The Five Major Obstacles Facing China’s Casting Mold Industry
Apr 01,2022
Developing standardized mold components is of great significance for shortening the mold design and manufacturing cycle, reducing production costs, and improving mold quality. If specialized production and commercial supply of these standard components can be achieved, it will greatly boost the development of China’s mold industry.
In recent years, the plastic mold industry in China has grown rapidly, accompanied by increasingly fierce market competition. Following China’s accession to the WTO, foreign‑owned mold manufacturers have entered the domestic market. To stand out in this intense competitive environment, it is essential to develop standardized mold components and implement specialized, mass‑production processes for molds.
According to Luo Baihui, Secretary-General of the International Mould Association, the degree of mould standardization in developed countries stands at 70%–80%, whereas in China it is only around 30%. Widespread adoption of standardized mould components could shorten the mould design and manufacturing cycle by 25%–40% and reduce labor‑time losses caused by users’ need to customize mould parts. The use of CAD/CAM technology for mould design has become fairly common; promoting the application of standard mould components would enable partial resource sharing, significantly cutting down on design effort and time. This approach is of great significance for advancing CAD/CAM technologies and enhancing the precision of moulds.
In the past, even a single damaged component would render an entire mold unusable. Because such components were not standard, suitable replacements were hard to find on the market, requiring customers to source parts directly from the manufacturer—time‑consuming and labor‑intensive. By contrast, using standard components allows for quick and easy repair or replacement, significantly extending the mold’s service life.
Today, domestic enterprises have recognized the importance of mold standardization. At present, there are more than 100 manufacturers of standardized mold components with a certain production scale, whose main products include plastic mold bases, side‑ejection mechanisms, ejector pins, and ejector tubes. Notably, plastic mold bases can now be produced in larger sizes, laying the groundwork for the development of large‑scale, high‑precision molds.
Although China’s mold industry has made significant progress, a substantial gap remains compared with international standards. Implementing specialized, large-scale production of molds is a crucial step in accelerating the sector’s development. Many regions across the country have established regional “mold cities,” which have played a positive role in fostering the mold‑making industry. For example, the Yuyao Mold City in Ningbo, Zhejiang, was the first such hub in China; it now hosts hundreds of mold‑manufacturing enterprises and has spurred the growth of the mold industry both locally in Yuyao and in surrounding areas.
Shenzhen has successfully implemented specialized mold production, with nearly a thousand mold‑manufacturing enterprises now operating in the city. These companies demonstrate a strong awareness of establishing quality‑assurance systems and an enthusiastic drive to obtain ISO 9000 certification, recognizing that specialized production is the key to accessing international markets. Foreign‑wholly‑owned mold manufacturers hold an overwhelming position in Shenzhen, boasting nationally leading technical expertise, broad applications of advanced technologies, a comprehensive range of mold types, high product quality, and short lead times. With the exception of large‑scale automotive body‑panel molds, these firms are capable of producing virtually all other mold categories, leveraging technologies such as high‑speed milling, gas‑assisted injection molding, reverse engineering, hot‑runner systems, and rapid prototyping.
Shenzhen’s mold‑making enterprises have not only achieved technical specialization but have also increasingly adopted a specialized production model in which design takes the lead and machining is organized according to the process flow. This approach has reduced the demand for mold workers to possess all‑round technical expertise, placing greater emphasis on specialization. Even so, molds produced in Shenzhen can still be classified as mid‑to‑high‑end; certain critical molds—such as those for copier main frames and high‑precision, cutting‑edge molds used in cameras and camcorders—must still be imported.
The implementation of standardization and professionalization has propelled the development of China’s plastic mold‑making industry and will continue to provide the necessary technical support for domestic mold manufacturers to upgrade their technological capabilities, strengthen their competitive edge, and accelerate their integration into the global market.
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