In the world of injection mould tooling, Far East tooling manufacture can be looked at negatively. These beliefs are often shaped by misconceptions surrounding very real concerns that apply to any injection mould tooling manufacturing processes regardless of location.
Manufacturing within the Far East is worth considering especially in terms of cost savings on a labour intensive process such as mould manufacture.
If you’ve been researching Far East tooling suppliers for your current projects or you’re generally curious, let’s detail some commonly held misconceptions and why they don’t necessarily hold up.
- “Far East Tooling is lower quality”
As with all things, quality varies, and it depends on the tooling specification and supplier over factors such as location. You get what you pay for– if you buy a ‘cheap’ tool with lower specs you will receive a cheap tool.
Going directly to a Far East tooling supplier you may not already have a long-standing relationship with can pose a potential risk to your project. You may not necessarily have insights into the true nature of their process such as possible corner cutting practices. Which is why considering a UK based project management team who already has long-standing relationships with vetted and reputable suppliers they have already achieved previous successes with prevents these risks.
Liondell’s suppliers possess the same level of precision and performance in terms of machinery as Western shops, and with the addition of Liondell project oversight, there’s no reason why a tool made in the Far East can’t match the quality of tools made in the UK.
You can see some previous results here.
- “Far East Tooling does not perform long-term”
Sources that are critical of the practice of tooling and mould manufacture in the Far East commonly cite issues with tooling post-delivery, which can add further expenses and delays to an intended timeline. Post-delivery reworking and the associated knock-on effects are said to eliminate any cost savings achieved by going overseas.
A UK based tooling partner that can advise appropriate design changes before manufacture, as well as manage and oversee the production process in the Far East including trialling, can massively mitigate these risks. Liondell has dedicated personnel who conduct independent inspections during trialling as well as rigorous pre-delivery checks.
Liondell specialises in ‘right first time’ tooling- preferring to troubleshoot at the DFM stage, before any mishaps can take place during manufacture.
With issues effectively resolved throughout the process, a tool that arrives from the Far East but has been supervised by a trusted UK tooling partner performs exactly as intended over time, and without the addition of extra work or fixes.
- “Communication is impossible”
Naturally, overseas tooling manufacture in the Far East introduces issues with language barriers complicating communication. A common way to overcome this is clear visual documentation that reduces misunderstandings. Suppliers in this region sometimes have English-speaking personnel in addition to structured project management.
This is where a UK based team is vital as a project management arm of your organisation. They will be experienced in communicating reliably with their Far East tooling suppliers, helping you overcome language and cultural differences that can be hard to resolve if you’re new to the process. Further to this, a UK team will further ensure clear insights into your project.
At Liondell we provide detailed project timelines, as well as weekly photo progress reports and trial reviews throughout manufacture. Visibility into your project is a guarantee.
- “Cost difference is marginal”
There is an assumption that with rising global freight costs and import duties and general unrest that any cost savings achieved by tooling in the Far East are effectively undermined.
This may be true for smaller and simple tools. But for larger, more complex multi-cavity, or multi-tool suites, the labour savings in the Far East are so vast they easily absorb freight costs resulting in savings. It is also no secret that rising costs in the UK in terms of energy and staffing costs are causing UK based manufacturing costs to inflate simultaneously, making the Far East still a more attractive option in comparison.
Partnering with a UK team that supports your project introduces further costs, but the costs still remain competitive with other manufacturing options, as well as providing valuable security, quality tooling results and reducing workload stress.
Contact us here for a quick way to find out how pricing with Liondell compares to other options.
- “There is no recourse in the event of faulty tooling”
There are understandable fears that once tools are delivered from overseas, you’re left on your own to deal with any issues. With a manufacturing process that happens so far from the UK, the project can be filled with unknowns and uncertainties. What if the tool arrives and there is no recourse in the event of revisions or faults?
Speaking for ourselves as UK based project management team, when you purchase a tool you are purchasing from Liondell and not the overseas supplier and manufacturer. We warranty every tool, with a shot-life warranty built onto your initial quote. This provides security and importantly a responsible party to contact if issues arise.
Further to this, we also offer tool repair within the UK and spare parts supplied by the original toolmaker, giving you a seamless experience to getting your tool repaired accurately and promptly.
- “What if my design is copied in the Far East?”
Issues around IP, especially for sensitive and innovative projects, are a very real concern. There have been instances where product designs have been copied and sold to competitors.
Working with a UK tooling partner means that the legal jurisdiction is moved home to the UK. Projects are routinely protected under signed NDAs, including both our team and our overseas suppliers. It’s our responsibility and ultimately in our best interests to ensure there is no slippage in regard to IP protections.
Conclusion
Of course working with any supplier can have variable results, and through this article you can see how crucial it can be to work with a UK tooling partner when considering manufacture overseas.
People are often not worried about the Far East itself, but about the health of their projects and achieving reliable results for the end product through a process that they can have visibility into. Moving the project into a distant location with unfamiliar practices can feel risky. With a lot of money and time on the line, taking risks to make financial savings can be disastrous if proper safeguarding is not in place before, during and after the project is completed.
Are you considering manufacturing overseas for your next tooling project?
Curious about a quotation to see how the price may compare to your UK options? Contact us to discuss your project.
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