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Injection molding defects chart
An injection molding defects chart is a troubleshooting reference for the defects found on molded plastic parts. For each defect it shows what it looks like, what usually causes it and what to check before anyone changes a setting. This one covers 16 defects, from short shots, flash and sink marks to splay, jetting and parts out of size. For each it splits the likely causes into the 4M (machine, material, mold and method), lists the first checks in the order a process tech would make them, names the setting to adjust once the checks are done, and says when to stop adjusting and tag the mold or the lot instead. A second page of 24 first checks works for any defect, and the Excel file adds a defect log by shift, mold and cavity with scrap cost and a Pareto chart that sorts the week's defects from biggest to smallest. It is general guidance for thermoplastics: the resin supplier's data sheet and the documented process for each mold come first.
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A table with a row for each defect, starting with short shot, flash, sink marks and voids, and columns for what it looks like, causes by machine, material, mold and method, first checks and when to stop.
When to use it
When to use an injection molding defects chart
- At the press, when a defect appears, before anyone touches a setting.
- To train new process techs and setup people on what each defect looks like and where it usually comes from.
- At the end of the week, to log rejects by defect, mold and cavity and see which two or three defects cost the most.
- When writing the reaction plan in a mold's control plan or a defect catalogue entry.
- Not for a new mold that has never made a good part: that is mold qualification, done with the toolmaker and the resin data.
How to fill it in
- 1
Name the defect
Compare the part with the chart and pick the defect. Photograph it and note the cavity number: a defect in one cavity points at the mold, a defect in every cavity points at the machine, the material or the process.
- 2
Compare the press with the process sheet
Read the actual setpoints and the cushion against the documented process for the mold before changing anything. Many defects that come and go are drift from the sheet.
- 3
Work the first checks in order
Go down the chart's checks for the defect, then the 24 first checks on page 3 if the cause is still not clear. They run from the quickest and most likely to the slowest.
- 4
Change one setting at a time
Once the checks are done, adjust the setting the chart names, let the process settle, check the parts and write the change down. If you went back to the documented process, note what had drifted.
- 5
Stop and tag when the chart says so
Damage, a water leak, a blocked vent or gate, wet resin that will not dry or contamination are not fixed with settings. Stop, tag the mold or the material, hold suspect parts and raise an NCR.
- 6
Log rejects and review the Pareto weekly
Enter every reject by date, shift, mold, cavity and defect in the Excel log. The Pareto sorts the week by defect and scrap cost; take the top one to a root cause analysis.
The chart
16 injection molding defects: causes, first checks and when to stop
Read across each row: what the defect looks like, the likely causes split by the 4M, the first checks in order with the setting to adjust once they are done, and the point where you stop adjusting and call the toolroom, maintenance or quality. The same chart is pages 1 and 2 of the PDF.
| Defect | What it looks like | Likely causes by 4M | Check first, then adjust | Stop and tag when |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short shot | The part is not completely filled: a missing corner, rib end or thin section. | Machine: Shot size too small, low injection speed or pressure, worn check ring. Material: Melt too cold or too viscous, wrong grade. Mold: Blocked vents or gate, mold too cold, flow length too long for the wall. Method: Settings changed and not written down, transfer set too early. | 1. Cushion and shot size against the sheet: a cushion near zero means the screw bottoms out. 2. Which cavity: one cavity points to a blocked vent or gate. 3. Melt and mold temperatures. Then: Shot size first, then injection speed, then pressure, one at a time. | A gate or vent is blocked and needs the toolroom to clear it. |
| Flash | A thin film of plastic at the parting line, round ejector pins or at slides. | Machine: Clamp force too low for the part, platens out of parallel. Material: Melt too hot or too thin for the mold. Mold: Worn or damaged parting line, debris on the mold face, vents cut too deep. Method: Pack pressure raised to chase a short shot or sink. | 1. Mold faces for debris, flash residue and damage. 2. Clamp tonnage against the sheet. 3. Pack pressure and melt temperature against the sheet. Then: Lower pack pressure or transfer earlier, then check clamp tonnage. | The parting line or a shut-off is damaged: flash will grow with every shot. |
| Sink marks | Shallow dents on the surface, often opposite ribs, bosses or thick sections. | Machine: Too little hold pressure or hold time, cushion running out. Material: Resin with high shrinkage, melt too hot. Mold: Thick walls, gate too small so it freezes early, a hot spot in the mold. Method: Cooling time cut to save cycle. | 1. Hold pressure and hold time against the sheet. 2. Cushion at the end of hold. 3. Mold temperature near the sink. Then: Raise hold pressure, then hold time until the gate freezes, then cooling time. | A cooling circuit near the sink has no flow. |
| Voids | Bubbles or empty pockets inside thick sections, seen in clear parts or when a part is cut open. | Machine: Low hold pressure, hold time too short. Material: Moisture in the resin, too much regrind. Mold: Thick sections, gate freezes before the section is packed. Method: Drying skipped or cut short. | 1. Hold pressure and hold time. 2. The drying record for the lot. 3. Cut a part to see where the voids sit. Then: Raise hold pressure and time, as for sink. | Voids sit in a load-bearing area of a safety or structural part. |
| Warpage | The part twists or bows after ejection and does not sit flat. | Machine: Uneven packing, part ejected too hot. Material: Glass fiber or molecular orientation, high shrinkage resin. Mold: Uneven cooling between the halves, uneven wall thickness. Method: Parts stacked or bagged while still hot. | 1. Mold temperature on both halves. 2. Water flow on each circuit. 3. Cooling time and how parts are handled after ejection. Then: Balance mold temperatures, then add cooling time. | A water line leaks or a circuit is blocked. |
| Weld lines | Visible lines where two flow fronts meet, often round holes. The part can be weak there. | Machine: Low injection speed or pressure. Material: Melt too cold where the fronts meet. Mold: Poor venting at the meeting point, gate position. Method: Melt or mold temperature set below the sheet. | 1. The vent nearest the line. 2. Melt and mold temperature. 3. Injection speed. Then: Raise injection speed, then melt or mold temperature. | The line falls on a part of the part that must carry load and fails a test. |
| Burn marks | Black or brown scorch marks, often at the end of fill or in deep corners. | Machine: Injection too fast at the end of fill. Material: Resin held too long or too hot in the barrel. Mold: Vents blocked or too small, so trapped air heats up. Method: Vents not cleaned at mold change. | 1. Clean the vents where the burn shows. 2. Injection speed at the end of fill. 3. Residence time in the barrel. Then: Slow the last stage of injection. | Vents need recutting by the toolroom. |
| Splay | Silver streaks on the surface, pointing in the direction of flow. | Machine: Screw speed too high, sucking in air. Material: Moisture in the resin most often, also resin degraded by heat. Mold: Condensation on a cold mold face. Method: Undried material added to the hopper, dryer alarm ignored. | 1. Dryer temperature, dew point and drying time against the resin data sheet. 2. Hopper level and what was added this shift. 3. Melt temperature. Then: Dry the material properly first; settings will not fix wet resin. | The dryer cannot reach its dew point: hold the material and call maintenance. |
| Jetting | A snake-like squiggle on the surface that starts at the gate. | Machine: Injection too fast at the start of fill. Material: Melt too cold to stick to the wall. Mold: Small gate pointing into open space. Method: First injection stage set faster than the sheet. | 1. Speed of the first injection stage. 2. Melt temperature. 3. Gate position. Then: Slow the start of injection. | It comes back at the right speed: the gate needs moving or opening. |
