Last updated: · Manufacturing specifications supplied by Lichengda.
Start with a direct answer, then use the recommended buyer action to define your specification or resolve an open requirement. Your approved drawing and quotation define the actual supply and acceptance scope.
56 questions across 7 topics
Product & supplier selection
What is a mold base, and how is it different from a complete mold?
A mold base supports and locates the plates and components used in a mold assembly. It is not automatically a complete working mold with cavities, cores, a hot runner system or every purchased component. Lichengda quotes the required mold base machining, supplied components, assembly and inspection separately against your drawing.
What to do
List the plates, machining, bought-in components, assembly and inspection you expect. Mark items supplied by your own toolmaker so the quotation has a clear boundary.
When should I choose a custom mold base instead of a standard mold base?
Choose a custom mold base when the required plate layout, dimensions, component positions or machining cannot be covered by the selected standard configuration. Send the assembly layout and critical features for review. A standard size alone does not define whether all machining and assembly requirements are included.
What to do
Send the required plate stack, machine interface and feature layout. Highlight the dimensions or interfaces that cannot use a standard configuration.
Do mold base and mould base mean different products?
No. Mold base is the common American spelling; mould base is the common British spelling. The spelling does not define the material, standard or machining scope. Compare the drawing, material condition, dimensions, supplied components and inspection requirements rather than treating the spelling as a different product specification.
What to do
Use the same drawing and acceptance checklist for both spellings. Confirm the actual design standard and interfaces separately.
What is the difference between milled and ground tool steel plates?
Select the finish from the surfaces and tolerances needed for your next operation. Lichengda offers six-side milling, two-side grinding with four-side milling, and eligible E1 six-side grinding. Ground faces can have different requirements from milled faces. Show finished dimensions, datums and any additional surface or geometric requirements on the drawing.
What to do
Mark each finished face and its dimensional tolerance. Use the plate selection tool to compare the three finishes before preparing the RFQ.
What is precision ground flat stock, and is it the same as a custom steel plate?
Precision ground flat stock generally refers to flat material supplied with ground surfaces to stated dimensional requirements, often in standard bar or plate sizes. UK suppliers may also use the term gauge plate. A custom precision plate has an order-specific size, grade, condition and finish. Lichengda supplies processed tool steel plates and blocks to the agreed specification; neither purchasing term alone defines the steel grade, material condition, six ground faces, hardness or all geometric requirements.
What to do
Specify finished size, grade, material condition and which faces must be ground. If your drawing says gauge plate or ground flat stock, confirm the actual grade and finishing scope rather than relying on the name. Ask whether a quoted size is a stock size or a custom finished dimension.
What should I check before choosing a custom mold base or precision plate supplier?
Check the actual material and delivery condition, relevant machining capacity, directional tolerances, inspection documents, included components and production schedule. Ask for evidence relevant to your drawing, such as a comparable project and an inspection report. A broad equipment list or a generic claim of high precision does not define the acceptance requirements of your order.
What to do
Compare a drawing-specific scope and inspection plan from each supplier. Ask for relevant evidence and separate machining, supplied components, reports and logistics.
What are machine-ready blanks, and can I order custom tool steel plates?
Machine-ready blanks are material prepared to specified dimensions and surface requirements for a subsequent machining operation. The name does not by itself define the grade, heat-treatment condition, number of ground faces or tolerance. Lichengda supplies custom processed tool steel plates in its listed grades and three agreed finish options.
What to do
State the finished blank dimensions and the surfaces that will be machined later. Confirm grade, condition, face finish and any stock allowance rather than ordering by the term machine-ready alone.
Can I order metric precision ground flat stock to custom plate dimensions?
Yes. Lichengda accepts drawing-specific precision plate orders in its listed tool steel grades, including single pieces and small batches. A metric stock description does not by itself define a custom finished size, grade, condition or number of ground faces. Maximum processing size and E1 size limits are separate.
What to do
Provide finished length × width × thickness in millimetres, grade, condition, quantity and face finish. Mark any remaining machining allowance and verify the E1 limits separately if requesting six-side ±0.02 mm.
