Have my moulds been used without permission?
You cannot establish years of exclusive mould use from a factory declaration or a current inspection alone. Reconcile authorised runs with recorded shots, output, rejects and stock, then investigate gaps and unexplained wear independently. Arrange checks in China through Cambridge China Bridge.
Define what use you authorised
Build a dated register of each mould, its identifying marks, cavities, interchangeable inserts, storage location and approved movements. Gather the usage restrictions agreed during each period. Ownership alone does not explain whether trials, spare parts, overruns or production for another customer were permitted. See protecting your IP and tooling for the broader ownership discussion.
For future runs, agree that use requires your written release against a named order. Specify how trials, rejects, excess output and retained stock are authorised and recorded. Include restrictions on copying inserts, moving tooling and subcontracting. Agree access to original records, independent checks and record preservation throughout storage and production. Later restrictions cannot establish what happened before they were agreed.
Reconcile shots with production and stock
Request dated opening and closing counter readings for each run, machine logs identifying the mould, job cards, cavity configurations, accepted output, rejects, samples and stock movements. Reconcile counter changes with documented production cycles, allowing for trials and dry cycles according to what the counter actually measures. Translate production shots into expected parts using the active cavities for that run, rather than comparing shots directly with shipped units.
Explain the disposition of produced parts through shipments, retained stock, samples and documented scrap. Cross-check against your orders and warehouse receipts, not just the factory's summary. Investigate runs without your release, unexplained output and activity between orders. Use access to original sourcing records to agree how the underlying files will be supplied.
Check the counter's history and the mould's wear
Identify the counter model, what triggers it and whether readings can be reset or adjusted. Ask for installation, replacement and reset records, with dated photographs linking readings to the identified mould. A machine counter needs evidence tying its readings to your tool. A mould-mounted counter still needs checks for removal, bypassing or replacement. A counter installed recently cannot reconstruct earlier use.
Compare current condition with dated inspection photographs, measurements and maintenance records. Ask a tooling specialist to examine cavities, gates, parting surfaces, ejectors and replaced inserts. Unexpected wear is a reason to investigate, not proof of unauthorised production: material, processing conditions, corrosion and maintenance can also affect condition. Making bulk production match the sample covers the separate question of product consistency.
Commission a check that tests the history
Give an independent inspector or tooling specialist the mould register, authorised-order history and a list of unexplained intervals before the visit. Ask them to inspect tool identity and counter operation, view original machine and production records, and trace selected runs through output, scrap and dispatch. Request access to storage and any approved subcontractor holding the tool.
Ask the report to separate observed facts, factory explanations, corroborated records and unavailable evidence. It should identify the periods examined and unresolved discrepancies. Agree visits at short notice where practical, but recognise that a visit observes present conditions and accessible records. A general factory audit or inspection report does not by itself establish exclusive use over several years.
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Record a bounded conclusion and close the gaps
Keep a findings register linking each discrepancy to its source, explanation and supporting documents. Preserve original exports and dated photographs before requesting corrections. Describe the result as records consistent with authorised use for the reviewed periods, unexplained activity, or insufficient evidence. Do not turn missing records into either an accusation or a clean bill of health.
Where historical evidence is incomplete, establish a witnessed baseline now: tool identity, condition, counter reading and stock position. Keep copies of run records outside the factory and reconcile them after each authorised run, including intervening storage periods. If discrepancies remain, agree a pause in further use while investigating and consider controlled storage or tool transfer under your agreed arrangements.
Frequently asked questions
Can a factory declaration prove my mould was never misused?
It records the factory's position. Ask for supporting run records, counter history and stock reconciliation. Without a continuous, corroborated history, earlier unauthorised use may remain unverified.
Should mould shot counts equal the quantity shipped?
No. Shots measure cycles, while shipments count parts. Active cavities, trials, rejects, samples and retained stock affect the comparison. Check what the counter measures before reconciling output.
Does unexpected mould wear prove unauthorised use?
No. Wear can also reflect materials, processing, corrosion or maintenance. Compare dated condition records and ask a tooling specialist whether the wear is consistent with the documented history.
What if the factory has no old production records?
Record the historical period as unverified. Seek corroborating orders, receipts, maintenance files and counter photographs, then establish a witnessed baseline and controls for future use.