As a full service injection molder, we have both the plastic injection side of the business AND the mold design/tool shop to consider when making plans for advancement. While disdain for change is a very common personality trait, toolmakers can nearly claim it as a mantra.
Advances in CAD, equipment capabilities and the need to increase productivity are all issues within the tool shop to help maintain competitiveness. With mold design and build activities being difficult to forecast, making plans for training is difficult as well. Regardless, all these activities need to be managed and implemented if a mold shop is going to remain competitive and agile.
New technologies allow toolmakers to do more with the same or even less than they had previously. It is easy to back fill with additional work, but you need to be keeping an eye on the bigger picture. It is important to focus on job training skills, new software and hardware options and even new technologies.
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