Mechanical Designer

Job Description

The Mold Designer develops high-quality plastic injection molds using advanced 3D CAD tools, ensuring robust, efficient, and manufacturable designs for high-volume production. This role focuses on new mold design, design-for-manufacturability reviews, and continuous improvement of existing tooling, while closely collaborating with cross-functional teams throughout the mold build and validation process.

The Mold Designer develops high-quality plastic injection molds using advanced 3D CAD tools, ensuring robust, efficient, and manufacturable designs for high-volume production. This role focuses on new mold design, design-for-manufacturability reviews, and continuous improvement of existing tooling, while closely collaborating with cross-functional teams throughout the mold build and validation process.

• Design plastic injection molds using 3D CAD software, with a primary focus on new mold development.
• Develop complete 3D mold assemblies and detailed manufacturing drawings for cores, cavities, slides, lifters, cooling systems, runners, and ejection systems.
• Design and optimize mold components, including cooling circuits, gating, ejection, and tooling elements, to support robust and repeatable molding processes.
• Review customer part designs and lead Design for Manufacturability (DFM) reviews, providing clear recommendations to improve moldability and reduce risk.
• Allocate approximately 60% of time to new mold design and 40% to DFM reviews and layout support for quoting activities.
• Support a steady workload of multiple active projects, typically managing around five quotes per week.
• Collaborate closely with engineering, tooling, manufacturing, and quality teams throughout the mold build and validation process.
• Support mold trials by reviewing performance, troubleshooting issues related to tooling and design, and implementing corrective actions.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives, including design enhancements, incorporation of new technologies, and improvements to existing molds.
• Implement engineering changes and Engineering Change Orders (ECOs), ensuring modifications are accurately reflected in 3D models and drawings.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date design documentation, including CAD files, drawings, and revision histories.
• Ensure mold designs meet customer requirements, internal standards, and production objectives for quality, cost, and cycle time.
• Design and support molds of varying complexity, including two-plate and multi-cavity tools (commonly 4-, 8-, and 16-cavity configurations).
• Avoid family mold configurations when possible, aligning with internal standards and cost considerations.
• Incorporate advanced features such as cavity pressure sensors and hot runner systems when required by the application.
• Collaborate on projects in automotive, medical device, or other high-volume manufacturing environments, particularly for connector housings and similar components.

• Minimum of 3+ years of injection mold design experience.
• Proficiency with 3D CAD software, specifically Solid Works, for mold design and detailing.
• Strong understanding of plastic injection molding processes, including how design decisions affect manufacturability and part quality.
• Solid knowledge of mold construction, including cores, cavities, slides, lifters, cooling systems, gating, ejection, and tooling components.
• Ability to design and document two-plate molds and multi-cavity tools (such as 4-, 8-, and 16-cavity configurations).
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, including geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T).
• Experience reviewing customer part models and performing DFM analyses for plastic components.
• Capability to support multiple active projects simultaneously, including new mold designs and quoting-related layouts.
• Strong collaboration skills to work effectively with engineering, tooling, manufacturing, and quality teams.
• Attention to detail and commitment to maintaining accurate and complete design documentation.

• Associate degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology, Drafting, Tool Design, or a related field preferred.
• Experience with additional 3D CAD tools such as Siemens NX, Creo, AutoCAD, or similar software.
• Experience in automotive, medical device, or high-volume manufacturing environments.
• Experience designing molds for automotive connectors, housings, and components with contacts or inserts.
• Familiarity with mold flow or similar simulation software to evaluate and optimize mold designs.
• Experience designing hot runner systems and integrating them into complete mold assemblies.
• Knowledge of automation and robotic part handling, particularly in high-volume production settings.
• Experience integrating cavity pressure sensors or similar monitoring technologies into mold designs.
• Strong problem-solving skills for troubleshooting tooling issues during mold trials and production.
• Effective communication skills for…