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Automotive Supplier Sales
Production Tooling
High-stakes purchases and complex multi-party buying decisions across consumer and commercial segments.
Magna International
Martinrea
Gestamp
Tower International
Inside this journey
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Pre-Discovery
Align decision-makers, timelines, and success criteria before deep discovery.
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Stakeholder Alignment
Confirm decision roles, acceptance criteria, and critical dates across tooling engineering, purchasing, and program launch teams.
Alignment Questions
Start with the program basics — help us picture it
- Program name, part number, and OEM/Tier level (short answer)
- What kind of part and primary process are we talking about?
- What material(s) will the tool run (be specific: grade/coil or resin family)?
- If you selected 'Other' or want to be specific on grades/resins, list exact material grades, coatings, or resin numbers.
- Target annual volume and expected production cadence (parts per year and shifts per day)
- Which internal function will drive day-to-day technical decisions for the tool (name/role)?
If the tool underperforms, who pays the real price?
- If the first-try parts fail key dimensions or surface requirements, what are the immediate program consequences? (pick all that apply)
- Tell us about a past tool tryout that went poorly—what happened, and how long did recovery take?
- Which metric would hurt your program reputation most if missed? (choose one)
- How would missing that metric make you feel as the program owner—frustrated, defensive, anxious, or something else? Give a short example.
- How much schedule slack exists between our tool delivery target and your critical launch milestone?
Where do your quality limits actually live?
- We often see tight GD&T on a few critical surfaces—which dimensions on this part are non-negotiable for launch?
- What are the explicit GD&T callouts, tolerances, and sampling plans the tool must deliver at tryout and PPAP?
- How do you currently inspect those features at the plant (CMM, fixture gauge, optical, inline vision)?
- If a feature is out of tolerance at tryout, what is your acceptance path—adjust tool, rework, change design, or accept deviation?
- Which surface finishes or cosmetic specs matter (paintability, raw visible surfaces, texture) and how are they measured?
What’s hiding in your supply chain that quietly drives tool risk?
- How dependent is this program on single-source sub-suppliers (steel, EDM electrodes, inserts, heat treat)?
- Describe any foreseen material or component shortages, long lead items, or export restrictions that could delay the tool.
- What lead time for core steel or key components would be a showstopper for your schedule?
- What internal procurement constraints affect how and when we can release a PO (budget gates, approvals, vendor audits)?
- How often do you face late ECOs after tooling release, and what typically causes them?
- If an ECO arrives during machining or assembly, what’s your preferred way to manage risk and cost?
Are we aiming for a miracle or a predictable outcome?
- What does 'first-try success' mean to you in measurable terms (dimensional %, visual accept rate, cycle time target)?
- How many tryout iterations are acceptable before you consider the process failed?
- What lifetime or hits do you require from the tool before first major refurbishment?
- If you selected 'Specify', list exact hits, warranty terms, or expected refurbishment cadence.
- Which outcome would earn you confidence in a tooling partner—on-time delivery, documented tryout results, on-site support, or something else?
Who really holds the keys to ‘go’ and what keeps them up at night?
- Who are the formal decision-makers and approvers for price, schedule, and design (list names/roles)?
- Which stakeholder tends to be the 'final say' when trade-offs are required—quality, cost, or schedule?
- How do you prefer to resolve disputes or unexpected risks during the program (weekly governance, escalation matrix, OEM arbitration)?
- What commercial terms or PO triggers are non-negotiable for you (deposit, milestone payments, PPAP sign-off)?
- On a scale from 1–10, how confident are you in your current internal readiness to receive and validate the tool at tryout?
What would make partnering with us feel like a relief?
- Think back to a tooling partner who made your life easier—what specific behaviors or deliverables stood out?
- Which of the following support options would be most valuable during tryout and ramp?
- How do you prefer documentation delivered—concise checklists, full engineering notebooks, or packaged turnkey reports?
- What are your top three non-price criteria when choosing a tooling partner (rank or list)?
- If we could guarantee one thing about this program above all else, which guarantee would move you most toward partnership?
Deciding to move forward — practical next steps
- What critical milestones and dates should we align to right now (design freeze, steel order, tryout window, PPAP submission)?
- What is your preferred timeline to review our initial tooling concept and budget—1 week, 2 weeks, or a month?
- Which documents or artefacts should we request from you to begin a detailed quote (CAD, GD&T, material spec, cycle time targets)?
- Who should receive our initial concept and cost estimate (list names/emails or roles)?
- Finally, what would make you say 'let's go' after our proposal—what single condition seals the decision?
