Automated multi-customer molding

A method of manufacturing molds for a plurality of separate customers, the method comprising:

• receiving customer part data from each of a plurality of separate customers, each customer part data comprising a CAD file for at least one part to be molded, each CAD file defining a part surface profile, each customer part data further comprising a selection of material and a selection of a delivery time;
• automatically determining which parts from the plurality of separate customers qualify for multi-customer family molding, the automatic determining requiring the multi-customer family molded parts to be molded of the same material, and requiring that the delivery times for the multi-customer family molded parts overlap;
• laying out the multi-customer family molded parts in a fewer number of mold blocks than the number of multi-customer family molded parts in accordance with an automated lay-out algorithm;
• machining cavities for the multi-customer family molded parts based upon the CAD files and based upon the lay out into one or more multi-customer mold blocks;
• and
• running the multi-customer mold block(s) in an injection mold press to manufacture parts;
• and
• separately delivering each customer's parts to that customer.

A computer readable medium storing a program for custom quotation for manufacture of injection molded parts from two or more customers, the computer program comprising:

• an input dedicated for receiving customers' CAD files, each CAD file defining a shape of a part to be molded;
• computer code providing a suggested material from a plurality of possible materials and a suggested delivery date from a plurality of possible deliver dates;
• computer code for analyzing the customer's CAD files to determine at least one cost-affecting parameter of injection mold manufacture;
• and
• an output providing a dollar value quotation for injection molded part manufacture which includes costs associated with machining a cavity into the injection mold, the cavity corresponding in shape to the part to be injection molded, the output based in part on the cost-affecting parameter of injection mold manufacture as determined by the computer code analysis of the customer's CAD file, the output also based in part upon whether the customer accepts the suggested material and suggested delivery date to thereby mold the part with at least one other customer's part of the same material and same delivery date.