Published 3/14/2014

Mold Builder is Closing Gap Between Concept and Production

Mold builders are always fighting against the clock, but if that fight results in a project not being evaluated for feasibility during the concept phase, you'll experience costly,time-consuming delays. Westminster Tool Inc. uses its“Bridging the Gap” between concept and production business management philosophy to attack the "gap."

Leadership

Christina Fuges

Editorial Director, MoldMaking Technology

Westminster Tool Inc.'s business management philosophy, "bridging the gap between concept and production," is paying off for the company as it grows its business in mold design, development, and manufacturing. The gap identified by Westminster's founder and President, Ray Coombs, Jr., occurs when the project is not evaluated for feasibility during the concept phase, affecting every stage of the project lifecycle. This gap can be costly and time consuming, resulting in delays in getting the product to the marketplace.

Westminster Tool's core competency since the company's inception is injection mold design and manufacturing, and with the addition of complementary competencies and services, the company has reached a new level of manufacturing excellence.

About two years ago following Westminster Tool's founder and President, Ray Coombs, Jr's lead, the company began a concerted effort to bridge the gap between concept and production via collaborative efforts throughout the entire mold design, build, qualification and molding validation process.

Through major investments in high-speed machine tool equipment and molding machines, workforce training, strategic partnerships, and most recently Moldex 3D® plastic injection molding simulation software, Westminster Tool helps its customers ‘bridge the gap’ between concept and production, allowing them to get products to market faster while reducing the overall costs to manufacture.

Westminster’s involvement begins during the concept phase. Utilizing Moldex 3D®, Westminster provides design for manufacturability (DFM) by simulating the molding process to analyze shrink, cooling and warpage, as well as evaluate gating options. During this stage Westminster can offer alternatives to part design that have the potential to reduce and optimize cycle time, ensuring a robust mold and improved productivity.

Reducing the time it takes for mold qualification and process validation was achieved by investing in a molding technology center at Westminster Tool’s facility. Westminster’s Technology Center is equipped with three Toyo electric injection presses and staffed with full-time RJG Certified Master Molders^sm with extensive expertise in scientific molding principles, giving Westminster the ability to provide process validation and inspection guarantees to their customers.

"When Westminster takes on a project, we’re not just building a mold but are truly focused on the outcome of the molding process, and meeting our customers’ requirements for consistent quality,” says Mark Ypsilantis, Vice President of Business Development and Marketing. “Our ‘Bridging the Gap’ from concept to production project management program is our commitment to customers that their project is a success.”

Westminster Tool President Ray Coombs will be presenting during MMT's annual amerimold expo technical conference on June 11th. Check out the details and register today for FREE!

1:00 pm - 2:00 pm | SESSION: Driving the Next Generation Skilled Workforce

What value are we putting on manufacturing instruction? How has manufacturing education changed recently? How are companies successfully attracting new employees? Once recruited, how do we train them to be the next drivers of success for our companies? Panelists will share strategies for recruiting, training and advancing skills, as well as demonstrate the return you can experience by investing in your workforce.

Craig Cegielski - Cardinal Manufacturing/Eleva-Strum Central High, Instructor
Robert Novak - Waukesha County Technical College, Associate Dean, School of Applied Technologies
Ray Coombs - Westminster Tool , Inc., President
Ryan Pohl - Expert Technical Training, President