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Program Constraints & Schedule
Capture APQP milestones, launch windows, press availability, and schedule risks that will drive tool delivery requirements.
Schedule & Constraints
Quick Snapshot: Your Launch Window in One Line
- Program name, vehicle/part family, and your current target SOP (date)
- How firm is that SOP date for your team?
- Which APQP gate or milestone immediately follows SOP for your program (e.g., PPAP submission, pilot run, production release)?
- Who on your side will be the day-to-day owner for tooling schedule decisions (name & role)?
- If you had to give this program a priority level internally, what would it be?
What If Your Timeline Had to Shrink Tomorrow?
- If leadership demanded delivery 30–60 days earlier, what would break first?
- Have you faced a last-minute timeline compression on a prior program? Tell us what happened and the ripple effects.
- Which single dependency do you worry most about when a timeline tightens (e.g., vendor lead time, internal approvals, press booking)?
- How much schedule slip (in days) is acceptable before program leadership escalates?
- When timelines compress, what are you willing to trade to hit dates (cost, quality, overtime, expedited freight)? Please rank the top two.
Where Tool Delivery Really Breaks Down
- What hidden or recurring bottleneck has surprised you most on past tool builds?
- Which of the following long-lead items are on your critical path for this program?
- Can you share typical supplier lead-times you see today for steel, long-lead components, and EDM capacity (days)?
- How often do engineering changes (ECOs) occur after design freeze on your programs, and what usually triggers them?
- When a supplier misses a milestone, what corrective actions have historically worked best for your team?
- Describe a recent example where a tooling-related schedule risk materialized and how you recovered (or failed to).
Who Owns the Clock? (And Who Can Stop It)
- If approvals slip, who has the authority to sign a schedule exception and what do they need to see?
- List the internal stakeholders who must approve tooling milestones (roles only).
- Which review or gate typically causes the longest delay in your process (e.g., design review, DFM sign-off, tryout acceptance)?
- How do you prefer schedule transparency and reporting (frequency and channels)?
- What’s your escalation path when a missed milestone risks SOP (who gets alerted at 24/48/72 hours)?
What’s Absolutely Non‑Negotiable?
- Which dates on the program calendar are immovable regardless of tooling status (e.g., plant launch, customer audit, supplier handoff)?
- Are there mandated press-availability windows at your or your customer's facilities we must hit? Please provide dates or lead-time constraints.
- Do you have contractual penalties, incentives, or acceptance milestones tied to the tooling delivery date?
- What acceptance milestone is the single must-hit event for launch (e.g., tryout & sample submission date, PPAP approval date)?
- If you had to designate three absolute stop/go signals (dates or events) for this program, what would they be?
Rehearse the Worst-Case: How Do You Recover?
- If the tool misses the tryout window by 2–3 weeks, what is your preferred recovery playbook?
- Do you have pre-approved backup vendors or internal capacity you can call on when primary suppliers are overloaded?
- How comfortable are you with after-hours or weekend work from suppliers to meet a critical date?
- What level of contingency budget or expedited-cost tolerance do you have for schedule recoveries (percentage of tool cost)?
- Have you previously used rapid shipping for tool steel or components to avoid schedule slips? Describe when and how it worked.
What Would a Confident Schedule Actually Look Like?
- Imagine the program proceeds without surprises — what cadence of milestone confirmations would make you feel confident?
- What minimum buffer (in days) do you require between tool tryout completion and PPAP submission to feel safe?
- Which reporting metrics matter most for you on schedule health (select top three)?
- How would you like us to surface risks early — by exceptions only, weekly risk register, or integrated live dashboard?
- What would our team need to prove in the first 14 days to earn your confidence on schedule delivery?
Agreeing Next Steps and Signals — What We Need From You
- Which documents or inputs can you provide immediately to unblock steel procurement and early planning (CAD, material spec, DFMEA, target GD&T)?
- Who will be our single point of contact for schedule changes, and what is their preferred contact method?
- Which date should we use as the official baseline for our delivery plan (design freeze, PO issue, agreed SOP)?
- Do you want a formal 30/60/90 day lookahead shared with owners and risks? If yes, who should receive it?
- Are there any immediate blockers we should know about before we start detailed scheduling (budget hold, tooling spec open items, customer audits)?
- Pick your preferred next step from us: draft baseline schedule, request missing docs, schedule kickoff workshop, or provide a risk mitigation proposal.
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Customer Discovery
Clarify part requirements, GD&T targets, durability expectations, and supply-chain constraints that shape the tooling solution.
Discovery Questions
Getting Comfortable: What Brought You Here?
