I. Fundamental Criteria for Assessing Repair Value
High Basic Mould Value: The mould is a customised high-precision medical/automotive mould with an original purchase value of ≥200,000 RMB. Order delivery default would result directly from a re-molding cycle that exceeds 15 days.
Incomplete Core Structure Damage: The mould base, guide pillars, and guide sleeves are the only basic structural components that do not have large-area fractures. Localised damage to the mould core and mounting holes is present. Insertion or welding can be employed to restore accuracy.
Downtime losses on the production line exceed repair costs by more than 10,000 RMB per hour. The total repair cost of 50,000-100,000 RMB is exceeded by the order losses and supply chain compensation that result from a 7-15 day mould outage.
Repaired Precision Satisfies Production Requirements: The mould forming precision can still meet the mass production tolerance requirements of the product after stress relief and geometric tolerance correction, thereby preventing batch defects.
II. Criteria for Determining the Absence of Repair Value
Mould with Low Residual Value: The mould was originally purchased for less than 50,000 yuan, which qualifies it as a low-end civilian product mould. The expense of re-molding is significantly less than that of repair.
Core Structure: The mould frame is entirely unusable due to the extensive cracking and the complete deformation of the parting surface. The precision of all essential components must be custom-made, and it is impossible to return them to mass production standards following the repair.
Repair Cycle Excessively Prolonged: The repair cycle exceeds 30 days, which is significantly longer than the product order delivery window. The order loss is irretrievable, regardless of whether it is repaired.
Long-Term Risks Following Repair: The mold's thermal expansion lock-up is not entirely resolved following the repair. The benefits of repair are significantly outweighed by the losses resulting from repetitive line stoppages, and it is highly probable that similar failures will recur during subsequent mass production.
III. Reference for Typical Scenarios
A level four lock-up occurred in a high-precision automotive bumper mould, resulting in localised fracture of the mould core. The repair cost was approximately 60,000 yuan, and the repair cycle was 10 days, which is significantly shorter than the 30-day mold-making cycle for a new mould. Consequently, it is entirely worthwhile to repair it. The cost of repairing a standard daily-use product mould that has experienced a level 4 lock-up and has a completely deformed mould base would exceed 30,000 yuan, which is significantly higher than the 20,000 yuan cost of a new mould. Consequently, the mould is more cost-effective to scrap and remaking, as repair is not a worthwhile endeavour.
Nevertheless, the majority of level 4 lock-up failures in high-value precision injection moulds can be professionally repaired to restore mass production capability, thereby avoiding the high losses associated with direct dismantling.
