Shenzhen Alu Rapid Prototype Precision Co., Ltd.

The short answer is yes, it is entirely possible for someone else to replicate your injection mold, but the ease and legality of doing so depend on what information they have access to.

Replicating a mold is a common practice in manufacturing, often referred to as mold duplication or reverse engineering.

How a Mold is Replicated

There are three primary ways a third party might recreate your tooling:

1. Using Original CAD Files

If a competitor or a different machine shop has your original 3D design files (Step or IGES), they can simply program a CNC machine or EDM (Electrical Discharge Machining) to cut a new mold base that is identical to your own. This is the most accurate method.

2. Reverse Engineering from a Part

Even without your files, someone can take a finished plastic part produced by your mold and use a 3D scanner.

Scanning: High-precision scanners create a "point cloud" of the object.

CAD Reconstruction: An engineer converts that scan into a 3D model.

Scaling: They must account for shrinkage rates (adjusting the mold size slightly larger than the part so the final cooled plastic is the correct size).

3. Physical Mold Measurement

If someone has physical possession of your mold, they can use a CMM (Coordinate Measuring Machine) to manually measure every cavity, gate, and cooling line to build a replica.

Risks and Considerations

While technically possible, replication isn't always "plug and play."

Tolerance Issues: Without the original engineering data, a replica might have slight variations in tolerances, leading to assembly issues if the part needs to fit with other components.

Material Differences: If the replicator uses a different grade of steel (e.g., P20 vs. H13), the mold's lifespan and cooling efficiency will differ from your original.

Proprietary Texture: Specialized finishes (like Mold-Tech textures) are difficult to match perfectly without the specific grain code used on the original.

How to Protect Your Tooling

If you are worried about unauthorized replication, consider these three layers of protection: