Sampling and Tooling Rules
Who owns the tool, how samples are charged, how long tooling takes, and when the lead time actually starts.
Rules first, quote second: who owns the tool, how samples are charged, how long tooling takes, and when the lead time actually starts. Written down before the order, none of it becomes an argument later.
1. Three principles
- Tooling is quoted separately. The mould is priced on structure, cavity count and material rather than buried in the part price. Amortising it into the unit price is agreed at quotation, never assumed.
- Sample fees are stated, not promised. Samples are charged per round; whether they are credited back at volume is fixed in the quotation and the contract.
- Lead time starts when two conditions are both met: the sample (or drawing) is approved and frozen, and the deposit has arrived.
2. Tooling rules
| Item | Rule |
|---|---|
| Quotation basis | Structure complexity, number of cavities, mould base and cavity material, slides and secondary ejection; trial-shot rounds listed separately |
| Ownership | Where the customer pays for the tool, ownership is the customer's and stated in the contract; where tooling is amortised into the part price, ownership follows the contract |
| Storage | The tool can be stored with us; the free storage period and any extended-storage fee are agreed in the contract, with periodic anti-rust treatment |
| Transfer | We support dismantling, packing and transfer; freight and insurance are on the customer's side, with a condition check before hand-over |
| Life and maintenance | Steel and aluminium tools differ sharply in life; expected shot counts follow material and cavity count, with maintenance at agreed intervals |
| Changes | Minor changes (gate position, local dimensions) are quoted by hours; structural changes (cavity count, parting line, insert design) are assessed as new tooling |
3. Sampling and trial rules
- Sample types: prototype samples (structure and appearance), T1 trial parts (tool and process window), pilot batch (batch stability). Each has its own acceptance basis and is listed separately on the quotation.
- Quantities: typically 3–10 prototype pieces; trial parts by cavity count and round; pilot batch by agreed volume.
- Acceptance: dimensions (drawing and tolerance band, with a critical-dimension list), appearance (limit sample or appearance standard), assembly (trial fit against the mating part), function (per duty condition). Recorded separately — not just "OK".
- Approval freezes the process: after approval, drawing, material and process parameters are frozen; later changes follow the tool-change or engineering-change route.
4. What the quote includes and excludes
| Item | Statement |
|---|---|
| Included | Material, processing, standard packing and pre-shipment routine inspection; tooling separately quoted or amortised as agreed |
| Excluded | Freight and insurance, duties and destination charges, third-party certification and testing, expediting, customer-specific packing |
| Tax | Quotes state whether they include tax and at what rate. Duties and import charges on cross-border orders sit with the buyer unless the contract says otherwise |
| Incoterms | Per contract (EXW, FOB, CIF, etc.). The base differs by term, so align the term before comparing quotes |
| Validity | 30 days by default; shorter when raw material prices are volatile, and stated on the quotation |
| Payment | Normally deposit plus balance before shipment; tooling paid in one or two instalments. Ratios agreed in the contract |
5. Lead-time baseline
- Assessment and quote: 3–5 working days after a complete drawing or sample; longer if the structure is complex or material justification is needed.
- Samples: 7–15 working days depending on structure, whether new tooling is needed, and whether the compound is custom.
- Tooling: assessed by structure and cavity count; the tooling lead time is listed separately on the quotation.
- Volume: scheduled by quantity, process route and current capacity; expediting is a separate contractual condition.
These are typical intervals; the quotation and contract govern. Any design change re-opens the lead time rather than inheriting the old date.
6. The four arguments we see most
- "The sample and the volume parts differ." Almost always an unfrozen process: freeze material batch, mould temperature, cure time and post-treatment at sample approval.
- "Why is the tool so expensive?" Break the quote into mould base, cavities, slides and trial shots — that moves a decision faster than a blanket discount.
- "Who pays for a late delivery?" Decide it by the starting conditions and the responsibility split; customer design changes, late sample approval or late payment push the date out.
- "Can we take the tool?" Yes, under the transfer rules above, with a signed condition report before hand-over.
7. Questions
Can you quote from a sample with no drawing?
Yes. We read the structure and measure critical dimensions first. A firm price still needs tolerances and an acceptance basis — otherwise the number cannot hold.
Can tooling be fully amortised into the part price?
Yes, with a minimum order quantity and an amortisation period written into the contract. If the volume is not reached, the remaining tooling cost follows the contract.
Are sample fees credited at volume?
As agreed at quotation. A common arrangement is partial or full credit once an agreed volume is reached; the ratio is stated on the quotation.
Can we run a pilot batch before committing to volume?
Yes. A pilot batch verifies batch stability and assembly consistency; it is quoted separately and does not affect tool ownership.