Can I order precision tool steel plates and a custom mold base for the same project?
Yes. Lichengda supplies both processed tool steel precision plates and drawing-specific custom mold bases. A combined project still needs separate definitions for loose plates, base machining, supplied components, assembly and inspection. Material grade and condition should be stated for each required item.
What to do
Send an itemized project list identifying loose precision plates and machined or assembled mold base items. Add the required grade, condition, finish, quantity and report scope to each item so the quotation can cover both product lines clearly.
Finishes & tolerances
What tolerances apply to six-side precision milled plates?
Lichengda’s six-side precision milling specification is ±0.10 mm for length, width and thickness, with parallelism of 0.08 mm per 100 mm. Additional geometric or surface requirements should be identified in the drawing and confirmed in the quotation. These figures describe the milled finish and are not the E1 six-side grinding specification.
What to do
Identify any features needing a tighter requirement than the published milling specification. Keep extra grinding or geometry requirements as explicit RFQ items.
Does ±0.05 mm apply to length, width and thickness for two-side-ground plates?
No. For Lichengda’s two-side grinding plus four-side milling, ±0.05 mm applies only to thickness. Length and width have milled surfaces with tolerances of ±0.10 mm. Parallelism between the two ground reference faces is 0.04 mm per 100 mm. Identify those reference faces on the drawing.
What to do
Mark the two ground datum faces and state thickness ±0.05 mm separately from length and width ±0.10 mm. Add whole-span acceptance requirements if needed.
When is ±0.02 mm available for E1 six-side ground tool steel plates?
Lichengda’s E1 specification applies to blocks with length and width each up to 600 mm and thickness from 10 to 200 mm. Eligible materials are pre-hardened 718H, 1.2738, NAK80 and 1.2316, or hardened-and-tempered S136, D2, SKD11 and DC53. Length, width and thickness tolerances are ±0.02 mm; parallelism is 0.02 mm per 100 mm. Other sizes, grades and conditions require separately confirmed tolerances.
What to do
Check grade, material condition and all three finished dimensions together. Use the E1 selection check, then confirm any additional geometry or roughness requirements on the drawing.
Can a 1200 × 800 × 400 mm plate be supplied to the E1 ±0.02 mm specification?
Not under Lichengda’s published E1 scope. The 1200 × 800 × 400 mm figure is a maximum processing capacity, while E1 is limited to length and width each up to 600 mm and thickness 10–200 mm in eligible material conditions. Large plates need an order-specific finish and tolerance review.
What to do
Request a separate large-plate finish and tolerance review. Identify critical spans and datums instead of applying the small-block E1 figure to the entire plate.
What is the difference between flatness, parallelism and surface roughness?
Flatness controls the form of a surface independently of another datum. Surface parallelism controls its orientation relative to a specified datum. Surface roughness describes small-scale surface texture. They are different drawing and inspection requirements; a dimensional tolerance does not by itself specify all three. State each required characteristic and its inspection basis instead of using a general precision claim.
What to do
Call out flatness, datum-related parallelism and roughness separately, with units and inspection requirements. A thickness tolerance alone cannot replace them.
Does parallelism of 0.02 mm per 100 mm mean 0.02 mm across the whole plate?
No. A per-100-mm specification is not automatically a whole-plate absolute tolerance. State the full inspection span, datums and acceptance requirement in the drawing or purchase specification. Do not assume a whole-plate limit, or linearly extend the local figure, without an agreed measurement and acceptance basis.
What to do
State the whole inspection span and the absolute acceptance requirement. Ask for agreement on the measurement and support conditions before ordering.
Does precision ground steel plate mean all six faces are ground?
No. A precision ground steel plate description needs to identify the ground faces. Lichengda offers two-side grinding with four-side milling, or E1 six-side grinding within the eligible grade, condition and size scope. Two-side grinding does not give the milled length and width the same tolerance as the ground thickness.
