Bridge tooling

In practice

Aluminum injection molds typically ship in 3–6 weeks versus 8–14 weeks for hardened steel. Tool life is shorter, and fine features and shutoffs wear faster, so bridge tools make sense when time to market or design uncertainty outweighs piece price.

Where it comes up

• Plastic injection moldingMolten thermoplastic injected into a steel or aluminum mold. Lowest piece price for plastic parts at 5,000+ a year.
• Metal stampingShort- to medium-run stampings: brackets, clips, shields, and plates cut and formed from sheet or coil in a press.
• Urethane castingProduction-like plastic and rubber parts cast in silicone molds, typically 10–200 parts in one to two weeks.

Related terms

Amortized tooling

Amortized tooling is tooling whose cost is spread across the piece price of a set quantity of parts instead of being paid up front. It lowers initial cash outlay, but the buyer usually pays a financing markup, and the terms must state what is owed if volume falls short.

Tooling ownership

Tooling ownership is the legal title to molds, dies, and fixtures, and the right to control them. Customer-owned tooling is paid for by the buyer and can be moved to another supplier; supplier-owned tooling stays put. Ownership, maintenance, and transfer terms belong in writing before the tool is built.

T1 sample

A T1 sample is a part from the first trial run of a new mold or die, used to check fill, dimensions, and fit before the tool is finalized. T1 parts often need tool adjustments; later trials are T2, T3, and so on until parts are approved for PPAP or first article.

DFM

DFM is design for manufacturability, the review of a part design against the limits of the process that will make it, before tooling is cut. It checks wall thickness, draft, radii, tolerances, and material choice. DFM changes are cheap before steel is cut and expensive after.