Pre-Shipment Preparation for Injection Mold

1. Mold Preparation (Confirmation of Technical Status)

This is the core step to ensure the mold's functional integrity and must be completed prior to packaging.

1. Final Inspection and Trial Molding Verification:

Final Trial Molding Report: Conduct one final trial molding before shipment using the specified materials and process parameters. Trial molded samples must undergo full-dimension inspection, appearance verification, and assembly testing to ensure compliance with customer sample approval standards.

Critical Dimension Re-inspection: Verify critical dimensions, tolerances, draft angles, and other forming elements against customer drawings.

Functional Motion Testing:

Ensure all moving components—sliders, ejector pins, hydraulic cylinders, pneumatic cylinders—operate smoothly, position accurately, and function without interference. Verify ejection system balance, fluidity, and proper reset.

Cooling/Heating System Testing:

Conduct water (or oil) circulation tests to inspect all cooling passages for unobstructed flow and leak-free connections. Confirm heating elements operate normally.

2. Cleaning and Rust Prevention:

Thorough Cleaning: Remove oil residue, plastic remnants, scale, and other contaminants from all mold components including cavities, parting lines, runners, and slides.

Comprehensive Rust Prevention: Apply high-quality rust inhibitor evenly by spraying or coating all steel surfaces (especially cavities, cores, parting lines, guide pins, and bushings). For long-distance sea transport or shipment to humid regions, use long-lasting rust-preventive oil.

Hole Sealing: Seal all water ports, air ports, and oil ports with specialized plugs or tape to prevent foreign object ingress and oil leakage during transit.

3. Accessory and Standard Component Status Verification:

Accessory Inventory: Inspect and confirm all mold accessories (e.g., hot runner junction boxes, heating rings, thermocouples, oil pipe fittings, special tools) are complete and fully functional.

Standard Component Fastening: Verify all screws, bolts, clamping plates, etc., are securely fastened to prevent loosening during transport.

Wear Parts Spare Kit: Prepare the promised wear parts spare kit (e.g., ejector pins, bushing sleeves, springs, seals, etc.), packaging and labeling them separately.

4. Safety Locking and Protection:

Clamping Locking: The mold must be shipped in the closed clamping position. Securely lock the moving and fixed mold halves using clamping plates or bolts to prevent damage to the parting line from vibration during transport.

Moving Component Securing:

For components like slides and ejector pins, secure them in a safe position using shims, clamping plates, or specialized fixtures to prevent damage from sliding or impact.

Protruding Part Protection:

Install protective covers or wrap protruding parts such as lifting eye holes, cylinders, and sensors with cushioning materials.

1. Documentation and Supporting Materials

Complete documentation serves as proof of mold identity and maintenance records, holding equal importance to the mold itself.

1. Essential Technical Documents:

Final mold drawings: Including assembly drawings, part drawings, and wear-part drawings.

Trial mold report and samples: Include the final trial mold report and samples mutually approved by both parties (typically retaining the last mold or several molds).

Mold operating instructions/maintenance manual: Contains basic mold information, technical parameters, installation drawings, mold opening/closing sequence, ejection system description, cooling/hot runner circuit diagrams, disassembly/assembly guidelines, and daily maintenance specifications.

Bill of Materials (BOM): Detailed listing of all mold components including model numbers, specifications, and supplier information, particularly for standard parts and critical purchased components (e.g., hot runners, hydraulic cylinders, steel grades).

Certificate of Conformity/Factory Inspection Report.

2. Commercial and Logistics Documents:

Packing List: Detailed listing of all items within the crate (including mold body, accessories, spare parts, documentation, etc.) with names and quantities. Multiple copies shall be provided, with one copy placed inside the crate and one accompanying the shipment.

Commercial Invoice, Customs Declaration, and other trade documents (prepared according to international trade requirements).

Equipment Handover Form or Delivery Note.

1. Packaging and Protection Preparation

This is the final and most critical line of defense against transportation damage.

1. Internal Packaging (Cushioning and Securing):

Bottom Securing: The mold must be firmly secured to the base of a dry, sturdy wooden crate (sliding wooden crate) using high-strength bolts through its bottom threaded holes. Securing solely with clamping plates or simple placement is prohibited.

Perimeter Protection:

Thoroughly fill and pack the space between the mold and the crate walls with thick foam, bubble wrap, air bags, or other cushioning materials to ensure the mold cannot shift in any direction within the crate.

Moisture Protection:

Place sufficient desiccant within the packaging and wrap the mold body in moisture-proof wax paper or plastic film.

2. Outer Packaging and Markings:

Sturdy Wooden Crates: For large and medium-sized molds, fumigated wooden crates compliant with export standards (bearing IPPC markings) must be used. The crate structure must possess sufficient strength and thickness to withstand stacking and handling.

Center of Gravity and Lifting Markings: Clearly indicate the mold's center of gravity and lifting points on the exterior of the crate (typically marked at the bottom where support beams are located; lifting from the top is strictly prohibited).

Warning Labels: Affix internationally recognized pictograms such as “Handle with Care,” “Keep Dry,” “This Side Up,” and “Do Not Stack.”

Information Labels: Clearly mark the shipping marks, including: customer name/code, mold number, mold name, gross weight/net weight, crate dimensions (L×W×H), date of manufacture, and sequence number (e.g., “Crate 1 of 3”).

Document Pouch: Securely place copies of all technical documentation in a waterproof pouch and attach it prominently inside the box or in a dedicated external document holder.

3. Final Verification:

Weight and Dimensions Check: Confirm the total weight and external dimensions after packaging, provide these to the logistics company, and verify consistency with the markings on the shipping label.

Internal Contents Check: Conduct a final review of the box contents against the packing list to ensure completeness.

Packaging Integrity Inspection: Inspect whether wooden crates are securely nailed, reinforcement straps are tightly fastened, and markings are clear and error-free.