| Flow lines | Wavy lines or rings near the gate or across thin sections. | Machine: Injection speed or pressure too low. Material: Melt cooling as it flows. Mold: Mold too cold, sudden changes in wall thickness. Method: Temperatures set below the sheet. | 1. Injection speed against the sheet. 2. Melt temperature. 3. Mold temperature. Then: Raise injection speed, then melt temperature. | The lines fail the cosmetic standard at every setting in the window. |
| Delamination | The surface peels or flakes off in thin layers. | Machine: Melt too cold, shear too high. Material: Mixed or contaminated resin, two grades that do not blend. Mold: Mold release built up on the cavity. Method: Wrong material or regrind added at the loader. | 1. Hopper label and loader against the job. 2. Regrind source. 3. Mold release use. Then: Purge, load the right material and clean the cavity. | Contaminated material reached the hopper: hold every part since the change. |
| Brittle parts | Parts crack or snap at assembly or in testing. | Machine: Melt too hot or held too long in the barrel. Material: Wet resin, degraded material, too much regrind. Mold: Sharp corners and stress points. Method: Drying skipped, regrind ratio not followed. | 1. The drying record. 2. Melt temperature and residence time. 3. The regrind ratio. Then: Fix drying and regrind first, then lower melt temperature. | Parts already shipped may be affected: raise an NCR and hold stock. |
| Black specks | Dark specks or foreign particles in the part, worst in clear and light colors. | Machine: Degraded material hanging up in the barrel, nozzle or hot runner. Material: Dirty regrind, dust in loaders. Mold: Hot runner dead spots. Method: Poor purging at color or material change. | 1. Purge practice at the last change. 2. Regrind and loader cleanliness. 3. How long material sits in the barrel. Then: Purge, then lower residence time or barrel temperature. | Specks keep coming after purging: pull the screw or hot runner for cleaning. |
| Gate blush | A dull, cloudy or rippled area round the gate. | Machine: Injection too fast through the gate. Material: Melt too cold. Mold: Gate too small, cold gate area. Method: Profile changed at the start of injection. | 1. First stage injection speed. 2. Melt temperature. 3. Gate size and condition. Then: Slow the first stage, then raise melt or mold temperature. | The gate is worn or damaged. |
| Sticking and ejector marks | Parts stay in the cavity, or show raised or white marks at the ejector pins. | Machine: Ejection too fast, too much pack pressure. Material: Too little mold release in the grade. Mold: Poor draft or polish, worn ejector pins. Method: Cooling time cut to save cycle. | 1. Cooling time and pack pressure. 2. Ejector speed and stroke. 3. Cavity polish where the part sticks. Then: Lower pack pressure, add cooling, then slow ejection. | A part is stuck in the cavity: lock out the press before anyone reaches in. |
| Out of size | Dimensions are outside the drawing tolerance even though the part looks good. | Machine: Pack, hold or cushion drifting from shot to shot. Material: A new lot or grade with different shrinkage. Mold: Mold temperature off setpoint, worn inserts. Method: Parts measured hot instead of after the conditioning time. | 1. Cushion and hold pressure trend. 2. Mold temperature. 3. When and how the part was measured. Then: Return to the documented process, then adjust hold pressure. | The dimension is out on every setting in the validated window. |
Short shot
- What it looks like
- The part is not completely filled: a missing corner, rib end or thin section.
- Likely causes by 4M
- Machine: Shot size too small, low injection speed or pressure, worn check ring. Material: Melt too cold or too viscous, wrong grade. Mold: Blocked vents or gate, mold too cold, flow length too long for the wall. Method: Settings changed and not written down, transfer set too early.
- Check first, then adjust
- 1. Cushion and shot size against the sheet: a cushion near zero means the screw bottoms out. 2. Which cavity: one cavity points to a blocked vent or gate. 3. Melt and mold temperatures. Then: Shot size first, then injection speed, then pressure, one at a time.
- Stop and tag when
- A gate or vent is blocked and needs the toolroom to clear it.
Flash
- What it looks like
- A thin film of plastic at the parting line, round ejector pins or at slides.
- Likely causes by 4M
- Machine: Clamp force too low for the part, platens out of parallel. Material: Melt too hot or too thin for the mold. Mold: Worn or damaged parting line, debris on the mold face, vents cut too deep. Method: Pack pressure raised to chase a short shot or sink.
- Check first, then adjust
- 1. Mold faces for debris, flash residue and damage. 2. Clamp tonnage against the sheet. 3. Pack pressure and melt temperature against the sheet. Then: Lower pack pressure or transfer earlier, then check clamp tonnage.
- Stop and tag when
- The parting line or a shut-off is damaged: flash will grow with every shot.
Sink marks
- What it looks like
- Shallow dents on the surface, often opposite ribs, bosses or thick sections.
- Likely causes by 4M
- Machine: Too little hold pressure or hold time, cushion running out. Material: Resin with high shrinkage, melt too hot. Mold: Thick walls, gate too small so it freezes early, a hot spot in the mold. Method: Cooling time cut to save cycle.
- Check first, then adjust
- 1. Hold pressure and hold time against the sheet. 2. Cushion at the end of hold. 3. Mold temperature near the sink. Then: Raise hold pressure, then hold time until the gate freezes, then cooling time.
- Stop and tag when
- A cooling circuit near the sink has no flow.
Voids
- What it looks like
- Bubbles or empty pockets inside thick sections, seen in clear parts or when a part is cut open.
- Likely causes by 4M
- Machine: Low hold pressure, hold time too short. Material: Moisture in the resin, too much regrind. Mold: Thick sections, gate freezes before the section is packed. Method: Drying skipped or cut short.
- Check first, then adjust
- 1. Hold pressure and hold time. 2. The drying record for the lot. 3. Cut a part to see where the voids sit. Then: Raise hold pressure and time, as for sink.
- Stop and tag when
- Voids sit in a load-bearing area of a safety or structural part.
Warpage
- What it looks like
- The part twists or bows after ejection and does not sit flat.
- Likely causes by 4M
- Machine: Uneven packing, part ejected too hot. Material: Glass fiber or molecular orientation, high shrinkage resin. Mold: Uneven cooling between the halves, uneven wall thickness. Method: Parts stacked or bagged while still hot.
- Check first, then adjust
- 1. Mold temperature on both halves. 2. Water flow on each circuit. 3. Cooling time and how parts are handled after ejection. Then: Balance mold temperatures, then add cooling time.
- Stop and tag when
- A water line leaks or a circuit is blocked.
Weld lines
- What it looks like
- Visible lines where two flow fronts meet, often round holes. The part can be weak there.
- Likely causes by 4M
- Machine: Low injection speed or pressure. Material: Melt too cold where the fronts meet. Mold: Poor venting at the meeting point, gate position. Method: Melt or mold temperature set below the sheet.
- Check first, then adjust
- 1. The vent nearest the line. 2. Melt and mold temperature. 3. Injection speed. Then: Raise injection speed, then melt or mold temperature.
- Stop and tag when
- The line falls on a part of the part that must carry load and fails a test.
Burn marks
- What it looks like
- Black or brown scorch marks, often at the end of fill or in deep corners.
- Likely causes by 4M
- Machine: Injection too fast at the end of fill. Material: Resin held too long or too hot in the barrel. Mold: Vents blocked or too small, so trapped air heats up. Method: Vents not cleaned at mold change.
- Check first, then adjust
- 1. Clean the vents where the burn shows. 2. Injection speed at the end of fill. 3. Residence time in the barrel. Then: Slow the last stage of injection.
- Stop and tag when
- Vents need recutting by the toolroom.
Splay
- What it looks like
- Silver streaks on the surface, pointing in the direction of flow.
- Likely causes by 4M
- Machine: Screw speed too high, sucking in air. Material: Moisture in the resin most often, also resin degraded by heat. Mold: Condensation on a cold mold face. Method: Undried material added to the hopper, dryer alarm ignored.
- Check first, then adjust
- 1. Dryer temperature, dew point and drying time against the resin data sheet. 2. Hopper level and what was added this shift. 3. Melt temperature. Then: Dry the material properly first; settings will not fix wet resin.
