At Liondell, we are committed to staying up to date with the latest trends in the injection moulding and plastics industry. We use the latest technology to deliver the best results for our clients. Moldex 3D, VISI CAD/Flow and Siemens NX are all tools in our arsenal to ensure that our designs are of the highest quality and are manufacturable.

We’ll take you through the programs we use and how we use them to deliver excellent results for your plastic injection moulding projects.

Moldex3D

Moldex3D is advanced simulation software for plastic injection moulding. It helps our engineers analyse, optimise, and validate the design and manufacturing of plastic parts and moulds.

Here are some of the benefits of using Moldex3D:

1. Improves Product Quality:

Detects defects like warpage, short shots, sink marks, and weld lines before production; which enables early-stage validation to avoid costly redesigns

2. Reduces Time and Cost:

Minimises trial-and-error by testing virtually prior to manufacturing of injection moulds. This significantly lowers the cost of physical prototyping.

3. Optimizes Mold Design:

Overall mold lifespan and performance is improved by fine-tuning gate location, runner balance, and cooling layout. This reduces the likelihood of production downtime caused by poor mold performance.

4. Enhances Process Control:

Predicts and controls moulding parameters for better repeatability and efficiency, providing robust data insights that help standardise production runs and simplify troubleshooting.

5. Supports Sustainable Manufacturing:

Reduces material waste and energy usage through process optimisation which enhances sustainability goals by improving resource efficiency and enabling greener manufacturing practices.

VISI Cad/Flow

VISI is a specialised CAD/CAM/CAE software suite designed for the mould industry.

What does Siemens NX do and how does it benefit our customer’s product development needs?

1. Specialised Plastic Part Design

VISI is built for mould design, specifically for plastic part geometry, draft analysis and undercut detection. This ensures designs are fully optimised for injection moulding from the beginning

2. Streamlined Tooling Development
   Dedicated mould and electrode design modules automate core/cavity splitting, parting line creation, and component selection which results in faster, standardised tooling solutions.
   
   
3. Integrated Mould Flow Simulation
   VISI Flow simulates material flow, weld lines, air traps, and cooling performance early in the process, helping to validate and optimise part and tool design before physical prototyping.
   
   
4. Reduced Time and Cost
   By combining specialised mould design tools with early simulation and automated manufacturing prep, VISI cuts down lead times, reduces costly rework, and supports quicker product delivery.
   

Siemens NX

Siemens NX is a high-end CAD/CAM software that we use to bring designs to life in a life-like 3D way.

What capabilities does Siemens NX offer, and how do they add value for our customers?

1. High-Quality Design
   Precise 3D and surface modelling ensures accurate, mould-ready parts with fewer design errors and better surface quality.
   
   
2. Faster Development
   Integrated CAD/CAM/CAE and automation tools accelerate design and tooling, reducing time to market.
   
   
3. Early Simulation & Validation
   Built-in mould flow analysis predicts fill, warpage, and cooling issues early—minimizing trial-and-error and physical prototyping.
   
   
4. Efficient Tooling
   Automated creation of mould components (core/cavity, shut-offs, cooling) speeds up tooling development and supports standardization.
   
   

Do you want to develop an injection-moulded plastic product? Not sure where to start? Liondell may be your perfect fit.

In this guide we’ll take you through our process in detail- all the information you need will be included in this post. 

ABOUT US

Liondell was established in 2016, run as a family business based in the UK. We are a full service supplier in the Plastics Industry including:

• Consultancy
• Design
• Tool Manufacture
• Injection Moulded Parts

Our aim is to save our clients time and money by providing our experience in:

• Mould Design
• Component Design
• Tool Manufacture
• Injection Moulding

Our team includes four project managers, one of which is stationed in the Far East.

THE PROCESS TIMELINE

OUR PROCESS

DESIGN

We assist in the early design stages which includes assisting with Plastic Part Design, to Design for Manufacture, Flow Analysis and Rapid Prototyping.

1. Initial Design Phase

• We meet client’s design briefs for fit, function and aesthetics.
• We use the latest VISI Cad/Flow, Moldex3D and Siemens NX software to ensure that our designs are of the highest quality and are manufacturable.

2. Design for Manufacture

This happens when we receive parts to quote. This process ensures that the tooling design is suitable for manufacture.

For mould tooling our attention is focused on the following key features:

• Tool function
• Feed Location
• Part lines
• Wall thickness
• Ejection

For the moulding process our attention is focused on the following key features:

• Tooling dimensions for fit to press/handling considerations
• Feed and material flow – Hot runner or cold feed
• Cooling
• Warp analysis
• Venting
• Ejection of parts – robot or operator handling

3. Rapid Prototyping

Rapid prototyping involves quickly creating a physical product/part using various manufacturing techniques, typically 3D printing.

