Since our start in 1965, tool making has been at the heart of what we do. For over 60 years, RGE have been providing turnkey tool and mould making solutions, partnering with customers across numerous sectors to complete more than 400 injection mould tooling projects each year.
 
Our vast industry knowledge and years of experience means that we are able to manufacture injection mould tooling with multiple cavities, gas injection capabilities, fast cycling, bi-injection, and over-moulding moulds.

RGE make all our tools at our dedicated tooling facility in Shenzhen, China. With an established partnership of more than 25 years, we work closely with skilled tool makers to produce high quality and precise tooling. We maintain a strong working relationship between our engineers in the UK, and tool makers in China. With excellent communication, producing tooling in-house as part of our full-service offering is a reliable alternative to outsourcing tooling. The insurance of using a UK company is paired with a great established relationship with our facility in China, which exclusively makes tools for RGE customers. Established shipping routes help to reduce freight lead time, expediting the tool’s arrival in the UK for production to begin. This cost-effective solution minimises business risk, and offers the benefits of competitive pricing due to our ownership of the toolmaking facility.


Injection Moulding Tool Trial Stages: T1, T2, and T3

Injection moulding tools go through a structured series of trial stages to validate their performance and ensure they meet design, dimensional, and production requirements. These are typically categorised into T1, T2, and T3 trials:

T1 Trial – Initial Tool Testing
The first trial is used to evaluate the basic functionality of the tool and identify any major issues. The first moulding samples (first-off parts) are produced, and an initial assessment of part quality, dimensions, and tool operation takes place. Key aspects such as part fill, flash, ejection, and gate performance are checked. This leads to the identification of tool design or manufacturing defects. Data is collected to make preliminary tool adjustments. Parts are generally not dimensionally or visually acceptable at this stage.

T2 Trial – Tool Adjustments and Optimisation
The second trial allows the tool to be refined based on feedback from T1 and get closer to production-ready parts. Changes from T1 are implemented e.g. gate resizing, venting, polishing, alignment, and improved process parameters are tested. Parts are measured against dimensional tolerances and visual criteria, and significant improvements in part quality and dimensional accuracy are expected when compared to T1. Remaining issues are identified that may require fine-tuning. If the results are satisfactory, parts may be used for functional testing or limited pre-production runs.

T3 Trial – Pre-Production Validation
This final stage of trailing is used to confirm that the tool produces consistent, high-quality parts under production conditions. Final tool refinements are completed, and parts are produced using near-final or final production settings (cycle time, material, machine). Full dimensional and cosmetic inspections are conducted, alongside the verification of process repeatability and stability. It is at this stage that the tool is usually approved for full production. If successful, this trial leads to part approval and the tool is signed off and ready for series production.

These trials are crucial to ensuring that the injection moulding tool performs reliably, produces quality parts, and supports efficient manufacturing over its full lifecycle.

Tool Maintenance

Tool maintenance is carried out at our sites in Whittlesey, UK and Šiauliai, Lithuania. This ensures continuous and undisturbed production with proper maintenance of all tools at our factories. In turn, this guarantees high quality mouldings and maintains our high standards, meeting customer expectations for RGE mouldings. Maintenance is critical to ensuring consistent part quality, minimising downtime, and extending the service life of the tool. This service is performed in-house, preventing any delays or stoppages in production.


Tool maintenance generally falls into three categories: Preventive, Corrective, and Predictive Maintenance. Maintenance is usually performed at defined scheduled intervals, such as after a certain number of cycles, and involves cleaning, inspection, lubrication, and minor adjustments to prevent wear and tear from worsening. Changes can also be made when a problem is identified, which can include replacing worn components and re-polishing surfaces. Data, such as cycle count, temperature, and pressure monitoring, is used to forecast tool wear, and maintenance can therefore be planned before failures occur.