produced Read more