When a mold base issue causes delays in mass production, the first priority is to immediately assess whether the mold base can be repaired or if a backup plan is available, in order to prioritize production and delivery. Responsibility should be defined by combining the technical cause with contractual agreements:
- Clarify the Technical Cause and Responsible Party: Relevant parties such as suppliers and mold manufacturers should be convened for on-site diagnosis. Evidence should be fixed through photos, videos, etc., and a written technical report should be issued to identify the root cause. Responsibility typically falls into the following categories:
- Mold Base Supplier: If the problem stems from defective raw materials or substandard quality in rough machining processes.
- Mold Manufacturer / Design Party: If the problem is caused by errors in the mold base design structure, or by damage incurred during subsequent manufacturing processes such as finishing or assembly.
- Initiate Handling and Claim Process:
- Action Plan: Based on the diagnosis, immediately negotiate and determine a plan for repairing, modifying, or remanufacturing the mold base, and clarify the party responsible for the associated costs (e.g., repair, remanufacturing, downtime costs).
- Evidence Preservation: Systematically organize contracts, technical agreements, correspondence, inspection reports, and communication records to form a complete chain of evidence.
- Finalize the Plan: Based on the responsibility assigned in the technical report, negotiate with the responsible party to determine the specific repair/remake plan, compensation for delays, and loss-sharing arrangement. This agreement should be confirmed in writing.
