Functional validation of parts and assemblies
Verification of fits, assembly interfaces, assembly tolerances and functional behaviour with the final production material and process.
pilot2plant — ITM industrial prototyping service
Injection-moulded plastic prototypes before production tooling
Functional validation with industrialisable prototype moulds to make decisions before manufacturing the production mould.
- Parts injected with real plastic material
- Dimensional and functional validation
- Risk reduction before the production mould
Service definition
What is pilot2plant
pilot2plant (P2P) is ITM's prototyping service using industrialisable prototype moulds. Its goal is to obtain a minimum batch of injection-moulded plastic parts — with the final production material — to validate design, process and tolerances before committing to the production mould.
The system is based on the combination of a standardised mould base with a machined insert tailored to the part geometry. The mould base acts as a reusable structural support; the insert reproduces the cavity geometry with the dimensional precision required for functional validation.
Unlike prototyping by 3D printing or direct machining, pilot2plant reproduces the actual injection process: material shrinkage, fill behaviour, ejection and dimensional stability. The result is parts that behave like production parts, not geometric mock-ups.
The service covers everything from the technical brief to delivery of the minimum batch with a results report, including DFM, insert design, machining, assembly and injection.
System components
- Reusable mould base from our own inventory
- Machined insert tailored to the part geometry
- Feed system (runner, gate) adapted to the material
- Ejection system integrated into the insert
- Final plastic material per customer specification
- Injection process equivalent to production
Available materials
Comparison
Traditional prototype vs. pilot2plant
Not all prototypes provide the same level of validation. The pilot2plant approach goes beyond geometry and validates the actual behaviour of the injection process.
| Validation criterion | Traditional prototype | pilot2plant (P2P) |
|---|---|---|
| Geometry validation | ✓ Yes, validates shape | ✓ Yes, validates geometry + process |
| Material | ✗ Simulated / substitute material | ✓ Real plastic material (specified) |
| Process behaviour | ✗ No process behaviour | ✓ Real injection process |
| Material shrinkage | ✗ Not reproduced | ✓ Reproduced per material |
| Warpage and distortion | ✗ Not evaluable | ✓ Evaluable on injected part |
| Dimensional stability | ✗ Limited / not representative | ✓ Representative of production process |
| Transition to production mould | ✗ Partial, with uncertainties | ✓ Direct — transferable process data |
Methodology
The pilot2plant process in 5 steps
A structured workflow from the technical brief to delivery of the minimum batch with a results report.
-
Technical brief
Part definition, material, validation objective and required minimum batch volume.
-
Mould base selection
Selection of the standardised mould base compatible with the geometry, material and process conditions.
-
Insert design
DFM engineering applied to the insert: cavity design, feed system and ejection adapted to the process.
-
Machining and assembly
Manufacture of the insert to the required tolerances and integration into the standardised mould base.
-
Injection and delivery
Production of the minimum batch of parts injected with final production material, results review and delivery with technical report.
From validation to production
pilot2plant is the start of the cycle, not the end
ITM Moldes manufactures production moulds. That changes the value of every prototype.
When a part passes validation with pilot2plant, the knowledge accumulated during the process — injection parameters, material behaviour, gate and ejection decisions — is not lost or re-explained to anyone. It is transferred directly to the production mould, because it is manufactured by the same team that designed and machined the insert.
The result is a continuous industrialisation path, with no supplier change, no loss of know-how, and risk distributed across two phases of progressive investment.
1
Prototype insert
Minimal investment. Parts injected with production material. Validation of process, tolerances and assembly.
→
2
Production mould
Prototype know-how transfers to the final mould. Same company, same engineers, no unnecessary start-up iterations.
→
3
Production part
Serial manufacturing with an already known and documented process. Controlled-risk launch.
If you only need the prototype, that works too. But if the next step is the production mould, you can close the whole cycle here.
