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Engineering-First Mold Design — Nebo, North Carolina

Injection Mold Design Services

Brown Tool & Mold’s engineering team designs injection molds using NX CAD and Moldex3D simulation — delivering fully validated 3D mold designs with DFM analysis, optimized gating and cooling, and paperless delivery directly to the mold maker’s bench.

Request Mold Design Basic DFM Included With Quote
Mold Design Capabilities
NX CADFull 3D mold design, paperless delivery to shop floor
Moldex3D SimulationFlow, cooling, warpage, and fill analysis
DFM AnalysisOn every program before steel is cut
Conformal Cooling3D printed inserts for maximum thermal performance
Contract Mold DesignDesign services for external toolmakers
Global Tooling DesignDomestic engineering on offshore mold programs
NX CAD
Moldex3D Simulation
DFM on Every Program
Paperless Workflow
Global Tooling Design
Engineering-First Design

Injection Mold Design Services

The designers and tooling engineers at Brown Tool & Mold know that high-quality injection mold manufacturing begins with well-engineered designs. Our mold design team understands the need to account for molding systems and techniques — including cooling design, gating, and material flow — that can vary from molder to molder, press to press, and resin to resin.

All molds are designed as full 3D models in NX CAD and delivered to the mold maker’s bench via computer in a paperless workflow. This process reduces build time, eliminates transcription errors, and by utilizing the customer’s own CAD database to develop the design, we virtually eliminate dimensional mistakes before steel is ever cut.

Proper mold design directly impacts tool life and long-term production performance. Every mold we design is engineered for production reliability — not just first-shot success. When Brown Tool & Mold also builds the mold, it is backed by our MoldGuard™ warranty program.

Injection mold design engineer at CAD workstation at Brown Tool and Mold
What We Design

Injection Mold Design Services

Brown Tool & Mold provides a complete range of injection mold design services — from full mold development on new programs through contract mold design for external toolmakers and engineering support on existing molds.

Full Mold Development

Complete injection mold design from your customer part model to finished mold design — including cavity and core layout, gating strategy, cooling circuit design, parting line and shutoff engineering, and ejection system design. Delivered as a complete 3D NX CAD mold assembly.

Contract Mold Design

Mold design services for external toolmakers and mold builders who need engineering support. Our design team works to your specifications and standards — delivering complete 3D mold designs in NX CAD format or customer-specified format. Contact us to discuss your contract design requirements.

DFM Analysis

Design for Manufacturability analysis on every program — identifying wall thickness inconsistencies, insufficient draft, undercuts, gate location issues, and tolerances that are difficult to achieve in injection molding. A basic DFM review is included with every quote. Learn about our DFM process.

Conformal Cooling Design

Cooling circuit design integrating metal 3D printed conformal cooling inserts that follow part geometry for maximum thermal performance. Conformal cooling reduces cycle time by 30–50% in many applications and significantly improves part quality by delivering uniform heat extraction across the cavity surface.

Mold Engineering Changes

Engineering support for existing molds requiring design changes — cavity modifications, gate relocation, cooling improvements, slide redesigns, and parting line changes. Our team works with your existing mold data to develop and implement changes efficiently with minimal disruption to production.

Global Tooling Design

Mold design for globally sourced tooling programs — where Brown Tool & Mold retains full engineering ownership of the design while construction is managed through our overseas manufacturing partners. Domestic engineering at offshore build cost.

Engineering Software

Mold Design Software & Tools

Brown Tool & Mold uses industry-leading CAD and simulation software — not because it is the most expensive option, but because it directly improves the accuracy, performance, and reliability of every mold we design.

CAD Platform

NX CAD

NX is the industry standard for precision injection mold design — used by the world’s leading automotive, medical, and aerospace manufacturers. At Brown Tool & Mold, NX is an integral part of our mold design and fabrication process.

NX’s advanced modeling capabilities allow us to create highly complex and precise mold designs with confidence. The seamless integration between NX and our machining workflows streamlines fabrication — improving accuracy, reducing lead times, and eliminating the transcription errors that paper-based processes introduce.

  • Full 3D mold assembly design including all mold components
  • Paperless delivery directly to the mold maker’s workstation
  • Customer CAD data imported directly — no remodeling required
  • Complex parting lines, side actions, and lifter systems
  • Seamless integration with CNC machining workflows
Flow & Cooling Simulation

Moldex3D Simulation

Moldex3D mold flow and cooling simulation is used on every Brown Tool & Mold design program where simulation adds value. It allows our engineers to simulate and analyze the flow of molten plastic through the mold — enabling us to optimize gating, cooling, and venting before any steel is cut.

Moldex3D simulation identifies potential issues including air traps, uneven fill patterns, weld line locations, and cooling hot spots — allowing necessary adjustments to be made at the design stage where changes are fast and inexpensive rather than after tooling is built.

  • Plastic flow simulation — fill, pack, and pressure analysis
  • Cooling circuit thermal analysis and hot spot identification
  • Warpage and shrinkage prediction before steel is cut
  • Gate location optimization for fill balance and weld line control
  • Conformal cooling performance simulation and comparison
How We Work

The Mold Design Process

From your first CAD file through approved mold design, our process is structured to front-load problem-solving into the stages where changes are fast and inexpensive — before steel is ever cut.

01

Part Review & DFM

We review your part model for moldability — wall thickness, draft angles, undercuts, parting line options, and tolerance requirements. DFM findings are documented and discussed before design begins.

02

Mold Concept & Layout

Cavity and core layout, parting line strategy, gating approach, and ejection system are engineered and reviewed. Cooling concept including conformal cooling evaluation is completed at this stage.