- Tell us briefly: what project brought you to consider new tooling now?
- Which program stage best describes this effort?
- Who is the primary driver for tooling decisions on this program?
- How would you describe the schedule pressure right now?
- What is the single biggest worry you want this tooling program to resolve?
Are We Fighting the Schedule or the Unknown?
- Which single missed tooling date would jeopardize the program launch?
- List the APQP milestones, launch windows, or press-availability dates that are non-negotiable for you.
- How much schedule float remains between today and the first tryout/PPAP milestone?
- When schedule slips have happened on past programs, what root causes recurred most often?
- If we needed to accelerate delivery, which trade-offs would your team accept?
- Who will own and execute a recovery plan if a tooling milestone is at risk?
When First Parts Fail, Who Feels the Heat?
- If the tool doesn't hit first-try quality, what breaks next for the program?
- Which part characteristics have caused the most trouble at tryout on similar programs?
- What GD&T callouts are truly critical for this part and what are the numeric tolerances or target fits?
- Historically, how many tryout iterations do you expect for comparable tooling?
- What is the typical schedule and cost impact for each additional tryout iteration on your program?
- Who signs off on tryout acceptance and what objective evidence do they require (measurement reports, PPAP elements, visual checks)?
The Invisible Constraints: Materials, Suppliers, and Logistics
- Which hidden supplier or material dependency could unexpectedly blow the schedule?
- What are the exact material specifications (steel grade, heat treatment, coatings) that will drive tool selection?
- Which suppliers or external services typically create the longest lead-time risk on your projects?
- Do you have mandatory approved vendor lists (AVLs) or single-source constraints we must follow?
- If a critical supplier fails, what fallback options are realistic for you?
- Please list any long-lead or hard-to-source components (e.g., specialty inserts, sensors, press adapters) and their typical lead times.
What Does 'Built to Last' Mean for You?
- If this tool fails to meet your durability expectation, who bears the cost and operational impact—and how does that manifest?
- What lifecycle target do you have for the tool (hits/shots or years)?
- Which failure modes over production worry you most (wear, cracking, alignment drift, cooling loss, other)?
- What warranty, refurbishment, or spare-parts expectations should be included in our proposal?
- How would you prefer spare parts and refurbishment to be managed operationally?
- Identify the production conditions that could shorten tool life (press tonnage, cycle rate, lubrication, material variability).
If We Could Redesign the Part for Production…
- If a proven DFM change could cut tryouts in half but change a non-critical feature, how willing would your team be to accept it?
- Who must sign off on design changes and what does your ECN approval process look like?
- Which DFM levers have produced the biggest wins for you previously?
- Would simulation outputs (forming, flow, cooling) be required as gating artifacts before machining?
- If a DFM suggestion improved durability but slightly impacted appearance, what decision criteria would you use to accept or reject it?
- Please summarize any past DFM feedback, simulation results, or lessons learned for this part that we should review.
Decision Day: How Will You Say Yes?
- What single acceptance criterion would be a deal-breaker if not met?
- What PPAP level and documentation will you require for a successful submission?
- Which commercial triggers will move the purchase order (price, finalized drawings, lead-time certainty, acceptance milestones)?
- Who are the required signatories for contract and PO approval, and who has day-to-day decision authority?
- What governance and escalation paths should be in place if tryout results or delivery timelines derail?
- Do you use commercial incentives or penalties (bonuses for on-time, LDs for late)? If so, how do they factor into supplier selection?
Who's In the Room When It Matters?
- List the stakeholders we should engage and their roles for tooling, part sign-off, and commercial approvals.
- What communication cadence and artifacts keep your team comfortable during tool design and tryout?
- Which program-tracking artifacts would you share or want us to produce (Gantt, risk register, measurement reports, action logs)?
- How do you prefer issues to be escalated (email with summary, structured meeting with agenda, immediate call + action log, on-site intervention)?
- Who should be copied on tryout measurement reports and corrective action logs?
- What's one tangible thing we could do right now that would make you more confident in our ability to deliver this program?
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Solution Experience
Walk through how the proposed tooling approach meets on-time delivery, first-try quality, and long-run durability in the customer's context.
Experience Meetings
- Solution Experience Kickoff — Confirm Current State & Consequence
- Solution Walkthrough — Proof of On-Time Delivery
- Solution Walkthrough — Proof of First-Try Quality
- Durability & Lifecycle Workshop — Proof of Long-Run Durability
- Integrated Validation & Mutual Commit — Consolidate Proofs and Next Steps
- Supplier to deliver BOM of wear parts, recommended spare quantities, and refurbishment SOP with lead times.