What to do
Mark the two ground reference faces or specify six-side grinding explicitly. For the two-side option, specify thickness ±0.05 mm and length/width ±0.10 mm; check all E1 conditions before requesting ±0.02 mm on all dimensions.
What surface roughness Ra should I specify for ground tool steel plates?
Specify the roughness value required by the plate function rather than assuming it from a ground-finish label. Ra describes surface texture; it is separate from thickness tolerance, flatness and parallelism. Lichengda has not published one universal Ra value for every grade, condition, size and finish.
What to do
Mark the relevant faces, numerical roughness limit and unit on the drawing, such as a required Ra value in micrometres. Confirm the measurement method and acceptance requirement in the quotation before ordering.
Materials & delivery condition
Can annealed tool steel be supplied under the same E1 ±0.02 mm guarantee?
Annealed stock is outside Lichengda’s published E1 scope. A separate finish and tolerance must be agreed for the actual grade, geometry and delivery condition. Do not apply the E1 numbers to soft annealed plates solely because the material has the same grade name as an eligible hardened or pre-hardened product.
What to do
State the actual annealed condition and request a separately reviewed tolerance. If later heat treatment is planned, identify which dimensions will be finished afterward.
Can large H13 or 1.2344 hot-work steel plates automatically use E1 tolerances?
No. Large hot-work forgings are not automatically covered by Lichengda’s E1 specification. Submit the dimensions, delivery condition and required faces for review. A two-side-ground, four-side-milled option may be assessed, but the achievable scope and tolerances must be confirmed for the actual order.
What to do
Provide the H13 or 1.2344 plate size, condition and critical faces. Request a process-specific review; do not select E1 solely because six faces will be ground.
Can you supply NAK80 precision ground plates?
Yes. Pre-hardened NAK80 is included in Lichengda’s E1 scope when length and width are each no more than 600 mm and thickness is 10–200 mm. The E1 specification is ±0.02 mm in all three dimensions, with parallelism of 0.02 mm per 100 mm. Confirm any additional geometry, surface requirements and inspection records in the quotation.
What to do
Select NAK80, confirm pre-hardened condition and provide finished length, width and thickness. Choose two-side grinding or E1 only with the applicable scope.
Can you supply D2 precision ground plates after hardening and tempering?
Yes. Hardened-and-tempered D2 is included in Lichengda’s E1 scope within 600 mm in length and width and 10–200 mm in thickness. Confirm the required hardness and material record with the order. Annealed D2 does not automatically qualify for the same E1 specification.
What to do
Specify D2 in hardened and tempered condition when requesting E1. Confirm final dimensions after the agreed heat-treatment and finishing route.
Are D2, SKD11 and DC53, or P20, 718H and 1.2738, automatically interchangeable?
No automatic substitution should be assumed. Grade designations, supplier products, delivery conditions and required properties need to be checked against the drawing and material specification. State the required designation and any permitted alternative explicitly. Listing grades together on a website does not establish that they are identical.
What to do
Use separate material designations in the RFQ. Obtain written design or engineering approval before changing a specified grade; compare actual condition and acceptance requirements.
Should tool steel be machined before or after heat treatment?
The route depends on the starting material condition and the final requirements. Identify which features are roughed, which dimensions must be finished after treatment, and who is responsible for each operation and inspection. Grade alone does not define whether the blank is annealed, pre-hardened or hardened and tempered. Confirm the route and any finishing allowance for the actual geometry.
What to do
Define the starting condition, rough-machining responsibility, any heat-treatment stage, finishing allowance and final inspection stage in the order scope.
What is the best grade of tool steel for my mold plates?
There is no single best tool steel grade for every mold plate. The choice depends on the plate function, service conditions, required hardness, subsequent processing and the design specification. Lichengda processes P20, 718H, 1.2738, NAK80, S136, 1.2316, H13, 1.2344, D2, SKD11 and DC53; listing a grade does not make it interchangeable with another.
What to do
Give the plate function, specified material standard, delivery condition and target hardness to the responsible mold designer or material specialist. Obtain approval for any substitution, then request the approved processed plate.