To provide a verified sample prior to tooling, we produce SLA or 3D printed parts for fit and function checking.

In other cases, when part designs are originated by Liondell, we can supply rapid prototypes and or parts from prototype tooling.

Further to our tool design concept, we work with our toolmaking partners on refining a final 3D model for each tool.

Using our comprehensive GA review & checklist process we ensure.

• Compatibility with the client’s press.
• Tool design fit for purpose as dictated by short life warranty.
• Ease of maintenance, change inserts, overmoulding considerations.

We also offer a ‘stand-alone’ tool design service if required.

PRODUCTION

When your part design has been approved and checked, we then use any one of our partners to produce tooling that will make your plastic products.

Our partners who make most of our tools are based in the Far East, we use manufacturers based in that location because:

• Cost and lead times are lower than in the UK and most other global toolmaking centres.
• Established links going back to 2007
• Trusted service and quality
• Responsive to quotation requests
• Dongguan has a tooling-oriented infrastructure that is not found elsewhere. This includes many toolmaking companies, mould base suppliers, ancillary suppliers, and steel and polymers sources to name a few.

MANUFACTURE

We have global toolmaking locations with an approved network of suppliers. The specifications for our toolmaking factories include:

• High quality tooling up to 30 tonnes.
• Certified Steel Grades
• Internation Mould Base Standards & Hot Runner Systems.

Tool Trials

When new tooling is completed, we arrange for tool trials to be conducted in-house or in local trial shops to prove the tooling function and moulding process.

Liondell staff are on-site to assist with the trials to ensure that everything runs smoothly and that the client’s expectations are met.

We give full reports for independent trials, including process parameters so that we can verify and arrange to see a further trial if necessary. If any corrective action is necessary, corrective action (PFU) reports are completed to improve the results at the following trial.

ISIR reports are submitted after every trial. All of our suppliers own or have access to CM Machines and other inspection equipment necessary to produce accurate reports.

Our project manager will attend to ensure the following:

• Material and ancillary inserts are available and used effectively during the trial
• Correct moulding press used
• Cycle time target achieved
• Ejection of parts is feasible
• Parts are untrimmed unless specified
• The quantity of parts produced is correct to order
• Parts are packed and protected adequately for transit

Tool Delivery

With our trusted partners in China and in the UK, we can supply larger batch runs and can put the necessary measures in place to provide just-in-time supply to any global site that clients may request. We have experience in supplying high-volume production products to industries such as Automotive and Aerospace.

We understand quality expectations are high and lead times are strictly adhered to. The tooling we supply is warrantied globally for a set number of cycles (shot-life)

Most clients that we work for are moulders who will make their own arrangements, but occasionally this is not the case.

For manufacturers outside of China, our moulding clients based across mainland UK and Northern Ireland are usually interested in quoting to produce parts locally should a company need a home for their tooling project.

WHY CHOOSE LIONDELL?

Utilising a trusted network of approved suppliers, Liondell provides a first-class service which is managed in a professional and methodical way.

The advantages of choosing Liondell over going direct to an overseas supplier are:

1. Ease of communication with our UK clients.
2. We assume all project management, saving the client time and money.
3. We know the process from start to finish- the client may not have the capabilities to convert designs into reality.
4. We provide a tooling warranty with UK support.
5. We take the currency risk- giving one firm price.

Read our testimonials to find out more about how our past clients have found working with Liondell

Ready to start your injection-moulding journey with Liondell? Contact us to enquire further

Want to see Liondell’s process from start to finish in a real-time case study? At Liondell we don’t just design for success- we supervise the production of injection moulded parts from start to finish.

This is a project our team completed over a year ago, that began in November 2022 and finalised in February of 2024.

Read below to see what we do and how we worked with our valued client to create excellent results.

Index

• Scope
• Design
• Design for Manufacture
  • Fill and Flow Analysis
  • 3D Modelling and Data Control
  • 2D Drawings
• Validation Phase (Rapid Prototyping)
• GA Review
• Process Development
  • Tool Trials
  • Dimensional Reporting
  • Client Fit & Function Tests
• Virtual Toolchecking
• Supporting the Moulder
• Project Timeline
• Conclusion

Scope

In this case, the client had existing parts which had been in production for over 10 years. The product needed to be refreshed cosmetically, and weight reduction was required to bring unit costs down.

Additional versions of the control module were required for variations in connection type and a half size MCC5 unit to be developed alongside.