- Stop and tag when
- The dryer cannot reach its dew point: hold the material and call maintenance.
Jetting
- What it looks like
- A snake-like squiggle on the surface that starts at the gate.
- Likely causes by 4M
- Machine: Injection too fast at the start of fill. Material: Melt too cold to stick to the wall. Mold: Small gate pointing into open space. Method: First injection stage set faster than the sheet.
- Check first, then adjust
- 1. Speed of the first injection stage. 2. Melt temperature. 3. Gate position. Then: Slow the start of injection.
- Stop and tag when
- It comes back at the right speed: the gate needs moving or opening.
Flow lines
- What it looks like
- Wavy lines or rings near the gate or across thin sections.
- Likely causes by 4M
- Machine: Injection speed or pressure too low. Material: Melt cooling as it flows. Mold: Mold too cold, sudden changes in wall thickness. Method: Temperatures set below the sheet.
- Check first, then adjust
- 1. Injection speed against the sheet. 2. Melt temperature. 3. Mold temperature. Then: Raise injection speed, then melt temperature.
- Stop and tag when
- The lines fail the cosmetic standard at every setting in the window.
Delamination
- What it looks like
- The surface peels or flakes off in thin layers.
- Likely causes by 4M
- Machine: Melt too cold, shear too high. Material: Mixed or contaminated resin, two grades that do not blend. Mold: Mold release built up on the cavity. Method: Wrong material or regrind added at the loader.
- Check first, then adjust
- 1. Hopper label and loader against the job. 2. Regrind source. 3. Mold release use. Then: Purge, load the right material and clean the cavity.
- Stop and tag when
- Contaminated material reached the hopper: hold every part since the change.
Brittle parts
- What it looks like
- Parts crack or snap at assembly or in testing.
- Likely causes by 4M
- Machine: Melt too hot or held too long in the barrel. Material: Wet resin, degraded material, too much regrind. Mold: Sharp corners and stress points. Method: Drying skipped, regrind ratio not followed.
- Check first, then adjust
- 1. The drying record. 2. Melt temperature and residence time. 3. The regrind ratio. Then: Fix drying and regrind first, then lower melt temperature.
- Stop and tag when
- Parts already shipped may be affected: raise an NCR and hold stock.
Black specks
- What it looks like
- Dark specks or foreign particles in the part, worst in clear and light colors.
- Likely causes by 4M
- Machine: Degraded material hanging up in the barrel, nozzle or hot runner. Material: Dirty regrind, dust in loaders. Mold: Hot runner dead spots. Method: Poor purging at color or material change.
- Check first, then adjust
- 1. Purge practice at the last change. 2. Regrind and loader cleanliness. 3. How long material sits in the barrel. Then: Purge, then lower residence time or barrel temperature.
- Stop and tag when
- Specks keep coming after purging: pull the screw or hot runner for cleaning.
Gate blush
- What it looks like
- A dull, cloudy or rippled area round the gate.
- Likely causes by 4M
- Machine: Injection too fast through the gate. Material: Melt too cold. Mold: Gate too small, cold gate area. Method: Profile changed at the start of injection.
- Check first, then adjust
- 1. First stage injection speed. 2. Melt temperature. 3. Gate size and condition. Then: Slow the first stage, then raise melt or mold temperature.
- Stop and tag when
- The gate is worn or damaged.
Sticking and ejector marks
- What it looks like
- Parts stay in the cavity, or show raised or white marks at the ejector pins.
- Likely causes by 4M
- Machine: Ejection too fast, too much pack pressure. Material: Too little mold release in the grade. Mold: Poor draft or polish, worn ejector pins. Method: Cooling time cut to save cycle.
- Check first, then adjust
- 1. Cooling time and pack pressure. 2. Ejector speed and stroke. 3. Cavity polish where the part sticks. Then: Lower pack pressure, add cooling, then slow ejection.
- Stop and tag when
- A part is stuck in the cavity: lock out the press before anyone reaches in.
Out of size
- What it looks like
- Dimensions are outside the drawing tolerance even though the part looks good.
- Likely causes by 4M
- Machine: Pack, hold or cushion drifting from shot to shot. Material: A new lot or grade with different shrinkage. Mold: Mold temperature off setpoint, worn inserts. Method: Parts measured hot instead of after the conditioning time.
- Check first, then adjust
- 1. Cushion and hold pressure trend. 2. Mold temperature. 3. When and how the part was measured. Then: Return to the documented process, then adjust hold pressure.
- Stop and tag when
- The dimension is out on every setting in the validated window.
Before you change a setting
The 24 first checks for any molding defect, by 4M
Six checks each for the machine, the material, the mold and the method. Use them when the chart's three checks for a defect have not found the cause; on the sheet each one is ticked OK or not OK with a note.
Machine
Compare the press with the process sheet before you change anything
- 1The setpoints on the press match the documented process sheet for this mold
- 2Cushion is steady from shot to shot and not close to zero
- 3Barrel and nozzle zones read at setpoint, with no heater band or thermocouple alarm
- 4Injection speed, pressure and transfer position match the sheet
- 5Clamp tonnage matches the sheet and the mold closes fully
- 6The check ring holds: the screw does not creep forward during hold
Material
Most splay, brittle parts and specks start here
- 7The resin grade and color on the hopper label match the job
- 8The dryer is at the set temperature and dew point for this resin, and the drying time was met
- 9The hopper did not run empty or get topped up with material that was not dried
- 10Regrind is clean, sized and kept at or below the ratio the process allows
- 11Colorant or masterbatch runs at the right ratio and the doser is working
- 12The material lot is recorded, so a bad lot can be traced
Mold
A defect in one cavity only points at the mold
- 13Mold faces and the parting line are clean, with no flash residue or damage
- 14Vents are clean and open, above all where the defect shows
- 15Water is connected to every circuit as the mold setup sheet shows, with flow on each
- 16Mold temperature on both halves is at setpoint
- 17Ejector pins, slides and lifters move freely
- 18The defect is in one cavity or in all of them, and the cavity number is noted
Method
How the job was run this shift
- 19The defect was named from the chart and photographed with its cavity number
- 20Nobody changed a setting this shift without writing it down
- 21The press restarted after a stop, color change or purge the way the process sheet says
- 22Cycle time is steady, with no delays holding the mold open
- 23Suspect parts made since the last good check are held and tagged
- 24The first parts after a fix are checked against the drawing before the run goes on
A filled-in example
Illustrative, not a benchmarkAn example (illustrative): one week of rejects on a made-up 4-cavity mold for a PC/ABS electrical cover on press 7, three shifts, 48,000 parts molded at a cost of $0.85 a part. The same week is page 4 of the PDF and the Example sheets of the Excel file.
The example week's 1,000 rejects by defect
- Splay: 410, 41% of the total, cumulative 41%.
- Short shot: 260, 26% of the total, cumulative 67%.
- Sink marks: 150, 15% of the total, cumulative 82%.
- Flash: 95, 10% of the total, cumulative 92%.
- Black specks: 60, 6% of the total, cumulative 98%.
- Weld lines: 25, 3% of the total, cumulative 100%.
Scrap rate, % of parts molded
- Example week
- 2.08%
- Next week
- 0.80%
$850.00 of scrap became $323.00, from a dryer check at start-up and the vent on the mold change checklist.
Rejects by defect: Splay 410, Short shot 260, Sink marks 150, Flash 95, Black specks 60, Weld lines 25. Splay and short shot together are 67 percent. Scrap fell from 2.08 percent to 0.80 percent the next week.
- The defect log has 17 lines and 1,000 rejects: splay 410, short shot 260, sink marks 150, flash 95, black specks 60 and weld lines 25.
- Scrap rate 1,000 ÷ 48,000 = 2.08%, and scrap cost 1,000 × $0.85 = $850.00 for the week.
