Tool Transfer and Process Stabilization in Automotive Serial Production
One of our long-term partners reached out to us regarding an urgent (ASAP) transfer of an ongoing automotive serial production project, following quality issues and non-compliance with OEM requirements.
GOAL:
Seamless takeover of an ongoing project and implementation of a stable, defect-free, and OEM-compliant injection molding serial production process for an existing customer.
Project parameters
360 000 pcs/year
Production volume
PA46
Raw material
4-cavity
mold design
150 t
injection molding machine
100%
QR code readability inspection
IATF
automotive compliance
Challenges
During the transfer phase, three critical process areas had to be stabilized within a short timeframe.
QR code readability
Multiple OEM rejections due to unreadable markings
Insufficient contrast and marking quality at the previous supplier
Recurring quality complaints during serial production
Surface blemishes
Clearly visible surface defect (approx. 3 × 3 cm) on the injection-molded part
Unstable visual quality leading to customer complaints
The root cause was suspected to be related to raw material preparation and handling
Incomplete documentation
The mold was transferred without a complete and validated documentation package
Serial production parameters required redefinition and verification
Robust, repeatable process settings had to be established under a tight timeline
These issues were resolved sustainably through structured root cause analysis (RCA), process re-parameterization and validation, supported by 100% inspection.
Mitter’s solution
01 Process parameter optimization
Mold integration into a Netstal 150 t injection molding environment
Establishment of serial-production-ready process settings
Definition and documentation of critical process parameters and inspection checkpoints
02 QR code marking and auxiliary fixture
Implementation of new laser marking parameters
Development of a positioning fixture
Introduction of 100% automated readability inspection
03 Drying protocol and moisture control
Integration of a Wittmann dryer
Standard drying cycle: 4 hours at 120°C
Moisture content stabilized below 0.02%
Surface defect elimination – before/after
As a result of the drying protocol and overall process stabilization, the surface blemishes were eliminated and a uniform surface finish was achieved.
Customer feedback
“Great result. The QR code is much more clearly defined, and the surface of the parts is far more homogeneous compared to the previous supplier.”
— Tier-1 partner, OEM audit
Are you planning a production transfer? Let’s align on the technical details.