Die Molds for Dummies: 5 Things you Should Know

elliebecker35
Jun 25
4 min read

VitaTek Regional Sales Manager Reid Wolf

In a recent Wednesday Workshop hosted by VitaTek, Patrick Hodgdon (VP of Marketing) introduced a practical and engaging session led by Reid Wolf, VitaTek’s Regional Sales Manager for the West Coast. The session, cleverly titled "Die Molds for Dummies," offered a comprehensive yet accessible overview of the mold-making process, critical knowledge for anyone working in medical device development.

Why Molds Matter

Reid began by sharing his own background as the lead designer behind a laparoscopic trocar. His personal journey through a fragmented manufacturing landscape made one thing abundantly clear: understanding molds is essential. He spoke of struggling to find injection molders, tool and die makers, and regulatory experts across different companies, only to discover that VitaTek had integrated all those capabilities under one roof. That moment of discovery was what led Reid to join VitaTek, inspired by the company’s streamlined and collaborative approach to medical device manufacturing.

Understanding the Mold-Making Process

To demystify molds, Reid likened them to a cookie cutter. A mold is essentially a precision-made tool used to produce identical parts repeatedly. When a mold closes under tremendous pressure, up to hundreds of tons, molten plastic is injected, shaped, and ejected in a matter of seconds. The ability to create thousands of identical parts quickly and efficiently makes molds a cornerstone of scalable manufacturing.

He emphasized that while molds are expensive, they are highly engineered products requiring exceptional precision. Tooling often involves complex components like slides, lifters, ejector pins, and custom cavities, all built to exacting tolerances. Reid walked through how a single mold can consist of over 200 individual parts, each requiring detailed drawings and tight specifications.

Types of Molds and Material Choices

Reid explained that choosing between single-cavity and multi-cavity molds depends largely on production volume and budget. Single-cavity molds are ideal for prototyping and early-stage production, while multi-cavity molds are more efficient at scale but require a larger upfront investment. He also discussed family molds, which can produce multiple, similar parts in one cycle, useful but tricky if geometries aren’t perfectly matched.

On material selection, Reid compared aluminum and steel. Aluminum molds are great for short-run prototyping but wear out quickly. Steel molds, especially those made from P20 or H13, offer longevity and high repeatability. VitaTek uses both types strategically, depending on the project’s scale and goals.

The Hidden Art of Mold Design

One of the most enlightening parts of the session was Reid’s breakdown of the actual manufacturing process. He described the role of electrodes and EDM (electrical discharge machining) in shaping molds with intricate geometry. Crafting these electrodes is a meticulous process, essentially an inverse of the final part design, and one of the major time investments in mold production.

Reid also touched on common problems like short shots (where plastic doesn’t fill the cavity) and flashing (plastic leaks out due to poor alignment). These issues require multiple revisions, and Reid noted that it’s rare for any mold to work perfectly on the first try. This is why having in-house mold makers, operators, and R&D teams, as VitaTek does, is so valuable.

Why VitaTek’s Approach Stands Out

Throughout the presentation, Reid continually returned to the advantage of VitaTek’s integrated model. Having regulatory, R&D, tool and die, injection molding, and sterilization capabilities under one roof not only eliminates finger-pointing but dramatically accelerates development timelines. Reid noted that, unlike outsourced manufacturers or overseas vendors, VitaTek's internal teams collaborate daily, sometimes literally over coffee, to troubleshoot and optimize designs in real-time.

He also addressed the risks of overseas manufacturing, from intellectual property concerns to lack of traceability. In contrast, VitaTek offers full lifecycle support and mold ownership, giving clients confidence in the integrity and future serviceability of their tools.

Prototyping, Costs, and Revisions

When asked about prototyping, Reid recommended starting with 3D printing for quick iterations. For functional testing in real materials, aluminum molds are often a logical next step. However, he cautioned that designs should always be evaluated for manufacturability, something VitaTek bakes into their prototyping process.

He also emphasized that every mold will need revisions—sometimes two or three, before it's dialed in. These adjustments aren’t typically costly unless there are major design changes. This is another area where VitaTek shines: by having all stakeholders in one place, necessary tweaks are made quickly and collaboratively, saving both time and money.

Final Thoughts

Reid concluded the session by urging medical device developers to ask the right questions when choosing a mold maker: Do they build and validate molds in-house? Are their engineers involved in design for manufacturability? Will you retain ownership of your mold? Most importantly, will you have direct access to the people responsible for each step of the process?

With VitaTek, the answer to all those questions is a resounding yes. By eliminating silos and streamlining every stage from concept to commercial production, VitaTek empowers its clients to innovate faster, smarter, and more confidently.

For follow-up questions, Reid is available at reid.wolf@vitatek.io or on LinkedIn.

The session recording can be viewed on our youtube channel here: https://youtu.be/i2TUYoUEW7M?feature=shared