- The Pareto puts splay and short shot first: 670 of the 1,000 rejects, 67%.
- Splay: 385 of the 410 came on second shift. The chart's first check, the dryer record, showed the dew point alarm had been acknowledged and the hopper topped up with resin that had not dried for long enough.
- Short shot: 230 of the 260 were in cavity 3. One cavity points at the mold, and its end of fill vent was blocked with residue; the toolroom cleaned it at the next mold change.
With a dryer check added to the shift start-up and the vent added to the mold change checklist, the next week had 380 rejects in 47,500 parts: 0.80% and $323.00. Both fixes came from the chart's first checks, not from new settings.
Common mistakes
Changing settings before reading the sheet
When a defect appears, the quickest move is to turn a pressure up. Compare the press with the documented process first: most defects that come and go are drift, and a new setting on top of drift leaves the next shift guessing.
Two changes at once
If you raise hold pressure and mold temperature together and the defect goes, you do not know which one fixed it. Change one setting, let the process settle and check the parts.
Tuning out wet resin
Splay and brittle parts from moisture cannot be fixed with settings. Dry the material to the resin data sheet first.
Ignoring the cavity number
A defect in one cavity of four is almost always the mold: a vent, a gate or a water line. Record the cavity on every reject so the log can show it.
Trimming flash at the press
Knifing flash off hides a parting line that is getting worse with every shot. Log it, look at the mold faces and tag the mold if it is damaged.
Download the template
Free to use: print it, copy it and edit it for your team. Enter your name and work email once to download.
Run this template in LeanSuite
A quality prioritization matrix, or QA Matrix, ranks your defects so you fix the costly ones first. LeanSuite gives every internal and customer defect an AA, A, B or C priority and turns the top ones into Kaizen or CAPA projects.
See it in a 45-minute demoIn the lean glossary
Guides
- Lean playbook for injection molding plants: defects, mold changes and a 90-day plan
- LeanSuite for plastics and injection molding plants
- Quality control 90-day plan, worked on an injection molding plant
- QA matrix template: rank defects by where they are caught and what they cost
- Defect catalogue template
- Non-conformance report (NCR) form
- Injection molding machine daily check, ready-made in the app
- Mold and die condition inspection, ready-made in the app
- How to reduce scrap and rework
FAQ
Injection molding defects chart: common questions
Short shots, flash, sink marks, voids, warpage, weld lines, burn marks, splay, jetting, flow lines, delamination, brittle parts, black specks, gate blush, sticking and parts out of size. This chart covers all 16, each with its usual causes, the first things to check and when to stop.
Flash is plastic forced out where the mold halves or moving parts meet. The usual causes are clamp force too low for the part, a worn or damaged parting line, debris on the mold face, too much pack pressure or a melt that is too hot. Look at the mold faces before you change a setting, and tag the mold if the parting line is damaged.
Sink marks form where a thick section keeps shrinking after the skin has set and not enough plastic was packed in to make up for it. Check hold pressure and hold time, whether the gate freezes too early, and the mold temperature near the sink. A cooling circuit with no flow near the sink is a reason to stop.
Name the defect, note which cavity it is in, and compare the press with the documented process before you touch a setting. Then work through the checks in order, change one setting at a time and check the parts after each change. Log every reject by defect and cavity so the weekly Pareto shows which defect to fix for good.
Use it to find the cause, not to set a new process. It is general guidance for thermoplastics: the resin supplier's data sheet and the documented process for each mold come first, and on automotive or medical parts a process change may need your customer's approval before it runs.
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- Pareto chart templateA tally sheet, the Pareto by count and by cost with the cumulative line and the 80% cut, and a before and after comparison. Excel sorts and draws it.
- Control plan templateWhat is checked at each step, against which limits, how, how often, and what to do when a result is out.
- Corrective action request (CAPA) formOne problem from containment to proof the fix worked, with occurrence and escape causes and a closure check that tells you when it can close.
- ISO 9001 management review kitA 90-minute agenda, data sheet, minutes and action log for the clause 9.3 review, with an Excel planner that flags the next review due.
- Non-conformance report (NCR) formA two-page NCR from the requirement against what was found to disposition and closure, and an Excel NCR log.
- CAPA log templateAn Excel CAPA tracker with status, days open, late flags and counts by source, plus a printable log and monthly review.
- Supplier corrective action request (SCAR) formA SCAR from the problem and containment asked for to the supplier's 8D-style response, verification and closure, with a filled-in example.
- First article inspection report template (AS9102 forms)The three forms in the AS9102 layout (part number, product and characteristic accountability), 22 review checks, the full and partial FAI triggers, and a worked example with one failed characteristic.
- FOD walk checklist (foreign object debris)26 checks for a FOD walk on the production floor in six groups, a FOD found log, an area plan with the route and frequency, and a worked six-week trend of finds per walk.
- Welder continuity log templateA continuity log for welder qualifications with the next lapse date worked out for each process, 20 checks on the records and the log, and a worked example with three welders and one lapse.
- Weld inspection checklist (visual welding inspection)30 checks before, during and after welding, a guide to the discontinuities visual inspection looks for, a weld map report and a worked example on a 12-weld frame.
- AS9100 internal audit checklist42 audit questions on AS9100D clauses 4 to 10 with the aerospace additions, the evidence to look for and a sample for each area, five grades, a finding and corrective action report, and a worked audit carried through to closure.
- Design FMEA (DFMEA) templateA design FMEA worksheet with S, O, D and RPN before and after action, a class column and a design rating guide.
- PPAP checklistThe 18 PPAP elements with owner, due date and status, the five submission levels and a readiness count.
- Process capability (Cpk) study sheet25 subgroups of readings with Cp, Cpk, Pp and Ppk worked out, control limits to check stability, and a histogram.
- Incoming inspection checklistReceiving inspection checks from paperwork to sample, the sampling plan, the decision, and an Excel log by supplier.
- Supplier audit checklistA supplier process audit of 32 questions scored 0 to 3, with section scores, a rating and the findings.
- Supplier scorecardMonthly PPM, on-time delivery and SCAR measures turned into points, a weighted score and a rating per supplier.
- Pre-shipment inspection checklistThe last check before shipping: part, quantity, labels, packaging, paperwork and photos, then release.
- Defect check sheetTally defects by type and day, with units inspected, defect rates, a location sheet and the week's Pareto.
- DMAIC project charter templateThe Define-phase charter on one page: problem and goal, metrics, scope, team and phase dates, with savings and a tollgate checklist.
- QA matrix templateDefect modes against stations in flow order: where each is made and first caught, a weight × occurrence × detection score, an AA to C class and the escapes flagged.
- Fault tree analysis templateA drawing area with the FTA symbols, an event table with probabilities and minimal cut sets, and the gates worked out bottom-up in Excel.
- Is / is not analysis templateWhat, where, when and extent with is, is not, distinctions and changes, then each possible cause tested against every pair and ranked.
- 5G investigation sheetConfirm the facts before naming a cause: 5W1H, the five G's with 20 prompts, the gap against the principle and the standard, and the countermeasures.
- Breakdown analysis reportOne equipment breakdown from the stop to the 90-day check, plus a breakdown log with repeat flags, MTBF and MTTR by asset and a Pareto of causes.
- 4M change management sheet (change point)A shift log of every change to Man, Machine, Material, Method or Design, the extra checks after it and when normal checks resume, with a change point board.
- Histogram templateReadings, bins set by the square root rule, a tally and counts, the spec limits drawn and the share out of spec, with the common shapes explained.
- Scatter diagram templateUp to 50 pairs with a group code, r and R², the least squares line, the quadrant count and r for each group.
- Gauge calibration logA gauge register with next due dates and status, a calibration record with as-found and as-left readings, and the steps when a gauge fails.
