Design & Engineering

Your success isn’t guesswork here, it’s engineered from the start.

From product design advice, molding simulation, all the way through tooling tryout and service, we have you covered

When working with Carlson, our engineering talent acts as an extension of your team, every step of the way. We carefully analyze customer product designs and advise changes necessary to successfully mold the product before the mold is built. We use the latest engineering software and manufacturing technology with 3-D solid model designs to ensure the greatest level of accuracy and efficiency.

Systems Point of View

We take our customers’ product manufacturing operations into account during the design process, considering the injection molding process, all downstream operations, and the desired outcome. We don’t just build a mold and say good luck. Spending time up front to identify anything that could affect the end part quality adds value. Our services include complex solid modeling, CAE analyses such as FEA and plastic part mold flow simulations—all supported by years of application experience.

High-tech engineering team analyzing a detailed CAD design on a large screen in a modern conference.

Tooling Design

Our in-house design team can identify problems and provide solutions before tooling is even manufactured. Draw from their diverse breadth of experience and knowledge depth relevant to your tooling technology.

High-precision injection mold components for design and engineering applications.

Reverse Engineering

Our high-speed coordinate measuring machines (CMM) are capable of measuring a variety of components and assemblies, both large and small. Measurement strategies include both tactile and non-contact scanning in the form of touch trigger probing and laser scanning. Scan data is used to create 3D CAD models for use in design and development activities.

3D product scans
3D tooling scans
Process simulation adjustments
Full 3D modeling
Formula driven adjustments
Data manipulation expertise

Mold Process Simulation

We use molding process simulation during the mold design phase to identify potential problems and solutions for our customers. This service assists with important design decisions by quantifying the interplay between gating, sheer heating, flow patterns, gas traps, unusual shrinkage, weld lines, cooling profile, pressure profiles, cycle time, and other useful parameters.

Engineering Analysis

A plastic injection mold is the combination of a heat transfer device, a locking mechanism, and a pressure vessel. These interrelated functions are necessary to produce the exact shape of the desired plastic product. The three functions must also be well understood if the mold is to perform well for many cycles over many years. Our engineering analysis tools are used to identify stress, strain, metal fatigue life, heat transfer rates, cooling efficiency, and wear items. We resolve these potential problems for you.

Carlson was instrumental in every step, from design to development to SLA models where we needed about 10 samples for our sales reps and for display at a show. They did all the preliminary CAD work, they helped us with design from the very start.”
—Frank Rice, GM, Ames True Temper

High-precision injection mold design for manufacturing at Carlson Tool & Manufacturing.

High-precision CNC mold design and engineering for manufacturing excellence.

High-precision CNC machining and engineering for manufacturing components.

High-precision CNC machined engine block for automotive applications, designed for durability.

Precision-engineered pink metal mold with green and gold components for manufacturing.

High-precision CNC machined components for industrial design and engineering projects.