The mold must fit and move safely in the clamping unit, while the injection unit must process the required resin and total shot within the target cycle. Passing one check does not prove the other.
Review the complete physical envelope and motion sequence—not only a tie-bar dimension or clamping-force label.
Review volume, material basis, pressure/flow, recovery and screw-resin compatibility as one process question.
Use controlled mold drawings where available. Add hoses, manifolds, cylinders, unscrewing devices and robot tooling that extend beyond the nominal mold block.
| Fit field | Collect | Verify against machine/cell |
|---|---|---|
| External mold size | Horizontal × vertical × depth dimensions plus protrusions and services | Tie-bar/open-platen clearance, platen coverage and the intended loading route |
| Mold thickness | Closed mold thickness and any alternative stack configuration | Permitted mold-height range and installed setup—not nominal clamp force |
| Opening & daylight | Part depth, core motion, removal path, robot/end-of-arm tooling and safe clearance | Opening stroke and available daylight through the complete removal sequence |
| Ejection & cores | Ejector stroke/force need, ejector pattern, core pulls, unscrewing and sequence | Physical interfaces, available circuits, control sequence and option scope |
| Mold weight & access | Mold-half weights, lifting points, crane/forklift path and support method | Platen/machine limits, installation access and documented handling plan |
Preserve the material basis and the source of every number. A catalogue comparison becomes misleading when reference resins, volumes or test conditions differ.
Record the weight or volume of all cavities plus the runner where applicable. State the resin and whether the figure is measured, calculated or estimated.
Catalogue shot values may use a reference material. Compare volume and the intended resin correctly instead of treating one published gram value as universal.
Part geometry, flow length, wall sections, gate and resin can change the required injection profile and pressure. Capacity alone does not prove process fit.
Compare material required per cycle with the target cycle, melt preparation and recovery window. A nominal shot capacity does not show whether recovery can keep pace.
Resin, additives, fillers, heat sensitivity, screw geometry and time in the barrel must be reviewed together by the responsible process engineer.
Record the file revision and owner. If an input is unavailable, label the estimate and the action needed to confirm it.
Geometry, wall sections, projected area, tolerance and cosmetic requirements
External dimensions, thickness, locating ring/nozzle, mounting, opening and ejector details
Cavity count, hot or cold runner, runner mass/volume and gate concept
Exact resin grade, density/source basis, additives, filler and regrind plan
Current/target cycle, shot record, pressure profile, quality checks and output target
Loading route, robot, auxiliaries, utilities and downstream handling
These answers flag common shortcuts that can make a machine appear suitable before both sides of the fit check are complete.
Not necessarily. Also check platen coverage and mounting, mold thickness range, nozzle/locating details, opening and daylight, ejector pattern and stroke, core circuits, mold weight, services, loading route and part-removal clearance.
No. The shot basis normally includes all molded cavities and the runner where applicable, and it must be related to the actual resin and process. Record whether each value is measured, calculated or estimated.
No. Capacity is only one check. Pressure and flow demand, plasticizing per cycle, screw/resin compatibility, residence behavior and the available injection-unit configuration also need review.
Do not apply one universal percentage without context. The acceptable operating window depends on resin, screw and barrel configuration, shot volume, residence time, plasticizing demand and the supplier's validated guidance for the specific setup.
Keep them visibly marked as estimates, record the source and revision, and issue only a provisional fit check. Repeat the review when controlled drawings, material data and measured trial information become available.
Add the controlled drawings, resin basis, shot source, cycle target, motion requirements and cell layout so a proposed configuration can be reviewed.
Build the machine brief