During the design phase we liaised extensively with the client- who had his own chair and coffee mug in our office for a couple of months– and the PCB designer to make sure that all the parts were satisfactory.

To meet the clients tooling budget, Liondell quoted based on multiple changeover inserted tooling.

In all 27 parts were made from 11 mould tools.

Design of Product

We noticed that the competitor’s product and the client’s existing unit were both utilitarian looking. Not a lot of styling had been applied, and they both relied on ribbing for strength.

When our product was designed, we improved the styling while always having ‘Design for Manufacture’ in mind at the forefront of the process.

Our decades of experience in the plastics industry, not just in consumer goods but also in Automotive, Aerospace and Packaging industries, allowed us to refer back to previous lessons learned and borrow ideas from projects we had previously completed.

In this case, an Automotive project came to mind where ribbing was avoided, to be replaced by a ‘constant wall’ thickness, castellated design.

This design is attractive while simultaneously eliminating sink marks that are the hallmark off ribbing plastic parts.

The castellated sections act like ribs as the sectional modulus is increased.

During this phase we also conducted Flow Analysis to check that the process would be able to fill the cavity without creating distortion, weld lines or excessive pressures.

See below screen shot of the constant wall design:

Design for Manufacture

Fill and Flow Analysis

During the design process we checked that the parts design was feasible to manufacture, from a moulding perspective as well as a tooling perspective.

See below screen shot of a flow simulation (MFA) that was run on the largest component. (Rear Case)

The X shaped section was specifically designed into the Rear Case to promote flow into the corners of the part. This has the effect of balancing fill and reducing in-build stresses into the part that can cause distortion.

3D Modelling and Data Control

During the design process we made several revision changes. It is of paramount importance that these are tracked and logged properly on our system.

Meticulous records are held on our bespoke CRM database which correspond to files held in our SharePoint folders.

2D drawings

From our 3D models, 2D drawings were generated to provide a basis for dimension reporting at approval stages.

During the DFM and Tool design processes, Liondell considered the requirements for multiple insert changeovers within the tooling to accommodate various versions. The moulding Company would have to perform this process multiple times during the life of the tooling, so it was important to simplify the design as much as possible.

When were happy with the basic fill of the part, we could progress to add the finer details. As one of the main drivers for re-design was weight savings, we achieved significant reductions as shown below:

The weight savings on a single component are 55%

Over a single year’s production of 100,000 units this would equate to 16.6 Tonnes of material with a value of approx. £83,000 (FRPC @£5,000/tonne)

Validation Phase (Rapid Prototypes)

Once the design phase was complete, we supplied a considerable quantity of functional prototype units for the client to test and use for fit and function.

All the ancillary plastic parts could be assembled along with PCBs for both MCC10 and MCC5 products.

The parts shown below are MJF (Multi Jet Fusion) 3D prints which were printed and delivered in a 2-week period. This material is a Nylon which was chosen due to the numerous working clips that need to function on assembly. SLA 3D prints are not suitable for this.

Validation Phase (Adjustments)

Although the existing unit worked well, there were several improvements to be made to enhance the user’s experience.

One of the features was to incorporate a hinged terminal cover. Whilst the old unit had a loose cover that could get misplaced, the new hinged design would stay attached and had improved tamper proof features.

The design was time consuming and did change during development after review of 3D printed samples.

An example of the original hinged design (Early SLA 3D Print) below left, and an example of the developed design subsequently used in production, right.

• Alternative Power connections were incorporated for MCC10 & MCC5 versions.
• Originally a single power option, the client wanted to add ‘panel mount’ type connectors. The design was changed to accommodate this.

Other  changes incorporated after the initial design brief:

• Additional Version with protection cover for Bluetooth module added
• An LED power indicator was added

GA Review

The GA review incorporates our own checklists to ensure that certain features are not overlooked.

The review is generated by Liondell and followed by our toolmaking partners who update their tooling GA’s accordingly until we and the client approve for start of manufacture.

Every week, photo progress and Gannt chart timing plans are submitted through to the tool trial date (T1).

Process Development

Tool Trials

Our own independent quality manager is based nearby to our toolmaking partners. Their role is to liaise with the toolmaker from the very start until tooling is approved to ship.

One of the key tasks is to attend the tooling trials which follow immediately after tool manufacture completion.

Usually, these trials take a whole day and there could be several going on simultaneously. Our manager must be able to coordinate this and take notes, photos and videos to compile a detailed trial report at the end of the day.

These reports are with us in the UK sometimes only hours after the trials have taken place.

See below example – T1 Front Cover Tool

Dimensional Reporting

After each trial stage, samples are submitted to the quality department for dimensional checking.

