Short Run Production

Short Run Production

Start Your Design Now!What do you do while you wait for your high volume tool? You make parts, of course! As part of the Duplicate Phase of the 6D product development process, Catalyst uses a proprietary short run molding process to run production parts while your high volume tool is being finished. This ramp up expedites your product launch and gets you to market faster than ever before!

During the product development stage, sales are zero and profits are negative because the anticipated future profits are being invested in product development. The longer it takes to develop the product and begin production and distribution, the lower the profits will be over the lifetime of the product.

Catalyst can significantly reduce the product development cycle and continue that expertise and momentum into production, even for a short period of time while high volume production is being ramped up. By building production parts while the final large volume tool is being made you get your poduct to market faster, which equates to earlier potential profit and market share. In addition, based on your annual volume, this type of short run production may even meet all of your production needs.


SPRINT (Short-Run Production Rapid Insert Tooling) is Catalyst's lightning-fast and versatile short-run tooling process. Catalyst will build a QC7 aluminum insert tool that runs in our proprietary Uni-Base system and yields higher quantities of plastic parts in a short lead-time. This process is perfect for up to 25,000 pieces and can produce parts up to 18"x 20" and allows for side features, undercuts, textures and high polish options.

SPRinT Specifications:

  • QC7 Bridge-style Inserts into Catalyst-specific mold base
  • Typically less expensive than production or bridge stand-alone tools
  • Single, multiple cavity or family tools
  • Part geometry with “as-designed”-proof of concept parts for validation, testing, approvals, bridge or short-run production
  • EDM/wired details available- i.e. sharp corners, deep ribs, bosses, undercuts, etc.
  • CNC machined or EDM surfaces on primary core/cavity
  • Utilizes QC7, P20, etc. for hand loads, lifters, slides, or critical tolerance areas
  • Most types of gating including single or multiple hot tips, sub, center, edge, gates
  • Base, perimeter and through mold cooling typical
  • High-polish, machine, media-blast, or etched texture available
  • Optimal part sizes 18” x 20” or less (larger available- based on geometry, etc)
  • +/-.005” tolerance
  • Average tool life up to 25,000 pieces (depending on material, shut-offs, etc.)


The Catalyst Difference:

Driven by the intense need to provide clients with Speed to Market, Catalyst is one of the few product development companies that not only offer rapid tooling and short run manufacturing to support new product development, but actually create processes to facilitate Speed to Market.  All of this is accomplished with the materials you choose without sacrificing design intent rather than forcing clients to redesign a product to meet our process specifications. 


Call  888-896-7861 or email us at solutions@catalystpdg.com to discuss your short run production project