How hard is tool steel, and what hardness should I specify for precision plates?
Tool steel hardness depends on the grade and its annealed, pre-hardened or hardened and tempered condition. A grade name or ground surface does not establish the supplied hardness. The hardness scale, target range and delivery condition should be specified separately; Lichengda can provide a hardness report for the agreed supply scope.
What to do
State the required hardness scale and range, the material condition at delivery and any required test locations. Confirm the achievable requirement for the selected grade instead of applying one hardness figure to all tool steels.
Will heat treatment change the dimensions of precision ground tool steel plates?
Heat treatment can change dimensions and geometry, so a plate finished before treatment should not be assumed to retain the same final tolerance afterward. The route needs to distinguish rough machining, treatment, finish grinding and final inspection. Published E1 eligibility depends on the specified final material condition and size.
What to do
Identify the final heat-treatment condition and who performs each stage. Agree any finishing allowance and inspect the critical dimensions after the final agreed process; do not treat a pre-treatment report as proof of post-treatment dimensions.
Should I order annealed or hardened and tempered D2 ground plates?
Choose the D2 delivery condition according to the remaining manufacturing route. Annealed and hardened and tempered plates are different supply conditions, even if both have ground surfaces. Under Lichengda’s published rules, D2 qualifies for E1 only in hardened and tempered condition and within the E1 size limits; annealed D2 needs separately agreed tolerances.
What to do
State whether further heat treatment is planned and which dimensions must be final at delivery. For E1, confirm hardened and tempered D2, length and width each up to 600 mm and thickness 10–200 mm before applying ±0.02 mm.
Custom mold bases
What types of custom mold bases does Lichengda supply?
Our scope includes custom injection mold bases, hot-runner configurations, two-color and multi-color configurations, inverted mold bases, stripper plate mold bases, hydraulic core-pull configurations and die-casting mold bases. Machining, purchased components and assembly included in the supply are confirmed against your drawing and quotation.
What to do
Identify the configuration and send the assembly layout. Separate the mold base requirement from the complete mold, hot runner and any purchased systems.
Can a custom mold base include pockets, holes and water-channel machining?
Specify the pockets, holes, datums and channels required on the component drawings. Lichengda’s stated processes include CNC milling, grinding, drilling, boring, tapping and water-channel machining. We review the access, geometry and inspection requirements before confirming the machining scope. A product category name alone does not confirm every feature on a drawing.
What to do
Mark the pocket depths, hole coordinates, threads and water-channel paths on the approved drawing. List any plugs, fittings and tests separately for scope confirmation.
What is your maximum custom mold base size and weight?
The stated mold base capacity is up to 1500 × 1200 mm, with maximum set weight of approximately 8 tonnes. Overall height, geometry, handling and machining access are reviewed for each project. The size and weight maxima do not mean every tolerance is available at every combination of those limits.
What to do
Send the complete envelope, including height and an estimated set weight. Ask for a drawing-specific capacity review rather than using footprint alone.
Does a mold base quotation include assembly, hot runner systems or hydraulic cylinders?
Guide pillar and guide bushing assembly is available. Hot runner systems, hydraulic cylinders and other purchased components must be identified in the requested supply scope; they are not automatically included because a mold base is configured for them. The quotation should separate machining, supplied components and assembly responsibilities.
What to do
List each included component and its supply responsibility. State whether guide assembly, a hot runner system, hydraulic cylinders or other bought-in items are required.
Can you provide CMM reports, and what mold base features should be inspected?
Dimensional and CMM reports can be provided for agreed mold base features. Identify the critical hole locations, fits, datum references, plate relationships and any coaxiality requirements on the drawing. The inspection plan should state the feature, tolerance and reporting scope; a generic CMM report label does not define these requirements.
What to do
Identify inspection datums, critical features and tolerances on the drawing. Agree which measured results the dimensional or CMM report should include.
What drawings and information are needed for a custom mold base quote?