View production moulds — ITM Moldes
Value proposition
Advantages of the pilot2plant approach
pilot2plant complements 3D printing and machining. It is particularly suitable when a part must be validated with the intended material grade, a real injection-moulding process and agreed tolerances before production tooling is manufactured. Feasibility is confirmed for each geometry, reducing the risk of costly late-stage corrections.
The minimum batch obtained allows functional assembly tests, performance testing, customer approvals and CTQ criteria definition before committing the investment in the production mould.
- Final plastic material — same behaviour as the production part
- Full injection process validation: fill, shrinkage, ejection
- Industrial tolerances achievable from the prototype stage
- Technical continuity towards production tooling — process data reusable as a reference
- Reduced risk of costly modifications in advanced project stages
Comparison table of prototyping methods
| Criterion | 3D Printing | Machining | Traditional prototype | pilot2plant (P2P) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intended grade in an injection-moulding process | Limited representation | Machinable stock; different process | Method-dependent | Yes, when compatible |
| Process validation | No | No | No | Yes |
| Industrial tolerances | Limited | Yes | Limited | Yes |
| Iteration speed | Fast | Medium | Slow | Medium-fast |
| Unit cost | Low | High | Medium | Medium |
| Transition to production | Not direct | Complex | Partial | Direct |
Technical specifications
Technical capabilities of the service
Processable materials, achievable tolerance classes and surface finishes available in the pilot2plant service.
Materials
- Polyolefins: PP, PE-HD
- Styrenics: ABS, PS, PC/ABS
- Polycarbonate: PC, PMMA
- Polyamides: PA6, PA66
- Polyacetals: POM
- GF-filled: PA6 GF30, PBT GF30
- High performance: PPS GF40, PEEK GF30
Final production material per customer specification. Option to use the same material grade intended for production.
Tolerances
- Moulded part: tolerance by dimension under ISO 20457 and the agreed drawing
- Reduced targets: subject to material, geometry and measurement system
- Machined cavity: target down to ±0.02 mm where feasible; this is not the part tolerance
Achievable tolerances depend on part geometry, material and nominal dimensions. Applicability should be confirmed based on the specific design.
Surface finishes
- No requirement: Standard machined finish, non-decorative
- VDI technical texture: Per VDI 3400 scale, reproducible in cavity
- Industrial polish on the insert: target Ra < 0.4 µm, subject to material and geometry
- Mirror polish on the insert: target Ra < 0.1 µm where feasible; the part finish is validated against a limit sample
Surface finish is defined during the technical brief phase and applied to the machined insert before assembly.
Use cases
pilot2plant service applications
pilot2plant is the right solution when geometric validation is not enough and the actual behaviour of the injected part is required.
Testing with final plastic material
Mechanical, thermal or chemical compatibility testing with the exact material grade that will be used in production, not substitutes.
Geometry optimisation
Evaluation of geometry industrialisation — ribs, wall thicknesses, radii and gate locations — on real parts before defining the final mould.
Pre-production validation and industrialisation
Preparation of the technical file for the production mould: process parameters, CTQ criteria, dimensional reports and customer approvals.
Control and traceability
Quality and validation
The pilot2plant service operates within ITM's quality management system. The control plan, CTQ characteristics and inspection method are defined according to the agreed scope. If your approval process requires ISO 9001, request the current certificate and confirm that its scope applies.
When included in the quotation, parts are supplied with a dimensional report covering the agreed scope and measurement points, using the metrology resources defined for the project.
Traceability can cover the material grade and injection parameters recorded during the batch. These data provide a reference for industrialisation but must be adjusted and validated again on the production mould.
Documented control
Internal metrology
CTQ definition
Technical report
Deliverable documentation
- Dimensional report Measurement of critical points defined in the control plan. Nominal vs. actual comparison with deviations.
- Roughness report Ra measurement on defined finish zones. Verifies compliance with the specified surface finish.
- Process report Record of injection parameters: temperature, pressure, cycle time. Transferable to the production mould.
Next step
Do you need injection-moulded plastic parts before the production mould?
Tell us about your project. Our technical team will assess feasibility, materials and indicative cost for the prototype batch.