- Quality alert formA quality alert to post at the line, a sign-off sheet for every shift, and a log of open, expired and closed alerts.
- TQM self-assessment templateThe eight TQM principles in 24 statements you can check on the floor, scored 0 to 4 by several people, with the spread, the top 3 gaps and an action plan.
- Quality circle meeting recordA circle's charter, a one-page record for each meeting and a problem register that follows every problem from selected to closed or escalated.
- Jidoka worksheet (stop at abnormality)For one line or cell, every abnormality that should stop the work: how it is detected, how the work stops, who is called, the immediate fix and the root cause step, plus a log of real stops.
- Process improvement method selectorEight questions about one problem, an example rule that suggests a method and a matrix of nine methods: when each fits, the usual team and time, and the template to start with.
- X-bar and R control chart template25 subgroups with means and ranges, control limits from A2, D3 and D4, signal flags, both charts and a reaction log.
- Gage R&R study sheet10 parts, 2 or 3 appraisers, 2 or 3 trials: EV, AV, GRR, PV, %GRR and ndc by the average and range method.
- Root cause analysis templateOne report from problem statement to proof: containment, evidence, analysis, verified causes, actions and the effectiveness check.
- Quality control pillar 90-day model area planThirteen weeks from the QA matrix to the QM matrix on one model area, a KPI board, the day-90 gate and expansion waves.
- Prioritization matrix templateScore up to 20 improvement ideas on weighted criteria, rank them, test the ranking with equal weights and place each one on an effort and benefit grid.
- Error-proofing verification log (daily master-sample check)Each poka-yoke device proved every day or week with a known-bad sample, with missed checks counted and the hours and parts at risk worked out when one fails.
- Defect catalogue template with boundary samplesEvery defect with a definition, a class and the reason for it, measured accept and reject limits by zone, boundary samples, a defect log with DPU and Pareto, and an inspector agreement check.
- I-MR chart template (individuals and moving range)Up to 100 single readings with moving ranges, limits from a baseline, five run-rule flags, both charts, a second phase and a reaction log.
- Attribute control chart template (p, np, c and u charts)p, np, c and u charts in one workbook: a chart selector, a sample size check, limits for each subgroup, signal flags and four worked examples.
- HACCP plan template: hazard analysis and CCP worksheetThe Codex 12 steps in one workbook: team and product, process steps checked on site, hazard analysis with the CCP decision tree, the CCP table with completeness checks, an allergen matrix and a verification schedule.
- Mock recall template: traceability exercise worksheetTrace a finished lot back to every input lot and forward to every first customer, reconcile the quantities against a tolerance and time it against your target.
- ISO 9001 internal audit checklist (production area)46 audit questions for the production floor in 11 processes, each with its ISO 9001:2015 clause, what evidence to look for and the sample to take, plus five defined grades, a findings log, a finding report and a summary by clause.
- Food plant GMP inspection checklist (21 CFR 117 subpart B)55 checks in the order of 21 CFR 117 subpart B, each citing its paragraph and saying what to look at, with a grade, finding, owner and due date; results by section and grade, a walk route and a bakery example.
- Master sanitation schedule with pre-op verificationA master list of cleaning tasks by area and equipment with frequency, chemical, lockout, who and next due date, a weekly on-time count, and the pre-operational verification log with a release step.
- Measurement uncertainty budget templateA GUM uncertainty budget: Type A and B rows, divisors by distribution, sensitivity coefficients, uc, νeff, k from the t-table, U, TUR and a guard band check.
- Pugh matrix templateCompare up to 8 concepts with a datum as better, same or worse on up to 12 criteria, flag must-haves, and carry the strongest into a second round.
- Quad chart templateA project on one page in four boxes: idea and owner, problem, approach, and cost, schedule and result.
- Defect detection matrix templateMap where each defect is created and where it is found, score the gap and move the check closer to the cause.
- Risk register templateOne scored list of operational risks with owners, actions and dates, a heat map and a review log.
- APQP checklistThe five APQP phases as a checklist: deliverables, owners, due dates, gate reviews and an issues list.
- Out-of-control action plan (OCAP) templateA reaction plan for a control chart: the steps, what each signal means, who to call and a log of events.
- Quality inspection checklistAn in-process and final inspection record: measured characteristics, visual checks, a decision and first pass yield.
- AQL sampling plan templatePick a sample size, read accept and reject numbers, record the defects and decide on the lot.
- MSA study workbookBias, linearity and stability study sheets for a gauge, with the arithmetic done and a guide to which study when.
- Incoming quality control stage sheetA register that shows how much control each purchased part has and plans the move from your dock to the supplier's process.
- Internal audit schedule templateA year of internal audits planned by risk: the programme, the register, the auditors and the findings.
- Approved supplier list templateThe list of suppliers you may buy from, with the evidence behind each, certificate expiry alerts and re-evaluation dates.
- Pest control inspection checklistA pest control walk-round for a food plant, with a log of traps and stations and action levels for each type of device.
- Cleanroom audit checklist33 cleanroom checks split by how often they run (each shift, weekly, per plan, system), a gowning order to watch against, a differential pressure log and a findings log, with a worked week of readings.
- GMP audit checklist for drug manufacturing42 self-inspection checks ordered by the subparts of 21 CFR 211, each with its section, the matching EU GMP chapter and whether it is seen on the floor or in records, graded critical, major or minor, with a worked audit of a packaging line.
- Line clearance checklist28 line clearance checks in six sections (area, equipment, materials, printed materials, documents, coder and vision settings), cleared by the operator and verified by a second person, with a printed-materials reconciliation and a worked example that does not balance.
- ISO 13485 internal audit checklist38 questions on ISO 13485 clauses 4 to 8, each with the FDA QMSR section that brings it in or adds to it, a production floor tab (records, current instructions, training, nonconforming product, CAPA) and a worked audit of a catheter line.
- ISO 22716 GMP audit checklist for cosmetics25 cosmetic GMP checks following the sections of ISO 22716, split into a floor walk (people, premises, equipment, materials, production) and system checks (lab, out of specification, deviations, complaints, change control, audits, documents), with a worked audit of a filling line.
- SSOP template: sanitation standard operating procedureOne sanitation SOP sheet per area or machine (steps, chemical, contact time, PPE, lockout, owner), a 23-check pre-op inspection and a verification log for visual, ATP and micro checks.
- SQF internal audit checklist for food manufacturing54 questions in the two parts of the SQF manufacturing code (system elements and GMP), each group mapped to BRCGS and FSSC 22000, graded Conforms to Critical, with findings, a score and a yearly plan.
- ESD audit checklist29 checks for an ESD protected area, with daily tests split from periodic verification, a measurement log and a worked audit.
- 5S audit checklist template25 checks, five per S, scored 1 to 5, with a score summary and a chart of the five S's.
- 1-1-90 method worksheetOne page: score areas 1 to 5, write the pain point with a before and target number, check days 30, 60 and 90, and plan the next three areas.
- Gemba walk checklistA walk plan and route, 30 prompts in six groups and a findings table with owners and due dates.
- Gemba walk field guideA 20-page pocket guide: the rules, 48 questions by area with good and warning answers, a 30-day route and the follow-through loop, plus an action-log workbook.
- Leader standard work templateA team leader's daily, weekly and monthly routine with a box per day, follow-ups and a weekly review.
- Supervisor leader standard work templateA supervisor's daily, weekly and monthly routine with a box per day, an escalation log and a weekly review.
- Production manager leader standard work templateA production or value stream manager's routine by day, week and month, with an escalation log and a weekly review.
- Plant manager leader standard work templateA plant manager's short routine by day, week and month, with an escalation log and a weekly review.
- Autonomous maintenance (CILR) checklist20 clean, inspect, lubricate and retighten checks with a box per day, an abnormality log and sign-off.