Provide the assembly and component drawings with revision, materials, overall size, quantity, critical fits and features, required machining, component supply and assembly scope. Include the inspection documents and destination. If a requirement is open, identify it as to be confirmed rather than leaving the supplier to assume it. Lichengda accepts PDF, STEP and DWG drawing files by email to stella@lichengdaheating.com.
What to do
Send the current assembly drawing and revision, material requirements, machining detail, component list, quantity, reporting needs and delivery destination.
What information is needed for a custom hot runner mold base?
A custom hot runner mold base needs an approved arrangement defining the plate layout and interfaces to the selected hot runner system. The manifold, nozzle, support and clearance requirements must be checked against that arrangement. A mold base quotation does not automatically include the hot runner hardware.
What to do
Supply the approved hot runner layout, plate stack, mounting and clearance details, datums and a component responsibility list. Confirm the hardware and assembly items included in the quotation.
What should I specify for a two-color or multi-color injection mold base?
A two-color or multi-color mold base is defined by the approved mold arrangement and machine interfaces, not by the color count alone. The locating, guiding and indexing or transfer arrangement affects the required plate layout and included components.
What to do
Send the mold assembly layout, machine interface, indexing or transfer details, locating datums and component list. Identify any rotation or purchased mechanism separately; it is not automatically part of the base supply.
Can I use the same mold base specification for injection molding and die casting?
Injection and die-casting mold bases should not be assumed interchangeable. Their machine interfaces, material and service requirements, feature layouts and assembly scope depend on the actual design. Lichengda accepts both custom injection and die-casting mold base projects for drawing-specific review.
What to do
Identify the process and machine interface in the RFQ. Provide the required material condition, plate and slide layout, guide arrangement, water channels and inspection datums for a separate scope review.
Quotes, reports & delivery
How do I request a quote for precision ground tool steel plates?
Provide material grade, delivery condition, finished length × width × thickness, quantity, required finish and directional tolerances. Identify the ground reference faces, any additional flatness, parallelism or roughness requirements, requested certificates and inspection reports. Include the delivery destination and clarify whether a required date means dispatch or arrival. Lichengda accepts PDF, STEP and DWG drawing files by email to stella@lichengdaheating.com.
What to do
Use the plate RFQ checklist: grade, condition, finished dimensions, quantity, face finish, tolerances, reports and destination. Resolve any unspecified dimensions before order confirmation.
Can I order one precision plate or one custom mold base?
Yes. Lichengda accepts single-piece or single-set orders and small batches. The grade, finish, size, assembly and reporting scope still need technical and commercial review before the quotation is confirmed. A single-piece order does not remove the material-condition or E1 eligibility requirements.
What to do
State the single-piece or single-set quantity clearly. Provide the same drawing, condition and acceptance requirements that would apply to a batch.
What are the production lead times for plates and custom mold bases?
Typical production lead times are 3–7 working days for precision tool steel plates, 7–15 working days for custom mold bases, and 15–25 working days for large or complex mold bases. These are production ranges, not destination arrival dates. The confirmed quotation and the start conditions define the order schedule.
What to do
Give the required dispatch or arrival date explicitly. Confirm the production schedule against the completed order-start conditions and allow separately for transport.
When does the production lead-time clock start?
It starts on the next working day after all applicable conditions are fulfilled: receipt of the formal purchase order, final drawing or specification approval, and receipt of the required deposit where applicable. Working days exclude weekends and statutory public holidays in China. Sending an RFQ does not start production lead time.
What to do
Check that the formal PO, approved final specification and any required deposit have all been received. Use the next working day as the production start reference.
Can I request an MTC, hardness report, dimensional report or UT report?
Yes. MTC material documentation, hardness reports and dimensional reports can be provided; mold base projects can include CMM reports. UT reports are available on request. State the required document type, test standard or acceptance level and reporting scope before ordering. Do not assume a particular certificate type or that every order includes the same testing.
What to do
List the required document and test scope in the RFQ. Confirm any certificate type, UT standard or acceptance level before the quotation is approved.
What affects the quotation and total delivered cost of a custom mold base or precision plate?
