Published 12/1/2011

Craftsmanship, Customer Satisfaction Keys to Success

Custom Mold & Design (CMD; Minneapolis, MN) designs and builds fully interchangeable, fast-cycling, high-precision injection molds.

Case Study

Sherry Baranek

Contributing Writer, MoldMaking Technology magazine

Founded in 1965, Custom Mold & Design (CMD; Minneapolis, MN) designs and builds fully interchangeable, fast-cycling, high-precision injection molds, including multi-cavity, two-shot, metal injection, silicone, micro-molds, and ceramic molds in industries like medical, aerospace/defense, communications, industrial and consumer products. Its CMD Express division (see Sidebar, page xx) focuses on quick-turn, low-cavitation tooling, mold components and fixturing as well as ultra-precision machined components and assemblies.

According to CMD Vice President of Sales Thomas Caron, the company’s culture is based on customer service first and foremost. “Our highly experienced employee team works in unison and is dedicated to providing each customer with an unsurpassed level of service and quality” he says. “Our team takes special pride in the craftsmanship and quality of each mold or component that they produce. Our final manufactured product is the result of having a clear understanding of each customer’s unique needs and the overall project objectives.”

To keep CMD employees on the cutting edge of technology, they are highly trained to run its best-in-class equipment and machine tools. “We are dedicated to continually updating our equipment with a forward-looking strategy for adding the latest technologies, while ensuring that our team has the required training to fully utilize this equipment,” Caron explains. “The net result is a higher quality product produced at the lowest total cost”.

This employee education and commitment to technology helps CMD face the challenge of overseas competition head-on. “The globalization of our industry has certainly raised the bar in terms of competition,” Caron comments. “In fact, many competitors have fallen by the wayside as a result. In times like these, if you are not working every day to expand your capabilities and personnel, you are losing ground. Because of our dedication to excellence and remaining a state-of-the-art facility we have seen our business grow. Our plan is to continue along this path of excellence as a ‘Best in Class’ company.

To that end, CMD—which is ISO 9001 and AS9100 certified—uses the latest CAD/CAM systems like Pro/Engineer and SolidWorks to meet the ever-changing needs of its customers. “We typically participate in the part design as well as taking full responsibility for the mold design,” Caron elaborates. “The product costs are highly influenced by the design of the mold as well as the design of the product being manufactured. Our highly experienced engineers and moldmakers are capable of providing the creative input necessary to make the best possible decisions. Attention to detail and the manufacturing discipline employed create precision molds and mold components that provide our customers the benefits of interchangeability of such components. These benefits provide lower maintenance costs, longer mold life, and more consistent product quality.”

Short-term plans include CMD continuing to develop and expand its team of employees, while making significant investments in equipment and facility upgrades to keep pace with the growth that CMD is enjoying, Caron says. “Our CMD Express division also is expanding at a very rapid pace,” he comments. “We are seeing substantial opportunities in the medical and aerospace/defense markets. Sustaining this growth is another area of focus for CMD.

In the long-term, we will continue to partner with our customers to ensure that we have the philosophic and technological alignment necessary to support their ever-changing needs,” Caron continues. “We want each customer to feel like they are our only customer; and they keep coming back because of our vertical integration, technology, customer service, quality of products and customer loyalty. Through continual improvement in all that we do, we commit to be quality-focused and customer-driven—providing the highest level of customer satisfaction, quality products, and on-time delivery.”

For More Information:
Custom Mold & Design / (763) 535-2334
tcaron@custommold.net / custommold.net

CMD Express

CMD Express, a business unit of CMD, was created to further service its customers by allowing them to reduce their lead-times for quick turn molds, prototype molds, mold components, fixtures and in particular machined parts (metal, plastic ceramic and composite materials).

According to CMD Vice President of Sales Thomas Caron, CMD Express capabilities include the following:

• One- and Two-Cavity Production Molds
• Prototype Molds
• Precision Mold Components
• Precision Machined Parts (metal, plastic ceramic and composite materials).

CMD Express prides itself on its machining innovations, Caron reports. “When it comes to precision machining, tiny variations can make big differences,” he explains. “Even the variance between accuracy and precision can have a major impact on your finished parts. While precision and accuracy are closely related, suppliers who understand the subtle differences between them can ultimately provide customers with a better product.”

According to Caron, CMD Express strives to minimize variation by closely monitoring the manufacturing process to ensure part to part consistency; throughout the entire process—from setup through finishing operations like EDM and grinding.
The company also maintains strict control of the facility environment, as well as the number of setups done on a workpiece, Caron continues. “We also keep the number of set-ups down to reduce human interaction as much as possible,” he notes. “We achieve this through the use of contemporary machining techniques and best-in-class equipment that is available today. This ensures every piece that we manufacture will be produced to customer specifications under controlled conditions.”