- Obtain customer validation that the proposed delivery plan satisfies the previously defined future-state timeline requirement.
- Supplier to deliver a granular Gantt with critical-path highlighted and alternative fast-track scenarios within 48 hours.
- Customer to confirm final tryout press availability window and any site constraints that affect schedule.
- Both parties to sign a schedule governance doc outlining contingency triggers and approval authorities.
- Recap of Root Causes and Quality Consequences
- Align on DFM changes and demonstrate how each addresses specific historical failure modes.
- Agree the tryout measurement plan, sample counts, and pass criteria that define first-try quality.
- Obtain verbal validation from customer that the proof steps sufficiently mitigate the risk to achieve first-try success.
- Supplier to provide full DFM report, simulation files, and annotated CAD revisions for customer review.
- Customer to confirm critical features, GD&T acceptance thresholds, and any additional measurement equipment required on tryout day.
- Plan and lock tryout window and assign who will attend for rapid decisions during tryout (customer & supplier owners).
- Recap Expected Production Profile
- Agree explicit lifetime targets (hits/years) and what constitutes warranty-covered failure.
- Confirm spare parts list, lead-times, and refurbishment SLA to limit production downtime.
- Obtain customer alignment on monitoring KPIs and inspection cadence that will be used to detect wear early.
- Introductions & Meeting Objectives
- Customer to confirm expected production profile (hits/day, environment) and any site maintenance constraints.
- Both parties to finalize warranty language tying lifetime targets to covered corrective actions.
- Three-Sentence Recap (Current, Consequence, Future State)
- Obtain stakeholder sign-off that the solution experience proves the future-state across delivery, quality, and durability.
- Agree any remaining open items with owners and deadlines to remove residual risk before PO triggers.
- Confirm PO trigger conditions, governance contacts, and initial execution cadence.
- Customer to confirm internal approval path and issue the PO trigger checklist or list required contract changes.
- Supplier to finalize and circulate the consolidated execution package: Gantt, DFM report, simulation evidence, spares BOM, warranty terms.
- Both parties to schedule the first execution-status review (within one week of PO trigger) and name escalation contacts.
- Obtain one clear current-state sentence agreed by all stakeholders.
- Quantify the consequence of the current-state in time/cost/risk terms.
- Agree a concise, operational future-state that the solution must prove.
- Identify and assign any outstanding data needed to build proof (CAD, schedule, historical tryout data).
- Customer to upload APQP milestones, last three tryout reports, and CAD/GD&T for the affected part(s).
- Supplier to prepare a baseline consequence calculation (cost/time risk) and initial risk register.
- Both parties to confirm attendee list and required SMEs for upcoming proof meetings (tooling engineer, program launch, purchasing).
- Re-cap: Current State, Consequence, Future-State Targets
- Confirm a date-aligned, owner-assigned schedule that maps to APQP milestones and launch windows.
- Agree contingency triggers, cost/authorization rules, and escalation path for schedule risk.
- Proof Summary: Delivery, First-Try Quality, Durability
- Program Milestone Mapping
- Customer Current-State Statement (Diagnosis)
- DFM Outcomes & Design Changes
- Durability Targets & Consequence of Failure
- Open Issues, Residual Risks & Mitigation Owners
- Capacity & Lead-Time Proof
- Simulation Evidence (forming/flow/cooling)
- Consequence Quantification
- Tool Design for Durability
- Spares, SOPs, and Refurbishment Plan
- Future-State Definition (Outcome Target)
- Tryout & Measurement Plan
- Contingency & Mitigation Plan (Decision Points)
- Commercial & PO Trigger Alignment
- Escalation & Governance
- Data & Decision Checklist
- Decision Points for First-Try Success
- Decision & Sign-off
- Monitoring, Inspection & KPIs
- Commercial & Warranty Alignment
- Validation Check & Agreement
- Next Steps & Governance Rhythm
- Validation Check (Force Validation)
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Solution Scope
Define tooling type(s), DFM outcomes, responsibilities, tryout plan, acceptance GD&T, and warranty/refurbishment terms.
Scope Configuration
- Detailed 3D tooling and die CAD release
- CAM programming and CNC machining of tool steel
- Wire EDM and sinker EDM component production
- Heat treat and surface hardening of tooling
- Precision grinding and surface finishing
- Tool assembly, shimming, and pre-spotting
- Tryout runs on in-house press with adjustments
- Produce and pack production sample parts (PPAP)
- First-article dimensional report with GD&T data
- Supply spare components and spare-kit fabrication
- On-site die set installation assistance
- On-site corrective modification and rework
- Long-run die refurbishment and rebuild
- Injection mold polishing, texturing, and cooling fitting
Scope Questions
Detailed 3D tooling and die CAD release
- What CAD deliverables are required at release (select all that apply)?