03

Flow Simulation

Moldex3D simulation validates fill pattern, cooling performance, warpage prediction, and gate placement — confirming the design performs as engineered before any detailed design work begins.

04

Full 3D Mold Design

Complete mold assembly designed in NX CAD — all components, cooling circuits, gating, ejection, and slide/lifter systems — delivered electronically to the mold maker’s bench via paperless workflow.

Basic DFM Included With Quote With Every Quote

Brown Tool & Mold performs a practical, hands-on DFM analysis on every project we quote — identifying problems that would otherwise cause tooling delays, mold rework, and production quality issues. A DFM review at the design stage costs nothing compared to discovering the same problems after steel has been cut. The same change after the mold is built can take days and cost thousands of dollars in tooling rework. Send us your part file and we will provide annotated DFM feedback before any tooling commitment is made.

Advanced Cooling Design

Conformal Cooling Integration

Cooling circuit design is one of the most impactful decisions in injection mold design — and one of the most commonly underengineered. Cooling time accounts for 60–80% of total injection molding cycle time, making thermal performance the single biggest lever for reducing production cost.

Brown Tool & Mold integrates metal 3D printed conformal cooling inserts into mold designs where thermal performance is critical — placing cooling channels that follow part geometry for uniform heat extraction and 30–50% cycle time reduction in many applications.

Conformal cooling is available on both domestic and globally sourced molds. Read our complete injection mold cooling design guide for full technical detail.

View 3D Metal Printing
Cycle Time Reduction
30–50%
Typical reduction vs. straight-drilled waterlines
Uniform Cooling
Channels follow part geometry — impossible with conventional drilling
Available Globally
Conformal cooling on domestic and offshore molds — same thermal performance
Related Services

Mold Design Supporting Services

Injection mold design at Brown Tool & Mold is fully integrated with our manufacturing, machining, and additive manufacturing capabilities.

Injection Mold Manufacturing

Most molds we design are also built at Brown Tool & Mold — giving us seamless control from design through machining, assembly, sampling, and delivery. When we build the mold it is backed by our MoldGuard™ warranty.

View Mold Manufacturing

DFM Analysis

Our engineers perform a basic DFM review on every program we quote — identifying draft, wall thickness, gate, undercut, and tolerance issues before tooling investment is made. Included with every quote.

Learn About DFM

Metal 3D Printing

Conformal cooling inserts designed and produced on the Xact Metal XM200G — integrated directly into the mold design for 30–50% cycle time reduction and improved part quality.

View 3D Metal Printing

Precision Machining

Our NX CAD designs flow directly into our CNC machining, EDM, and grinding operation via paperless workflow — eliminating the handoff errors that external machining introduces.

View Machining Services

Global Mold Sourcing

Brown Tool & Mold retains full engineering ownership of every mold design on globally sourced programs — domestic engineering expertise at offshore build cost.

View Global Sourcing

MoldGuard™ Warranty

Proper mold design directly impacts warranty performance and tool life. Every mold designed and built by Brown Tool & Mold is backed by the BTM MoldGuard™ warranty and lifecycle program.

Learn About MoldGuard™
Common Questions

Injection Mold Design FAQ

Common questions about injection mold design services at Brown Tool & Mold.

What software do you use for mold design?

Brown Tool & Mold designs injection molds using NX CAD software — the industry standard for precision mold design. Flow and cooling simulation is performed using Moldex3D. All molds are designed as full 3D assemblies and delivered electronically to the mold maker’s workstation via a paperless workflow that eliminates transcription errors and reduces build time.

Do you offer DFM analysis?

A basic DFM review is included with every quote. Brown Tool & Mold performs a practical, DFM review on every project, identifying wall thickness, draft, undercut, gating, and tolerance issues before any tooling investment is made. Our engineers review your part file in NX and provide annotated feedback and recommendations.

Can you design molds for globally sourced tooling?

Yes. When molds are sourced through our global mold sourcing program, Brown Tool & Mold retains full engineering ownership of the mold design. We design the mold completely at our offices, approve the design, and manage construction through our overseas manufacturing partners — giving you domestic engineering expertise at offshore build cost.

Do you offer contract mold design services?

Yes. Brown Tool & Mold provides contract mold design services for external toolmakers and mold builders who need engineering support. We can work to your specifications and deliver complete 3D mold designs in NX CAD format or your preferred format. Contact us to discuss your contract design requirements.

What is conformal cooling and can you design it?

Conformal cooling uses channels that follow part geometry rather than straight drilled lines — delivering uniform heat extraction and 30–50% cycle time reduction in many applications. Brown Tool & Mold designs conformal cooling circuits as part of the mold design process and produces the inserts on our Xact Metal XM200G metal 3D printer. Available on domestic and offshore molds.

What mold types can you design?

Brown Tool & Mold designs all major injection mold types — single and multi-cavity production molds, hot runner and cold runner systems, unscrewing molds, stack molds, gas-assist molds, multi-shot molds, insert overmolding, LSR molds, rubber molds, thermoset molds, cap and closure molds, blow molds, and extrusion dies. Molds from 750-ton press size and under. View our full injection mold services page.

Get Started

Ready to Start Your Mold Design?

Send us your part file and our engineering team will review your design, provide DFM feedback, and develop a complete mold design proposal — including gating, cooling, and software recommendations.

Nebo, North Carolina
(937) 620-4261
NX CAD
Moldex3D Simulation
Request Mold Design Basic DFM Included With Quote

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Brown Tool and Mold — The Mold Maker — Nebo NC

“Brown Tool & Mold is a custom injection mold manufacturer and mold maker in Nebo, North Carolina.”

Brown Tool & Mold LLC. BBB accredited business profile

Brown Tool & Mold
BBB accredited business profile

BBB RATING: A-

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  • Saturday:
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