Global competition is becoming increasingly fierce in today's market. In order to maintain competitiveness, the global supply chain plays a vital role in the development of enterprises. In the mold manufacturing industry, more and more companies are seeking cooperation with China. Not only can they win competitive prices, but they can also pass the value chain on to suppliers, which has become a strategic goal for the future development of enterprises.
However, selecting the right supplier in China is a difficult challenge for strategic procurement. This article will provide some suggestions for mold purchasing and sourcing from China so that you can evaluate and find a good solution for supplier selection.
Industrial cities in China for mold making
In China, mold manufacturing is concentrated in several industrial cities, accounting for 70% of mold manufacturing. The most famous are Shenzhen, Dongguan in southern China, Ningbo, Huangyan, and Suzhou in eastern China. By the way, the molds in South China are better in quality than in the East, so the prices are relatively high.
Tip: Due to the advantages of high technology, most of the best suppliers are from Shenzhen. There are lots of mold-making manufacturers here; some of them are China's biggest companies in the field of mold-making and can provide a variety of services and the highest quality products.
Price vs. quality
Quality always costs money, that's for sure. Today, buyers are always looking for suppliers with the right quality and cheap prices. However, it is not easy in China because no one knows how much quality risk is behind the price. Injection tooling cost estimation by Chinese mold makers can vary widely, even three times the price difference, which will make the mold buyers distraught.
Tip: Before deciding to make an order, you must ensure that the mold manufacturer can meet all of your product requirements, especially the materials of the core, mold inserts, and standard parts. Only by carefully verifying all the details can the project start.
Domestic vs. overseas market
In China, mold manufacturers are divided into two sales channels, some of which focus on the domestic market and have relatively low quality requirements, while others export molds abroad. They will customize molds according to customer needs. In addition, molds in the Chinese market usually have a shorter mold life due to cheap materials, so prices are more favorable. Dealing with suppliers who are focused on the domestic also has difficulty with language barriers, which leads to communication problems.
Tip: We recommend that you always select Chinese mold makers with overseas sales experience when selecting suppliers. They can better understand the needs of customers, coordinate project progress, and deal with difficult issues, which can shorten the procurement cycle and reduce project risk.
Different market segmentation
"We can produce all different molds, whether it is injection molds, stamping molds, or casting dies." Some Chinese manufacturers say this. Don't believe that, because no vendor can do it. Each manufacturer has a major market direction and either produces large molds for the automotive industry, small injection molds for medicine and household use, or specializes in stamping dies.
Tip: Understand the market direction of the mold supplier; choose a supplier that matches your company's products, and they will understand your needs more deeply and make a satisfactory mold for you.
Evaluation of a Chinese-qualified manufacturer
1. A general manager with a technical background
A general manager with a technical background will pay more attention to the details of production technology. They not only pay attention to the details requested by the customers but also ensure stable quality. They know any part of the production process and can solve existing technical problems.
2. Qualification of the engineering team
In the process of mold manufacturing, mold design is a key task that engineers should complete. The number and qualification of engineers represent the strength of the company. Most mold makers in China have only 1–3 designers. There are about five designers in mid-sized companies. We recommend working with suppliers who have more than 10 designers with rich technical experience. They have extensive mold-making experience. Only good mold design can avoid unnecessary losses in the mold manufacturing process.
3. Mold technicians and the workshop environment
In China, mold technicians are trained in the factory, where the older mold masters hand over young technicians. These technicians work seriously under the supervision of the master. The more highly skilled workers the company trains, the better the quality of the product. In addition, uniform work clothes and friendly faces, clean workshops, and well-organized molds will provide a pleasant working environment.
4. Equipment and capacity
The equipment in a factory is the most important for mold manufacturing. Good mold manufacturers should be equipped with complete processing equipment.
✔ High-quality CNC machine for fine milling and turning
✔ Wire Cutting Machine (EDM) for Precision Cutting (WEDM)
✔ Spark EDM for excellent surface quality
✔ Grinding machine for finishing
✔ 2D and 3D test equipment for product inspection
✔ Automative injection molding machine
By the way, most Chinese mold makers do not have wire-cut electric discharge machines, so precise cutting must be performed by a third-party supplier. This leads to increased cost, time, and quality risks.
In addition, the project purchaser should pay attention to the capacity of the mold maker for each month. Capacity will be limited by the labor force and the quantity of machines.
5. Excellent project management
In order to successfully complete the entire project task on time, the project management team needs to control all steps in the project process. Unfortunately, 90% of Chinese mold makers lack such a management system, so the production process is chaotic. Compared with a good mold supplier, having a PM team can better maintain close contact with customers. Utilizing project management software (such as ERP and MES) helps to reflect the actual situation of the entire project in real time.
6. Optimal process planning and quality control
Whether a supplier passes the IOS quality system certification is one of the criteria for evaluating a qualified manufacturer. From material purchase to mold manufacturing and the subsequent injection molding process, all of these must be completed under strict quality control to ensure that there is no deviation in each production element.
7. Honest communication
Smooth communication is one of the cornerstones of successful cooperation. Before the mold is made and during the manufacturing process, the details of the project must be discussed honestly; this is the only way to avoid future disputes. Insufficient communication may cause a big modification during mold manufacturing, which will increase costs and workload for the project.
Summary:
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Before making a supplier selection decision, it is necessary to go to China to inspect the supplier personally.
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Don't seek a cheaper purchase price; otherwise, you will pay more for this. As the saying goes in China, no cheapest, only cheaper. Instead, the right one is the right one.
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It is recommended to choose 2 - 3 Chinese suppliers and establish long-term cooperative relationships. Strong cooperation is not only beneficial to the development of both companies but also helps to eliminate many difficulties in project purchasing. Remember, frequent supplier changes are a useless purchasing strategy.