In our daily work, "mold" is really a catch-all term for tooling that gives shape to a product through a specific forming process: injection, blow molding, extrusion, die casting, forging, or stamping. The classification logic matters because it drives everything downstream — material selection, steel grade, cavity count, and tolerances. An injection mold for an ABS enclosure is a different animal from a die-casting mold for an aluminum housing, and a stamping die for a steel bracket shares almost nothing with an extrusion die. When I review a RFQ, the first thing I confirm is the process route, because that single decision sets the baseline for tooling structure and cost.
On the quoting side, cost is never just "steel plus machining hours." A realistic breakdown includes cavity and core material (P20, H13, S136, and so on), mold base size, number of cavities, runner system (cold or hot), ejection design, cooling layout, and surface finish requirements. A single-cavity prototype tool and a 16-cavity production tool can differ by an order of magnitude in price even for the same part. I also factor in slider and lifter count — every additional moving component adds machining, fitting, and maintenance risk. Quoting without a clear cavity count and steel spec is guesswork, and guesswork comes back as a change order.
The practical habit I recommend: lock the process, cavity count, steel grade, and expected shot life before discussing price. That gives both sides a common baseline and keeps the quote comparable across suppliers. Tooling is a long-term investment, and a few hours spent clarifying the spec upfront saves weeks of rework later. For more mold sourcing information and supplier comparisons, visit MoldSo at www.moldso.com.