- Which CAD versioning/revision control method do you require?
- Are there specific datum/coordinate-system requirements or drawing standards we must follow?
- What assembly-level validations must be included (e.g., kinematic motion, interference checks)?
- Provide any special notes or attachments for CAD release (tolerances, plating allowances, customer templates).
- What is the target date for finalized CAD release to manufacturing?
CAM programming and CNC machining of tool steel
- Which machining capabilities must be included in scope?
- What tool steel grades and raw-material sizes will be used (specify grade and block dims)?
- What geometric tolerances and surface finish targets require special CAM strategies?
- Do you require in-process probing and inspection during machining?
- Are fixtures, vises, or custom blanks required to be designed and supplied by the tool builder?
- What lead time expectation do you have for CAM + CNC machining of the main steel components?
Wire EDM and sinker EDM component production
- Which EDM processes are required for this tool?
- List critical features to be produced by EDM (e.g., pockets, pins, micro-slots) and their tolerance bands.
- Do features require specific wire diameters, multi-pass strategies, or surface finish targets?
- How many EDM components/sets are required initially and for ongoing spares?
- Are EDM dies to be machined to final hardness or pre-heat-treat allowances required?
- Do EDM operations require specialized fixturing or EDM programs handed off to customer?
Heat treat and surface hardening of tooling
- Which heat-treat processes are required?
- What target hardness range and Rockwell or Vickers scale must be achieved?
- Are distortion-control strategies and allowance dimensions required post-HT?
- Do you require validated hardness mapping and microstructure reports as QA deliverables?
- Will heat treat be performed in-house or subcontracted (vendor to specify if subcontracted)?
- Specify batch sizes or quantities that require consistent process controls (e.g., every tool set, per lot).
Precision grinding and surface finishing
- Which surfaces require precision grinding (flatness, parallelism) and to what tolerances?
- What surface roughness (Ra) or finish class is required for functional faces or sealing surfaces?
- Do any components require polishing, texturing, or cosmetic finishes (e.g., SPI grades)?
- Are coatings or surface treatments (e.g., DLC, PVD, hard chrome) required after finishing?
- Will grinding operations require in-process measurement or final CMM verification?
- Provide any special fixture or holding requirements for finishing operations.
Tool assembly, shimming, and pre-spotting
- Who is responsible for final tool assembly and shimming (vendor, customer, joint)?
- Do you require documented shimming plans and assembly checklists as deliverables?
- Will a pre-spotting (bench-spot) be performed before press tryout and who attends?
- Specify any required assembly tolerances for mating features or die-to-die interfaces.
- Are special lifting/rigging, tooling plates, or shims to be supplied with the tool?
- What acceptance criteria must be met at completion of assembly and pre-spotting?
Tryout runs on in-house press with adjustments
- What press tonnage and stroke characteristics are required for tryout?
- How many tryout cycles and iterative adjustments do you expect to be included in scope?
- Which party will be responsible for tryout consumables (lubricants, sample blanks, pilot parts)?
- What evaluation criteria will be used during tryout (e.g., first-try GD&T, surface finish, press stability)?
- Do you require live remote observation, onsite customer attendance, or recorded tryout reports?
- Provide preferred tryout window dates and any hard dates (e.g., APQP milestones).
Produce and pack production sample parts (PPAP)
- How many sample parts are required for PPAP submission?
- Are there specific packaging, labeling, or traceability requirements for sample shipments?
- What level of PPAP submission is expected (e.g., Level 1–4) and which documents must accompany samples?
- Do sample parts require lot coding, serial numbers, or material certificates included in packaging?
- Who is responsible for shipping and freight costs for PPAP samples?
- Provide any special handling instructions for samples (cleaning, protective film, environmental controls).
First-article dimensional report with GD&T data
- What inspection methods are required for first-article reports (CMM, manual calipers, optical)?
- Which GD&T callouts or critical-to-quality features must be measured and reported?
- What reporting format and level of detail is required (e.g., AS9102-style, customer template, vendor standard)?
- Define acceptance criteria and sample size for first-article inspection (e.g., n=5 per feature, AQL).
- Do you require a signed inspection certificate and dimensional plots for each part?
- Are baseline digital inspection files to be delivered (PC-DMIS, Calypso, CSV, etc.)?
Supply spare components and spare-kit fabrication
- Which components should be included in the initial spare-kit (mechanical wear parts, springs, punches, bushes)?