Material grade and condition, finished size, stock removal, required faces and features, tolerances, quantity, assembly and inspection all help define the production scope. Delivery destination and agreed transport and trade terms also affect the total supplied price. Ask the quotation to separate the product scope and logistics responsibilities; published production time is not a shipping or import-cost guarantee.
What to do
Compare quotations using the same material, finished size, machining, inspection, assembly and delivery responsibilities. Separate production lead time from transit and import responsibilities.
How much machining allowance should I leave on a precision tool steel blank?
There is no one allowance suitable for every tool steel blank. It depends on the starting condition, later stock removal, heat treatment, geometry and final tolerances. A finished blank dimension and the final component dimension may therefore be different requirements.
What to do
Provide both the ordered blank size and the final part drawing where relevant. Identify faces to be machined later and any treatment stage, then agree the allowance for each affected dimension before confirming the plate order.
Can I change a custom mold base drawing after receiving a quotation?
A drawing change can affect material, machining, purchased components, inspection and the production schedule. A quotation for one revision should not be assumed to cover a later revision. The effect of a change needs to be reviewed before the revised scope is treated as confirmed.
What to do
Send a clearly numbered new revision and a change list. Confirm the accepted drawing revision, revised scope, price and schedule in writing before proceeding. Do not assume that a previously quoted lead time covers additional work.
Why do custom mold base and precision plate quotations vary between suppliers?
Quotes may cover different material conditions, blank or finished sizes, machined faces, feature detail, tolerances, assembly, inspection documents and logistics responsibilities. A lower unit price is not a like-for-like comparison unless these items match. Production lead time and transport time also need separate definitions.
What to do
Use a comparison checklist covering grade, condition, ordered dimensions, ground faces, feature machining, included components, acceptance reports, quantity, destination and delivery responsibilities. Ask each supplier to identify exclusions before choosing.
What is the difference between an MTC and a dimensional or CMM inspection report?
An MTC concerns the supplied material documentation; it does not replace a dimensional inspection of the machined part. A dimensional or CMM report records the agreed measured features and does not by itself establish the material grade or heat-treatment condition. Hardness and requested UT reports address additional, separate requirements.
What to do
List material documentation, hardness, dimensions, CMM features and any UT scope as separate RFQ items. Specify required certificate types and acceptance criteria instead of asking only for a general quality certificate.
Problem solving & buyer checks
Why can a precision ground tool steel plate distort during further machining?
A ground surface does not eliminate the possibility of later dimensional change. Residual stress, an uneven machining sequence, workholding and temperature differences can affect the measured shape. The cause cannot be determined from a product description alone; compare the condition and geometry before and after the relevant operation.
What to do
Record the incoming dimensions and support conditions before removing material. Share the plate grade, delivery condition, machining sequence, clamping arrangement and before/after measurements for a process review. Agree any revised route or finishing allowance for the actual geometry.
How should I inspect the flatness and parallelism of a ground steel plate?
Flatness and parallelism need different inspection definitions. Flatness concerns the form of a face, while parallelism refers to its relationship to a datum. A single thickness reading does not establish either across the whole plate. The span, support conditions, datum and required acceptance limit should be agreed for the part.
What to do
Use the agreed drawing datums and measurement method. Record the inspected face, full span, support arrangement, measurement locations and values. If comparing supplier and incoming results, compare the same setup and requirement rather than extending a per-100-mm figure without agreement.
What should I check when precision plates or a custom mold base arrive?
Compare the delivery with the confirmed drawing revision and order scope. Check identification, quantity, visible condition, ordered components, supplied documentation and the agreed critical dimensions using the specified datums and inspection method. A measurement difference needs the actual values and setup to be assessed.
What to do
Record photographs, part identification, drawing revision, measured values, instruments, support conditions and affected features before further machining. Share the comparison for review against the agreed acceptance requirements; any remedy follows the confirmed order terms.
What packaging and corrosion-protection requirements should I specify for export steel plates?