This will repeat 2 times, when T3 parts are usually approved by the client and tools given the green light to ship or Air freight to UK.

Client Fit & Function Tests

The client was supplied with several samples from each trial for fit and function testing for both MCC10 & MCC5 Units

1. PCB into Rear Case
2. Front Covers assembled to Rear Case
3. Hinged Lid to various Front Covers
4. Side Latch Plugs to PCB & various Front Covers
5. Electrical connections

Virtual Tool Checking

Prior to the tools leaving the factory, our quality manager will be present to run through our VTC (Virtual Tool Check) document, which outlines the checks to be carried out and recorded in very fine detail with the aid of videos and high-resolution photographs.

Supporting the Moulder

Prior to tooling delivery, Liondell generated change-over instruction documents for the moulding company to use. 

See Image below:

Project Timeline

Conclusion

We hope you enjoyed our thorough run-down of this previous project, and learnt more about how we apply our expertise to every stage of the design and production process.

Contact us for enquiries and further information, and get your free quote today.

Visit our Linkedin to connect with the team and keep up to date with us live.

Trust and connection matters at Liondell, and we’re excited to introduce the people that make Liondell happen.

The employee profiles below provide insight into the expertise and experience our team provides to help you succeed. It’s easier to trust a team when you know who they are, and our people have the skills and experience to back it up.

We hope these profiles can help you feel even more confident in trusting us with your plastic injection moulding projects. 

Connect with our team on Linkedin today 

When it comes to producing reliable results for your business, we achieve quality-assured tooling with our VTC process, producing results for your business that you can trust. The Virtual Tool Check is a crucial part of our process.

We create comprehensive VTC reports with detailed photos and videos, offering you full transparency prior to tool shipment.

Our VTC checks include:

• Spherical Nozzle Radius
• Location Ring Diameter 
• Ejector Knockout
• Hot Runner Wiring, Connectors & Zones Identification
• Safety Switch Wiring
• Core Pull Connectors 
• Cooling Circuit Flow & Pressure Tests

Checks are carried out by our China based project manager, which ensures the tool spec complies. This allows us to ship directly to the customer without the customer spending additional time and money routing through UK toolmakers for pre-delivery checks. 

We have UK toolmaking partners that we can use for pre-delivery checks if required for additional tooling checks.

Find us on Linkedin to explore what the Liondell team have been up to: https://www.linkedin.com/company

I wanted to take a moment to share some insights about Liondell’s DFM process, which can optimise your plastic component manufacturing.

At Liondell, we offer a thorough DFM service that we have developed over many years of toolmaking experience.

Our use of the latest 3D software (VISI CAD and Siemens NX) helps us optimise the component design. We meticulously analyse the component(s) based on a preferred tooling layout, looking at line of draw, split lines, slide/lifter movements, wall thickness etc.

We enhance the design of the plastic component(s) with the aim to supply robust, high-quality tooling that is cost effective and efficient for the injection moulding process. This ensures that the tool is designed to meet all functional and aesthetic requirements, while minimising production time, material waste and manufacturing complexity.

In conclusion, with our DFM Process you’ll benefit from:

• Optimised and Enhanced Design
• Cost Efficiency
• Minimal Production Time and Material Waste

Using our DFM expertise we can assist you on your next tooling project.

Due to Covid-19 restrictions, many of us have not been able to travel freely as before. This has meant that many businesses need to adapt in order that the restrictions do not adversely affect services.

With many years of experience of managing tooling and moulding projects in China, we understand the importance of having our own management team on the ground during manufacturing and tool trial stages. Therefore, Liondell have secured the services of our own resident Quality Manager based in Guangdong province. This allows us to maintain the effectiveness of our services as our manager continues to monitor and assist our various suppliers in Shenzhen and Dongguan City areas on our behalf

Further details of our services are shown on the main pages of liondell.com

Andrew Hogg | Managing Director | Liondell Limited

Technical Quotations & initial DFM’s

As part of our service Liondell provides design support from initial enquiry onward. If the tool is not straightforward and can be designed in several ways, we will recommend a method and quote accordingly. This avoids any misunderstandings. Our quotes have a comprehensive tooling addendum which outlines the main technical aspects of the tools that we are quoting.

Design Support in UK

•  Rapid progression through DFM stage
• 3D modelling of DFM suggestions
• Tool Design only (if required)
• UK Moldflow reports
• GA reviews in UK

Complete Mould Manufacturing Service – Summary

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High Quality – Plastic Mould Tools

We think it is important to keep the client informed throughout the tool manufacturing process:

1. Timing Plans

Submitted Weekly with Key milestones clearly shown.

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