In injection mold development, mold trials (Mold Trial or Mold Sampling) are a critical step to ensure product quality and production stability. T1, T2, and T3 represent the different iteration stages, with the following best practices:
T1 Trial (First formal trial): Conducted after initial mold corrections. Focus: Verify dimensional tolerances, surface defects (e.g., sink marks, flash, weld lines), and basic functionality. Best practices: Apply scientific molding principles to gradually optimize parameters (injection pressure, speed, mold temperature, cooling time). Record the filling process with short videos, measure key dimensions and compare against the 3D model, and generate detailed TIR (Trial Issue Report) and TVR (Trial Validation Report). Goal: Quickly identify major issues and minimize repeated mold modifications.
T2 Trial: Fine adjustments based on T1 feedback (e.g., gate optimization, improved venting, local weld repair). Best practices: Stabilize the process window, test multi-cavity consistency, perform assembly and functional validation, and pay close attention to warpage and shrinkage compensation. Many projects reach near-production readiness at this stage, reducing further iterations.
T3 Trial (or higher): Addresses remaining fine-tuning (e.g., tight tolerances, surface gloss, long-term stability). Best practices: Simulate full production conditions by running 50–100 continuous shots, verify CPK values and yield rates, and confirm mold durability. If no major issues remain, approve for mass production.
Overall best practices:
- Document all parameters, issues, and countermeasures throughout the process.
- Foster cross-team collaboration (tooling engineer, process engineer, quality inspector).
- Use Moldflow simulation early to reduce the number of physical trials.
- Strictly control material drying and mold cleanliness.
Following these steps typically limits trials to 2–3 rounds, significantly shortening the development cycle and improving injection mold quality.