- What target inventory level or reorder point do you want for spares (e.g., 1 kit onsite, safety stock)?
- Are spare components serialized, kitted, and labeled for rapid deployment?
- What lead times are acceptable for additional spare fabrication after order?
- Should spares be shipped with installation instructions or on-site support options?
- Specify warranty coverage and cost model for spare kits (included, billed separately, subscription).
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Mutual Commit
Finalize price, lead times, PO triggers, acceptance milestones (tryout/PPAP), and escalation/governance paths.
Agreement Modules
- Statement of Work (SOW)
- Master Supply Agreement (MSA)
- Pricing & Payment Terms
- Purchase Order Triggers & Release Conditions
- Lead Times & Delivery Commitments
- Acceptance Milestones & PPAP/Tryout Criteria
- Change Order / Engineering Change Request (ECR) Process
- Warranty, Refurbishment & Spare Parts Agreement
- Escalation & Governance Path
- Quality, Inspection & Compliance Requirements
- Tooling Ownership, Intellectual Property & Licensing
- Logistics, Shipping & Customs Responsibilities
- Insurance & Liability Allocation
- Confidentiality & Data Handling Agreement
- Final Acceptance & Authorized Sign-off
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Deployment
Operationalize rollout with readiness checks, enablement, and outcome validation.
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Pre-Deployment Readiness
Confirm steel procurement, machining capacity, tryout press availability, spare parts, and on-site support readiness.
Readiness Questions
Quick Check — How Ready Do You Feel?
- In one sentence, how would you describe your current readiness for pre-deployment (steel, machining, tryout, spares, on-site support)?
- Which best describes your overall readiness right now?
- Who are the three people/roles we should coordinate with directly for pre-deployment decisions (names and roles)?
- What are the top 3 calendar milestones (dates) that absolutely cannot move?
- Which program type best describes this work?
Who's Actually Holding the Schedule?
- If a single critical date slipped, whose performance would be most scrutinized—and why would that date be the one to trigger a program alarm?
- Which milestones on your timeline currently have the least float (list milestone and remaining float in days)?
- Who owns steel procurement for this program?
- How long is your normal internal approval loop for steel specs, PO releases, and material sign-off?
- Are there contract terms, customs, or supplier constraints tied to POs that typically slow down releases (briefly describe)?
Where the Metal Lives: Steel & Supply Chain
- What single steel item, supplier, or spec mismatch is most likely to be the cause of a late tool build on this program?
- Which steel grades and treatments will this tool require (select all that apply)?
- Do you currently have long-lead raw material on order for this program? If yes, list items, quantities, and ETAs.
- Do you have qualified backup suppliers for the critical steel types or heat-treat services?
- How do changes to steel hardness, grain size, or spec typically impact your machining and tryout plans?
Do We Have the Machines to Win?
- If machining capacity tightened this week, which operation would immediately become our bottleneck and why?
- Which of these operations will be performed in-house versus outsourced for this build? (select all that apply)
- What spare or contingency machining capacity do you realistically have (hours/week or % of schedule)?
- How do you typically handle overflow work?
- Share a recent example when machining capacity impacted delivery—what happened, what was the root cause, and how was it resolved?
Tryout: Theater or Afterthought?
- If the tryout were to define program success, what single outcome would convince you we nailed it on day one?
- Where do you plan to run the primary tryout?
- Do you have guaranteed press hours reserved? If so, specify hours, press tonnage, and booked dates.
- Which tryout outcomes are non-negotiable before we ship the tool?
- If tryout fails on a critical point, what is your preferred escalation path and decision window for remediation (who decides, and in how many hours/days)?
Spares, Wear Parts, and the Long-Game
- If a wear part fails in week 2 of production, how quickly must a replacement be on-site to avoid unacceptable line loss?
- Which spare strategy do you prefer for this program?
- List the top five spare parts you expect to need immediately after tryout and why (part, failure mode, lead time).
- What are your refurbishment expectations (turnaround time, scope, and frequency) for tools at mid-life?
- How do warranty terms influence your spare-parts and refurbishment choices?
On-site Support: Who's Coming, When, and For How Long?
- If tryout goes sideways on day one, who on your team must be present and empowered to make decisions immediately?
- What level of on-site support do you require from the tool builder during tryout and first-run?
- What are your safety, plant access, and certification requirements for our personnel to be onsite?
- How should travel, lodging, and per diem for our team be handled?
- What objective metrics will you use during on-site support to accept that the tool is ready to ship to production?
If Things Slip: Governance, Escalation, and Remedies
- What single failure mode or milestone miss would cause your senior leadership to call for a program review?