Packaging requirements should reflect the part size, weight, exposed machined faces, handling points and intended transit conditions. Corrosion protection, face separation, blocking and transport responsibilities should be confirmed in the order. This draft does not claim a single standard packaging method for every shipment.
What to do
Include the destination and transport plan, critical surfaces to protect and any receiving or handling restrictions in the RFQ. Request confirmation of the proposed protection and packing method, marks, dimensions and responsibilities before dispatch.
Inspection & issue resolution
What should I do if my custom mold base dimensions do not match the approved drawing?
Contact Lichengda at stella@lichengdaheating.com with the order number, affected plate or component identification, approved drawing revision and inspection results. We will review the discrepancy against the agreed dimensions, datums, tolerances and supply scope. Depending on the findings and agreed terms, possible solutions include local repair, replacement components or factory rework.
What to do
Preserve the received condition and record the affected features before modifying the part. Include measured values, photographs, instruments, datums and any machining or assembly already performed. Agree the technical solution, inspection requirements and costs in writing before corrective work starts. Report the issue promptly within any notification period agreed for the order.
What should I do if my precision ground tool steel plate is out of tolerance?
Record the plate identification, approved specification, affected dimension and measured value, then contact stella@lichengdaheating.com. Check the ordered finish and the direction being measured: thickness, length, width, flatness and parallelism are separate requirements. Lichengda will review the results against the tolerances agreed for that plate, its material condition and its finished size.
What to do
Keep the plate in its received condition while the issue is reviewed. Share the inspection method, measurement temperature, supports, instrument details and any subsequent machining or heat treatment. These changes need to be considered when assessing the original condition; they do not by themselves determine responsibility. Agree any repair or replacement and related costs in writing before proceeding.
How are different dimensional inspection results on a mold base or steel plate reviewed?
Start by comparing the same drawing revision, feature definition, units, datums and agreed tolerance. Then compare the inspection method, instrument suitability and calibration, temperature, cleanliness, supports and fixturing. A factory CMM report or a receiving measurement needs this context; either result alone does not automatically settle a disagreement.
What to do
Share feature-level readings and the measurement setup rather than only a pass/fail summary. If a difference remains unresolved, agree an independent inspection method, provider, scope, costs and how its findings will be used before commissioning it. A third-party report is not automatically a binding arbitration decision.
Can a custom mold base or precision plate be repaired locally instead of returned to China?
Local repair can be considered when the proposed machining can restore the agreed dimensions and function without compromising material condition, fits, strength or assembly. Available stock, feature location and the capability of the local machining provider need engineering review. Local repair is one possible solution, not an automatic authorization to alter the supplied part.
What to do
Before machining, send the proposed repair, provider, quote and expected lead time. Obtain written agreement on the method, limits, final inspection, responsibility and any approved reimbursement amount. Preserve the original evidence; do not assume that an unapproved local repair invoice will be reimbursed.
Can one mold base plate be replaced instead of returning the complete mold base?
Replacing an individual mold base plate can be considered when the issue is isolated and the replacement can meet the assembly interfaces and agreed acceptance requirements. Review mating holes, locating features, fits, water channels and any matched machining before deciding. The solution must also define disassembly, reassembly and final inspection.
What to do
Identify the affected plate and provide its drawing revision, inspection results, assembly details and required delivery date. Confirm the replacement scope, shipping and installation responsibilities, costs and final checks in writing. Retain the original plate until its return or disposal is agreed.
Who pays inspection, repair and replacement shipping costs for a dimensional quality issue?
Cost responsibility is reviewed against the confirmed order terms, the agreed specification and the evidence of what caused the discrepancy. The written resolution should identify inspection, machining, replacement, transport, customs and reassembly costs as applicable. Manufacturing deviations, design or revision changes, transit damage and later processing need separate assessment.
What to do
Share the original evidence and obtain written agreement on the proposed solution and costs before commissioning local work, returning goods or disposing of parts. Ask for confirmation of any approved reimbursement amount and supporting invoices. Applicable order terms remain the basis for the resolution; no fixed claim period or automatic full refund is promised by this FAQ.
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