- Skills matrix templatePeople by tasks on a 0 to 4 scale, coverage and gaps per task and shift, and a training plan that closes them.
- Standard work sheet templateTakt time, each element's manual, machine and walk time on a time chart, key points and standard WIP.
- One point lesson (OPL) templateOne topic on one page: wrong way and right way pictures, checkable key points, the standard it belongs to and a sign-off record.
- SMED changeover worksheetChangeover steps with times, internal or external, what can move, ideas and before/after totals.
- Kaizen event charter templateProblem, goal, scope in and out, boundaries, metrics from baseline to target, team and roles, and sign-off before day one.
- RACI matrix template17 kaizen project tasks by 10 roles, with R, A, C, I drop-downs and a check for one accountable per task.
- 5S red tag log and red tagsA log of every red-tagged item with its decision, and six printable red tags to cut out.
- Shift handover templateSafety, production against plan, holds, downtime events, materials and people, and the open actions the next shift takes over.
- Shift schedule packTen shift patterns defined exactly, each with a 28-day calendar, hours worked out from the cycle and a US 40-hour check, plus an Excel roster.
- Kanban card templateSix production and six withdrawal kanban cards to print and cut out, with loop sizing and a card register.
- Idea suggestion formA one-page idea form with the supervisor's answer and points, and an idea log that tracks days to answer.
- Just Do It (JDI) card templateSix Just Do It cards per sheet for quick fixes, with the rules for what counts and a log of every card.
- Quick kaizen templateOne page for a small improvement: before and after, the cause, the countermeasure, the results and whether the standard changed.
- Time study sheetTime each element over 10 cycles and work out the average, lowest repeatable and standard time. Excel does the sums.
- Spaghetti diagram templateSquared paper to trace every trip, a trip log that turns grid squares into feet, meters and walking time, and a before and after comparison.
- OEE tracking sheetOne row per shift for a week. The Excel version works out availability, performance, quality and OEE and charts the week.
- OSHA 300 log workbookA log laid out like OSHA Form 300, a 300A that totals itself, TRIR and DART rates, and an is-it-recordable walk traced to 29 CFR 1904.
- Near miss report formA two-page near miss report from the first report to closure, and an Excel log with status and days open.
- Safety observation card templateFour behavior-based safety cards per sheet, with safe and at-risk checks, the conversation and a tally sheet.
- Job safety analysis (JSA) templateJob steps, hazards, risk scored before and after the controls, the hierarchy of controls, PPE and sign-off.
- Risk assessment matrix template (5×5)A color-coded 5 × 5 severity and likelihood matrix, a scoring guide and a risk register.
- Incident investigation report templateFacts and a sourced timeline, causes at three levels, actions by the hierarchy of controls, a US recordkeeping screen and a closure check.
- Incident report templateThe first report, filled in the same shift: what happened, people, injury or damage, treatment, a US recordkeeping screen, actions and an Excel incident log.
- Toolbox talk templateA record of a short safety talk: topic, key points, questions raised, actions and an attendee sign-in sheet.
- Lockout/tagout (LOTO) procedure templateA machine-specific LOTO procedure: energy sources and isolation points, the steps from shutdown to restart, and the annual review.
- Forklift inspection checklist23 pre-shift checks for a week on one page, a do-not-operate rule, and a defect and repair log.
- Preventive maintenance checklist templateA PM checklist per machine with readings and sign-off, and a PM schedule that works out the next due date.
- Equipment downtime log (MTTR and MTBF)A breakdown and downtime log, with MTTR, MTBF and downtime by machine and cause worked out in Excel.
- Environmental aspects and impacts registerAn ISO 14001-style register of aspects and impacts, with significance scoring, legal requirements, controls and owners.
- Manufacturing process instruction (MPI) templateOperation steps with parameters, tools, quality checks, safety and a photo each, plus revision history and approval.
- Engineering process instruction (EPI) templateScope, parameters and limits, equipment and materials, validation steps, acceptance criteria, change history and approvals.
- Training sign-off sheetAn attendance and sign-off record where each person signs they understood, with a competence check and an Excel log.
- Learning curve and ramp-up workbookBoth learning curve models side by side, a fit from your own observed hours, batch hours, the unit that reaches standard and a weekly ramp plan.
- Operator staffing calculatorTakt, work content, the operators a line needs, a check of your station plan and the roster with absence cover, from your own demand and element times.
- On-the-job training (OJT) checklistThe training record for one trainee on one job: the four TWI steps signed, every try judged, qualified when your rule is met, then tapering follow-up checks.
- New hire onboarding checklist (manufacturing)29 onboarding items from before day 1 to the 90-day review, with owners, dates and review notes.
- Competency assessment formThe one-person assessment behind a skills matrix rating: each task rated 0 to 4 from evidence, checked, with a training plan for every gap.
- Cross-training plan templateWho is learning which task, from and to which level, by when, and how many are qualified on each task.
- Absenteeism tracker templateA monthly attendance grid with codes, absence rate by person and team, and an optional Bradford factor.
- Engineering change request (ECR) formAn ECR form with the change, what it touches, risk and approvals, and an Excel log that tracks each change to done.
- Process flow diagram templateA squared sheet to draw the flow with a symbol key, and a step table that counts operations, moves, checks, waits and storage.
- Office 5S audit checklist25 checks written for offices and shared areas, five per S, scored 1 to 5, with a score summary and actions.
- Floor marking color guideA floor marking color standard with swatches, marks and line widths to fill in, and a floor marking check with a layout sketch.
- Shadow board plannerTool inventory with fetch time, a layout planned from each tool's outline size, a month of daily checks with 5S audit evidence, and a missing tool log.
- Lubrication schedule templateEvery lube point with lubricant, method, amount, frequency and who, with next due dates and a monthly sign-off record.
- TPM tag logEvery abnormality tag with type, who fixes it, priority and dates, with days open and counts by type and week.
- Autonomous maintenance step auditCriteria for each of the seven autonomous maintenance steps, scored 0 to 2, with the step result and the decision to move on.
- Inventory cycle count sheetA blind count sheet with variance and tolerance, an ABC count schedule and record accuracy, worked out in Excel.
- Hour-by-hour production boardHourly plan against actual with running totals and the reason for each miss, plus a shift summary by reason.
- Cost savings trackerA savings log with hard and soft savings, payback and Finance's sign-off, plus a glide path against the year's target.
- CapEx request formA capital request with options, costs, benefits, payback and NPV, and the approval levels the amount needs.
- Standard cost variance workbookEight standard cost variances from your standards and actuals, favorable or unfavorable, proved against actual cost, with the questions to ask on the floor.
- Cost-benefit analysis templateUp to three options side by side with costs, hard and soft benefits, payback, NPV and the benefit-cost ratio.
- Cost of poor quality (COPQ) worksheetCost of quality by prevention, appraisal, internal and external failure, with COPQ as a share of sales.
- Receiving logA dock receiving log with quantities, damage, QC holds and putaway, plus a discrepancy report and dock-to-stock time.
- Warehouse safety inspection checklistThirty warehouse safety checks from aisles to fire exits, marked OK or Not OK, with an action for every finding.
- Pallet racking inspection checklistRack checks per aisle with a green, amber and red damage rating, and a damage log with repair dates.
- Material shortage logEvery part short with its need date, line impact, ETA and escalation, and counts by reason and supplier.
- Safety audit checklistThirty-four plant-wide safety checks answered Yes, No or N/A, scored by area, with a risk rating and an action for every No.
- Ergonomic risk assessment checklistScreen a task for 21 ergonomic risk factors, score how long each lasts, and rank tasks so the worst get controls first.
- Work order template for maintenanceA work order template for maintenance: one form per job from request to handback, and a log of response, completion and backlog by priority.