- Who is authorized on your side to approve schedule trade-offs, expedite actions, or cost impacts without further escalation?
- Describe your escalation ladder and expected response times at each level (who responds in hours/days and what authority they hold).
- Which remedies are acceptable to you if delivery misses contractual milestones? (select all that apply)
- How do you expect change orders for late engineering changes to be handled—what timeline and approvals are acceptable?
Payment, PO Triggers, and Practical Next Steps
- What unspoken commercial or internal blockers typically delay PO release on programs like this?
- Which PO triggers must be satisfied before we begin steel procurement?
- What internal approvals (departments or signatures) must clear on your side before we can schedule machining and tryout?
- What cadence and format of status updates do you prefer during pre-deployment and tryout (select one)?
- If we identify a 2-week risk to schedule during pre-deployment, what decisions do you expect the tool builder to make immediately versus those that require your approval?
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Deployment Execution
Coordinate CNC/EDM machining, assembly, spotting, tryout, and sample submission with owners, dates, and escalation paths.
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Validation & Handover
Verify tryout results against GD&T and PPAP criteria, document corrective actions, and schedule on-site handover and warranty terms.
Validation Questions
Start Here: Quick Program Snapshot
- What is the program name and part number (short answer is fine)?
- Which role best describes you for this program?
- Who are the decision-makers we should plan to engage (name + role)?
- Which tooling types are you requesting for this part?
- What is the planned annual production volume (choose the closest)?
- What is your target launch window or committed SOP (date or quarter)?
What's at Risk If This Tool Isn’t Right?
- Imagine the tool arrives late or off-spec—what single program outcome would be most damaged?
- How many weeks of launch timeline would be consumed by a single full-tool rework?
- If parts from first tryout require rework, what is the typical financial exposure (order-of-magnitude)?
- Which program stakeholders feel the most pressure around tooling delivery and quality, and how does it show up for them?
- How confident are you in your current mitigation plans for schedule or quality slips?
The Measurable Truth: GD&T, Surface, and Fit
- If you could guarantee one dimensional or geometric spec on the first try, which would it be and why?
- List the top 3 GD&T callouts (feature + tolerance) that will determine part acceptance.
- What surface-finish or cosmetic requirements are non-negotiable?
- Which inspection methods will be used in tryout and PPAP (select all that apply)?
- What is your expected acceptable rate of non-conforming parts at tryout (first submission)?
- Are there legacy tolerance issues or correlated features on older tools we should know about?
Durability: How Long Must This Thing Live?
- When you say the tool must be durable, what is your metric: hits, years, or another measure?
- Enter the target life in hits/shots or years (e.g., 10M hits / 5 years).
- Which wear or failure modes worry you most (select up to 3)?
- What warranty or refurbishment terms do you expect from your tool builder?
- Do you require spare components on-site at SOP, and which parts should be stocked?
Hidden Schedule Constraints No One Mentions
- What’s a non-negotiable internal or customer date that you feel everyone treats as 'flexible'—but actually isn't?
- List APQP or program milestones (DFMEA, PFMEA, Control Plan, PPAP) with the dates that matter to you.
- Which of the following are press or plant constraints we must design around?
- Which long-lead items already have known lead-times or risks (steel grade, special inserts, approved vendors)?
- If a critical date is at risk, who is the escalation contact and what is the preferred escalation path?
Supply-Chain Tight Spots We're Betting On
- Which single supplier, material, or service would break the schedule if it was delayed?
- What steel grade and supplier approvals are required for this tool?
- Do you require vendor qualifications or certifications (select all that apply)?
- Are there import/export, customs, or country-of-origin constraints we must plan around?
- If dual-sourcing or qualified alternates are required, which components must be dual-sourced?
How You Actually Choose a Tooling Partner
- Would you prioritize the lowest price, fastest delivery, or proven first-try quality if you had to pick one?
- Which evaluation criteria will carry the most weight (select up to 3)?
- Do you require references from similar programs or plant audits before award?
- What KPIs will you use to hold the supplier accountable during development and after delivery?
- Are there contractual or PO triggers (milestones) we must hit to invoice or receive a PO?
Past Failures That Still Keep You Up at Night
- Tell us about a past tooling failure that had outsized consequences for your program—what happened?
- In that event, which root causes were most responsible (select all that apply)?
- How long did it take to recover or implement a fix in that situation?
- What early warning signs were missed that, in hindsight, would have shortened the disruption?
- If you could change one decision made during that program, what would it be?
If This Went Perfectly, What Would We Celebrate?
