What should I bring to a Case Factory Tour?

One three-column sheet, six tools and a camera that reads a nameplate; print the sheet in advance.

How many presses should I look at?

Three: the largest, the workhorse and one mid-changeover, which shows real skill.

Can I take photographs?

Most plants allow equipment and samples, not cavity detail or customer markings. Agree the scope at the gate.

How many plants fit into one day?

Two. A third becomes a walk-through and the verdict has no base.

How do I compare two plants afterwards?

Lay both sheets out in the same order, count failures first, then compare how fast pending items close. Presses can be bought; habits cannot.

Case Factory Tour Checklist: Equipment, Process, Samples

Quick answer: A Case Factory Tour needs one three-column sheet: equipment (tonnage, molds, instruments), process (five checkpoints with measured values) and samples (photos, retained parts, reference pieces). Ten items per column, a twenty-minute review before leaving, and three hours produce evidence instead of impressions.

The Three Columns to Bring
Equipment: Tonnage, Molds, Instruments
Process: Five Checkpoints
Samples: Photos, Retained Parts, References
Fitting Three Columns on One Page
FAQ

1. The Three Columns to Bring

Most Case Factory Tour notes record tidiness. A clean floor shows discipline, not whether a press holds a 3 mm wall. Carry one sheet and turn what you see into what you can check later.

Three columns carry the work: equipment for capability, process for consistency, samples for the result. Ten items each, and a half-empty column means the Case Factory Tour skipped a stage. Six tools are enough: tape, caliper, feeler gauges, infrared thermometer, flashlight and clipboard.

2. Equipment: Tonnage, Molds, Instruments

Tonnage first. Clamping force runs 350 to 500 kg per square centimetre of projected area, so a 600 by 400 mm body needs 850 to 1200 t; shops span 550 to 2800 t and case work sits near 1200 t. Ask how many presses sit in that band, not how big the largest is.

Molds next. A forty-set library usually holds a dozen case molds in P20 or 718H, and three minutes at the platens show score marks, weeping water fittings and resin behind the ejector plate. Machining decides repair speed, because a table under 1200 by 600 mm sends work outside for three to five days.

Equipment	Where to look	Typical spec	Recording
Press	Clamp force, schedulable count	550 to 2800 t, 1200 t workhorse	Nameplate and screen
Mold	Sets, steel, water lines	Dozen case molds, P20 or 718H	Mold frame number
Metrology	CMM travel, leak bench	800 mm travel upwards	Calibration label

3. Process: Five Checkpoints

Drying first: masterbatch and regrind need 80 degrees Celsius for two hours, and the dryer display must match the hopper gauge. Moulding second: a 1200 t press runs a 180 to 240 s cycle, and at 150 s the wall and internal stress deserve doubt.

Trimming third: flash you can scrape with a fingernail means the parting line seats, while flash that needs a knife means wear. Assembly fourth: torque one latch on an M6 bolt at 3 N·m. Leak and packing last: watch a 60 s hold, then check foam fit. The room reads 26 degrees Celsius, 50 percent humidity, 84 dB.

Checkpoint	What to watch	Reference	Warning sign
Drying	Dryer setting, hopper gauge	80 C for two hours	Caked resin
Moulding	Cycle, hold pressure	180 to 240 s	Cycle at 150 s
Trimming	Flash thickness, method	Fingernail scrape	Knife required
Assembly	Latch torque	3 N·m on M6	Wrench without a scale
Leak and pack	Pressure drop, foam fit	60 s hold	Visual check only

4. Samples: Photos, Retained Parts, References

Photo records first: six faces, two corners, latch and hinge, ten frames, plus eight wall points, overall size and diagonal difference written beside them.

Retention second: three bodies per lot for 24 months, racked by lot number. A retained body is the only object that can be re-weighed and re-tested later, so walk to the rack during the Case Factory Tour and ask for a lot shipped last month. References third: a colour chip, a texture block and a gasket section, one physical benchmark each. Take one body and one chip with you.

Sample	Content	Storage	Use
Photo record	Ten frames, dimensions	Filed with the order	Rebuild lot state
Retained body	Three per lot	24 months, racked by lot	Re-test in a dispute
References	Chip, texture block, section	Dark, room temperature	Judge colour and hardness

5. Fitting Three Columns on One Page

On a Case Factory Tour, one A4 sheet is enough: item left, measurement middle, verdict right, and only three verdicts: conforms, pending or fails. Pin a date to every pending item and a photo number to every failure.

Three hours on a Case Factory Tour split as 30 minutes at the finished-goods rack, 70 on the line, 60 at the presses and 20 for review. Walk backwards, goods first and presses last, so questions arrive with evidence. On a Case Factory Tour, thick flash in the sample column sends you back to cycle, hold pressure and clamp force.

Conclusion

The three columns turn impressions into comparable records: ten equipment items for capability, five checkpoints for consistency, three sample types for the result, plus physical pieces in your bag. The sharper the sheet, the closer a Case Factory Tour comes to an audit you can repeat.

This article discusses only the container (case body) side of specifications and design intent, and does not cover any handling, loading or use of the contents.