- Six big losses worksheetWhere a machine's planned time goes: the six big losses in minutes, ranked, with A, P, Q and OEE worked out.
- Andon response logEvery andon call with response and fix times, flags against your targets, and counts by type and station.
- Changeover checklist25 checks for every changeover, a record of planned and actual times, and a log of changeover time against target.
- Kanban sizing calculatorHow many kanban cards each loop needs, per part, with the change from today's cards and what the loop holds in days.
- Kaizen event trackerEvery kaizen event on one sheet: status, roles, the metric against target, open actions and the 30, 60 and 90 day checks.
- Standard work audit checklist24 checks of a job against its written standard, ten timed cycles, and each gap sorted by cause before anyone acts.
- TWI job breakdown sheetThe TWI Job Instruction breakdown of a job into important steps, key points and reasons, with a worked example and the four steps.
- Standard work combination tableOne operator's manual, machine, walk and wait time on a time chart against takt, with machine cycles and a process capacity sheet.
- Lead time worksheetProduction lead time from the inventory waiting at each step, value-added time and process cycle efficiency, plus an order traced from order to delivery.
- Waste walk checklist (TIMWOODS)32 things to look for across the eight wastes, with where and how much, and a findings log with dot votes, owners and dates.
- Maintenance KPI trackerMTBF, MTTR, availability and PM compliance per asset and month, plant figures from the totals, planned maintenance % and backlog in weeks.
- Daily huddle agendaA 15-minute start-of-shift stand-up in six timed blocks, with yesterday's SQCDP results, today's plan, actions and escalations.
- Water spider route plan (mizusumashi)A water spider's fixed route: stops with arrival times, what is delivered and collected, route time against the cycle, cart load and a trip log.
- Cost deployment matrixWCM cost deployment on paper and in Excel: loss quantities by process, causal and resultant losses, the cost of each loss, a Pareto and the projects that recover them.
- Equipment criticality analysisAssets scored 1 to 5 on six criteria with your own weights, ranked and sorted into classes A, B and C with a safety override and a suggested maintenance strategy.
- Bottleneck analysis worksheetEffective capacity per station from cycle time, parallel units, availability and yield, the bottleneck, takt and utilization, a queue cross-check and the five focusing steps.
- Yokoten tracker (horizontal deployment)Copy a proven improvement line by line: the source result, each candidate's own before and after, its share of the source's improvement and the standard updated.
- Coaching kata template (improvement kata storyboard)The learner's storyboard (target condition, current condition, obstacles, PDCA cycles) and a fold-over card with the coach's five questions.
- SMART goals templateWrite a goal, test it against the five SMART letters, then track progress toward the target against the time used.
- Lean readiness assessment templateTwenty statements in four factors, scored 1 to 5 by several people on their own, with averages, the spread between them and the actions.
- Nemawashi template (stakeholder plan)Plan the one-to-one conversations before a decision: who to talk to in what order, their concerns, what changed and where they stand.
- Heijunka box planner (production leveling)Weekly demand turned into containers a day, takt, pitch and slots, a leveled sequence of products and the heijunka box, with a check that the changeovers fit.
- Future state value stream map worksheetThe eight future-state questions worked through in order: takt, pitch, flow, supermarkets, the pacemaker and the mix, with an EPEI check and current against future lead time.
- Value stream plan (VSM action plan)The future-state map cut into loops, each with an objective and a measurable goal, and its kaizen bursts turned into owned, dated projects on a 12-month timeline.
- Kaizen project plan (Gantt chart)One improvement project as a Gantt chart: tasks by phase with owners, predecessors and working days, a 16-week grid, milestones and a status from planned against actual % done.
- Escalation matrix templateWho is called for each type of issue and after how long, with severity rules, contacts and an escalation log.
- Visual management audit checklist29 checks of whether anyone can tell normal from abnormal at a glance, scored by group, with a trend and actions.
- Employee recognition program templateDesign a recognition program on one page, then run it: points per action, prizes, budget, a points ledger, a monthly leaderboard and a fairness check by team and shift.
- Lean transformation roadmapA plant-wide lean program on one sheet: six phases with exit criteria, six workstreams by quarter over 24 months, the model line, metrics with baseline and target, cadence and risks.
- Obeya room plannerPlan the walls, owners, cadence, agenda and rules of an obeya, then run the weekly review of KPIs, problems, actions and milestones.
- Paper forms inventory (paperless manufacturing worksheet)Every paper form, checklist and log in one list: hours a month, who acts on it, how long the paper waits, and which forms to move first.
- Continuous improvement software evaluation scorecardCompare CI software vendors: a must-have gate, eight weighted criteria scored 1 to 5, points out of 100 and a rank, with a demo script and reference questions.
- Lean principles assessment templateThe five lean principles as 25 things you can see on one value stream, answered yes, partly or no on a walk, with a score per principle, the next step and a trend over walks.
- Employee engagement survey templateA short anonymous pulse survey for shop floor staff: 14 statements in six drivers, two open questions, results by driver and team, and the actions.
- Hansei reflection sheet (lessons learned)A written look back at one finished project, event or launch: goals against results in numbers, causes rather than blame, lessons to keep or change, and where else they apply.
- Safety cross calendarA month drawn as the green cross, colored each day by the most serious safety event, with totals and days since the last injury.
- Daily kaizen routine boardA team's 10 to 15 minute daily routine at the board: one problem from each person, small fixes with one owner, counted every week.
- Weekly maintenance schedule templateNext week's maintenance jobs, scheduled only when ready, loaded against each craft's hours by day, with schedule compliance and break-ins at week end.
- Operational excellence assessment templateThe ten principles of operational excellence as 30 behaviors and practices you can see, scored 1 to 5 by several people, with the spread, the three lowest principles and an action plan.
- Scrum meeting agenda templateTimed agendas for the five scrum meetings, a sprint planning sheet, a retrospective sheet, and an Excel sprint backlog with a burndown.
- Toyota Production System (TPS) house templateThe TPS house for one plant or value stream: roof, two pillars and foundation, with what you do today, the evidence, a status and the next step for each element.
- EPEI and batch size calculatorHow often each part can come round on a shared machine (EPEI) and how big each batch must be, from demand, cycle times and changeovers, now and after SMED.
- People, process, technology (PPT) assessmentCheck one change before go-live: 18 people, process and technology statements scored 1 to 4 by the people who will use it, the lowest element and the actions.
- Process capacity sheet templateEach machine in a part's routing with manual, auto and tool change time, its capacity per shift, and the step that limits the cell against demand.
- Team charter templateA one-page charter for a standing team: purpose, scope, roles, the KPIs it owns, which decisions it makes itself, norms and cadence.
- Chaku-chaku line plannerPlan a load-load cell: time each machine, load and walk, check that every machine is ready when the operator comes back, compare the cell cycle with takt and size the crew.
- Standard operating procedure (SOP) templateA full SOP in the hierarchical step format, from purpose and scope to the steps, records, revision history and approvals, with review checks and an SOP register.
- Safety pillar 90-day model area planThirteen weeks from the incident pyramid to safety standards on one model area, a KPI board, the day-90 gate and expansion waves.
- Autonomous maintenance 90-day model area planAM steps 0 to 3 on one model machine in 13 weeks, a KPI board, the day-90 gate and expansion waves for months 4 to 12.
- Professional maintenance (PM) 90-day model area planThirteen weeks from breakdown analysis to a running PM calendar on one model machine, a KPI board, the day-90 gate and expansion waves.
- Environment and energy pillar 90-day model area planThirteen weeks from waste and energy maps to area standards on one model area, a KPI board, the day-90 gate and expansion waves.
- Focused improvement 90-day model area planThirteen weeks from the loss Pareto to standardized fixes on one model line, a KPI board, the day-90 gate and expansion waves.