- What would success look like at SOP day that would make leadership publicly celebrate the program?
- Select the top measurable outcomes you’d use to declare the tool a success.
- How many tryout iterations are acceptable before PPAP submission?
- Who must sign off on final acceptance, and are there any special acceptance ceremonies or tests (e.g., production run sample)?
- After acceptance, what level of on-site support would make your operations team comfortable at launch?
Next Move: What Would Make You Say Yes?
- What is the smallest, fastest deliverable from a tooling partner that would meaningfully reduce your risk in the next 2 weeks?
- What is your internal decision timeline for awarding the tooling build?
- What documents must we deliver to make your procurement and engineering teams comfortable to proceed?
- What governance cadence would you prefer during development (meetings, reports, owners)?
- Who else should we bring into the next conversation (names and roles)?
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Success
Review production performance, warranty/refurbishment plans, and capture continuous improvements and open issues.
Success Reviews
- Quarterly Production Performance Review
- Warranty & Refurbishment Planning
- Continuous Improvement (CI) Workshop — Top Production Issues
- Governance, Escalation & Contractual Close‑Out
Issues & Enhancements
- Schedule the next executive governance review and confirm attendee list.
- Clarify cost responsibility and signoff authority for out‑of‑warranty repairs and refurbishments.
- Issue/refine repair/refurb PO(s) with agreed scope, timeline, and acceptance criteria.
- Tooling supplier to provide detailed refurb work scope, lead times, and fixed cost estimate within 5 business days.
- Purchasing to reconcile and approve warranty credits or chargebacks per contract terms.
- Maintenance planner to confirm spare parts pick list and initiate reorder to meet minimum on‑hand levels.
- Workshop Purpose & Success Criteria
- Prioritize issues using quantified consequences so resources target highest value improvements.
- Design specific countermeasures with measurable success criteria tied to production KPIs.
- Commit owners, timelines, and data collection plans for pilots to validate effectiveness.
- Create a clear escalation path if pilots do not meet acceptance criteria.
- Run agreed pilot(s) with defined sample size and data collection plan within the specified timeframe.
- Supplier engineering to supply any design changes or modified components required for the pilot.
- Quality to prepare acceptance checklist and data templates for pilot evaluation.
- Facilitator to schedule interim checkpoint and final results review meeting.
- Review Meeting Objectives & Authority Levels
- Clear resolution or documented next steps for every open escalation requiring leadership decision.
- Approve any necessary change orders or define path to approval with timeline.
- Establish an unambiguous governance and escalation matrix for ongoing success management.
- Define communication cadence to ensure timely visibility into production risks and warranty events.
- Document all decisions, publish an updated governance matrix and circulate to stakeholders.
- Issue approved change orders/PO amendments with clear scope, cost, and acceptance criteria.
- Designate escalation owners and update contact list and notification templates.
- Opening & Objectives
- Create a shared, data-driven view of production performance against agreed KPIs.
- Identify and prioritize the top production issues requiring corrective action.
- Assign owners, deadlines, and acceptance criteria for each corrective action.
- Ensure visibility into imminent refurb needs and spare-part usage to avoid unplanned downtime.
- Prepare and distribute KPI packet (last 90 days) with trend charts and raw data for follow-up.
- Owner(s) to produce RCA and immediate containment plan for each top deviation within 7 days.
- Schedule preventive maintenance/refurb slot for any tool at or nearing refurbishment threshold.
- Update shared dashboard with agreed acceptance criteria and responsible owners.
- Meeting Objectives & Background
- Agree resolution path and timeline for each open warranty claim.
- Finalize refurbishment schedule that minimizes production impact and secures required capacity.
- Establish spare parts minimums, reorder triggers, and procurement ownership.
- Open Escalations by Priority
- Current State Briefs (Top 3 Issues)
- Current State KPI Review
- Open Warranty Claims Review
- Consequence Quantification
- Warranty Cost Reconciliation
- Change Orders & Commercial Approvals
- High‑Impact Deviations Deep Dive
- Warranty Events & Costs Summary
- Root Cause Analysis Breakouts
- Refurbishment Needs & Scheduling
- Governance & RACI Confirmation
- Countermeasure Design & Evidence Plan
- Tool Health & Preventive Maintenance
- Communications & Escalation Cadence
- Spare Parts Inventory & Replenishment Plan
- Commercial Triggers & Approvals
- Pilot Plan, Timeline & Acceptance Criteria
- Decisions Recap & Action Assignment
- Agreed Corrective Actions & Owners
- Assign Owners & Close
- Close & Next Steps
- Next Steps & Meeting Close