Prototype to production · stage three
Moving into production tooling — ours, or one you already own.
Whether you're commissioning a steel production tool from us or moving an existing tool from another supplier, the transfer is planned: assessment, trial run, first-off approval, then release.
The detail
Production tool transfer, at group level.
Production tooling is where the programme settles. For new tools, it's built with everything learned from prototype and bridge stages. For transferred tools, it starts with an honest assessment of what's arrived.
Either way, nothing goes into production until you've approved first-off parts from the tool in our hands.
Back to From first prototype to production volume, in planned…
What's involved
Six parts of the work.
New production tools
Compression or LSR steel tools built with earlier learning folded in.
Tool transfer assessment
Condition, completeness and fit to our presses checked on arrival.
Trial run
Parts made and measured before anything is promised.
Refurbishment if needed
Worn or damaged tools repaired, with your agreement.
Paperwork rebuilt
Material spec and process records created where they're missing.
First-off approval
You sign off before the tool is released for production.
How it runs
Four steps, in order.
- 01
Assess
Tool and part history reviewed.
- 02
Trial
Test run and inspection.
- 03
Approve
First-off parts signed off by you.
- 04
Produce
Released into production to your forecast.
Is it right for you?
An honest fit check.
A good fit when
- Your volume now justifies steel tooling
- Your current supplier is closing or can't keep up
- You're onshoring tooling from overseas
- You want production and prototyping under one roof
Probably not the answer when
- Tools for processes we don't run, such as thermoplastic injection
- Tools we assess as unsafe or beyond economical repair — we'll say so
- Volumes still too low to justify production tooling
At a glance
The idea in a picture.
Which route suits your quantity
Swipe to see the whole diagram
FAQs
Common questions.
Can you run tools made elsewhere?
Often. We assess each one before committing.
What if paperwork is missing?
We rebuild the material spec and process record from trials.
Who owns transferred tools?
You still do. We store and maintain them on your behalf.
Related
The rest of this service.
First parts you can hold, test and show, quickly.
A hand-cast silicone mould from a 3D print or an existing object, and a small batch of parts in silicone or PU. It's…
Tooling for the gap between ten parts and ten thousand.
Your prototype worked and orders are coming, but full production tooling isn't justified yet. A bridge tool — improved…
From first prototype to production volume, in planned stages.
Hand-cast prototypes, bridge tooling, then production steel — with a clear trigger for each step. You spend on tooling…
The group
Delivered across the group
This work is coordinated by TCI Group and carried out by whichever of the four divisions suits your part.
Get in touch
Not sure which division? Tell us what you're making.
Send us a sketch, a photograph, or a paragraph. We'll come back with the right division, the right route, and an honest sense of what it will take.
Real people, a real workshop
You deal with the people who make it.
No call centre and no middlemen. When you contact TCI Group, you speak to the team who design, build and check your mould.
- A real Warwickshire workshopUnit 15, Waterloo Park, Bidford-on-Avon, Alcester B50 4JG.
- Real people on the phoneCall the team on 01789 224228, Monday to Friday.
- The same team on every jobDesign, production and aftercare come from the people you see here.
- Five brands, one teamMoulds, culinary, construction and contract products, all run from Bidford-on-Avon. See the divisions.
Thomas LaneManaging Director
George PrestonDesign & Project Manager
Kelly BallingerHead of Partnerships
Jim AndertonProduction Manager
TheodoreEmployee Welfare