Mold design and tooling project service

Inventors, startups, product designers and small manufacturers who need a mold designed but have no in-house tooling engineer.

A design fee per project or hourly rate, plus a project management fee or markup on outsourced mold builds.

• CAD design (such as SolidWorks)
• Knowledge of mold design and plastics
• Project management
• Clear communication with clients and shops

• Professional liability or errors and omissions insurance in case a design fault leads to a costly mold remake
• Clear contracts on who owns designs, and NDAs for client IP
• Payment terms with outside shops, so you are not out of pocket if a client pays late
• Check your state and city for a business license and any home occupation rules if working from home

Startup costs are typically around $2,000 to $8,000, depending on your CAD software, computer setup and insurance. These are estimates, so check software pricing and insurance quotes before setting your budget.

Monthly revenue is typically around $1,500 to $7,000, depending on how many projects you take on and the size of each job. This is an estimate rather than a guarantee, and revenue is not the same as profit.

Look into professional liability or errors and omissions insurance, clear contracts on design ownership, and NDAs for client IP. Also check payment terms with outside shops, plus your state and city business license and home occupation rules.