- Logistics and customer service pillar 90-day model area planThirteen weeks from the current-state map to pull on one model value stream, a KPI board, the day-90 gate and expansion waves.
- People development pillar 90-day model area planThirteen weeks from the skills matrix to trained cover on critical tasks in one model area, a KPI board, the day-90 gate and expansion waves.
- Early equipment management 90-day model area planThirteen weeks from lessons on current machines to a tracked start-up on one model equipment project, a KPI board, the day-90 gate and expansion waves.
- Cost deployment pillar 90-day model area planThirteen weeks from the loss map to costed, ranked projects in one model area, a KPI board, the day-90 gate and expansion waves.
- Moving from Excel to one system checklistA 34-point checklist and a file inventory for moving trackers from spreadsheets to one system: keep, move, connect or retire, clean, pilot, run both, retire.
- Cost per unit worksheet (manufacturing cost per good unit)One product's cost per good unit by materials, labor, machine and overhead, the gap to target, and which cost lever is worth most a year.
- Digital manufacturing readiness assessmentScore 24 statements on process, technology and people from 0 to 4, check the balance between them and rank the gaps by what matters in your plant.
- Manufacturing KPI dashboard templateWeekly plant numbers in, 14 KPIs out: OEE and its parts, first pass yield, scrap, on-time delivery, recordable rate, cost and absence, each against a target.
- RCM worksheet (failure mode and task selection)Failure modes classed as hidden, safety, operational or non-operational, then a task chosen for each: condition-based, discard, failure-finding, redesign or run to failure.
- Training matrix template with expiry datesPeople by required trainings with expiry dates, OK, due, expired and missing flags, compliance by person and area, cover per training and a renewal list.
- Downtime reason codes template26 starter codes mapped to the six big losses, a log with drop-downs, a Pareto by code and by loss, and a code card for the line.
- Kaizen event preparation checklistEverything that has to be ready before a kaizen event and done after it: 44 items with owners and due dates from 6 weeks before day 1 to 30 days after, five go or no-go gates and a day-by-day agenda.
- Critical spare parts list and stocking levelsAssets ranked by consequence, each part classed and given a stocking policy, and min and max worked out from usage and lead time, with the downtime each stock-out would cost.
- Tier 2 meeting agenda and escalation sheetA 15-minute tier 2 agenda in ten timed blocks, fixed roles and rules, escalation triggers with time limits, and a log that ages every escalation and sends the answer back down.
- Forklift operator training and evaluation recordPer-operator training and evaluation record, a register with three-year due dates and refresher triggers, and a weighted practical evaluation scoresheet.
- REBA worksheet (Rapid Entire Body Assessment)Score up to six postures with REBA: body-part drop-downs, Tables A, B and C as lookups, final score and action level, and a before and after comparison.
- ISO 45001 internal audit checklist44 audit questions for the plant floor in 16 safety topics, each with its ISO 45001:2018 clause, the evidence to look for and the sample to take, plus 12 worker interview prompts, a findings log and a summary by clause.
- Plan for every part (PFEP) templateOne row per part: supplier, pack, container, usage, lead time and locations, with ABC classes, market and line kanban counts and a lineside space check.
- Changeover matrix templateA from-to matrix of changeover minutes with the clean each transition needs (allergen, colour, format), and a weekly planner that totals the order and suggests a shorter one.
- Overhead crane inspection checklist: frequent and periodic34 crane checks tied to OSHA 1910.179: an operator's pre-shift card, frequent and periodic inspections with signed records, a deficiency and tag-out log, and a register of next due dates.
- Maintenance job plan templateOne job planned on one sheet: steps and craft hours, parts checked against stock, tools, lockout and permits, documents, a ready check for the schedule, and technician feedback.
- Video time study filming checklistA pre-shoot checklist and shot log for filming a time study on video: camera, light, people, settings, power and review.
- Reorder point and safety stock sheet (many parts)Safety stock, reorder point, order quantity and an order list for up to 500 parts, worked out from each part's own demand and lead time history.
- OSHA compliance calendar (general industry)37 recurring federal OSHA duties with the paragraph, interval, owner, next due date and an overdue flag, plus a 12-month view and counts by owner.
- TRIR and DART rate trackerMonthly hours, OSHA 300 case counts and near misses in; rolling 12-month TRIR and DART rate, a case budget against your target and a trend chart out.
- Energy use and EnPI trackerMonthly electricity, gas and fuel in one unit, a 12-month regression baseline, expected against actual energy for each month, an EnPI ratio, the running saving and the tests that say whether the model can be trusted.
- FIFO lane sizing sheetThe maximum for a FIFO lane from the stop it must cover, in whole containers, with length, refill and wait checks for up to eight lanes.
- Machine guarding inspection sheetA machine register with due dates and a status per machine, 21 checks tied to OSHA 1910.212, .219 and .147, a guard opening check against Table O-10, and an action log.
- Condition monitoring route sheetA route of measuring points with baselines, alert and alarm limits, a check interval from the P-F interval, readings with rising and overdue flags, and an exceptions list worst first.
- Fire extinguisher inspection checklist and logThe 8 monthly checks for each portable extinguisher, plus a log with the hydro test interval from OSHA Table L-1, annual and 6-year due dates and open issues.
- Toolbox talk topics (52 weekly topics)52 weekly toolbox talk topics, each with a one-line key message and a discussion question, and a tracker for the year.
- Loss tree worksheetBreak one big loss number into area, line, machine, loss type and cause, and stop at the cause a team can fix.
- Equipment register templateOne row per asset, with hierarchy, criticality, PM strategy and owner, and a check that flags what is missing.
- Machine history record templateOne record per machine: components and their life, every breakdown and repair with cost, MTBF and MTTR, and a repair-or-extend check.
- Compressed air leak survey logWalk sheet, printable leak tags and a tracker that puts an annual cost on every leak and follows it to a verified fix.
- Project savings validation checklistThe gate between a project's claim and a reported saving: 20 checks, a claims register and a six-month sustainment check.
- Life cycle cost analysis templateCompare up to three machines over ten years: price, energy, upkeep, failures and down time, discounted to present value.
- Equipment design review checklistGate reviews for a new machine before order, before build and before start-up, with a safety buy-off and a problems journal.
- Emergency action plan templateA written emergency plan for a plant: site facts, roles and backups, warden coverage, scenario steps and a drill record.
- Preliminary hazard analysis (PHA) worksheetFind and score the hazards of a new line, machine or process before design is fixed, then choose controls and re-score.
- Hot work permit templateA hot work permit with a precautions checklist, fire watch record and close-out, plus an Excel permit log.
- Confined space entry permit templateA confined space entry permit with checks, an air test log, an entry log and cancellation, plus an Excel register.
- Energy loss matrix templateSeven types of energy loss by six energy sources with a cost in each cell, an action plan and an idle-period shutdown checklist.
- Management safety tour formA leader's scheduled safety walk: observation form, operator interview, tally, actions, rota and a tour log with a dashboard.
- Hazard prediction worksheetA pre-task worksheet: score what could go wrong at each step of a job, add a countermeasure and score again.
- Chemical inventory and SDS register templateA register of every chemical on site with its hazard class, safety data sheet and label, and a check that incompatible products are kept apart.
- Safety committee meeting minutes templateMinutes for a safety committee: attendance, nine agenda items, an action log that carries open actions forward, and monthly numbers.
- Environmental compliance audit checklistAn internal environmental audit: 37 questions with what to look for, a findings log with classes and a score by section.
- Management of change formA change request and review form for a plant: what changes, the hazard review, approvals, pre-startup review, training and close-out.
- Silica exposure control plan templateA written silica plan for general industry: tasks, controls and housekeeping, plus monitoring, medical surveillance, training and a 31-check plan audit.
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A shift handover sheet, a red tag log, a changeover checklist for one machine: if your team uses it on the floor, ask.

