Tool makers and die makers are often viewed and considered as one profession because they overlap so much. Tool makers are highly skilled craftsmen working in the manufacturing business that create different and many types of tools that are required within the manufacturing process. Any appliance or machine that we use in our daily lives uses parts that tool makers have created. Tool makers make tools such as jigs, fixtures, dies, moulds, cutting tools, machine tools, gauges, and much more. Tool makers can be described as the top heading for this profession and within this heading you have specialized areas such as mould makers, die makers, and tool fitters.

By definition tool makers create tools that are used to produce products. Die makers are indeed tool makers but they focus mainly on creating and maintaining dies. Die makers are required to create tools such as punches, dies, steel rule dies, and die sets to aid in the die making process. Die makers have to be extremely accurate and precise in order to create parts correctly, their work needs to be so exact that the machines they use need to be set at measures of less than one thousandth of an inch. If the settings and measurements are out even a touch then the part will not be correct and cannot be used.

Tool makers and die makers often overlap within their field because a person in either field may be asked to carry out jobs which have been described in either profession. Die making is a sub genre of tool making but it is all interconnected.

The training for tool makers and die makers is very similar. A background in mathematics, science and engineering is required and a good knowledge of computers and using computer software is helpful. Many tool makers start out in apprenticeships which combine classroom work and text book learning with hands on experience to develop their skills and ability.

Choosing The Right Precision Machining Company

Choosing the right precision machining company for your business and for a particular project is a very important decision to make. It is important to know your exact requirements in order to be sure that the precision machining company or companies your approach can meet these expectations. Choosing a precision machining company is not like most other businesses that you would normally shop from, generally speaking the precision machining company will not have made your component before and so you are relying on trust that the will be able to create for you what it is you want. There are a few ways to help you make your decision and to ensure that the company can ultimately produce what it is you are wanting.

Start by asking your potential precision machining companies for some examples of their work, such as a portfolio or images of other projects they have worked on recently. Although the projects are bespoke and so won't match your component needs you can see the quality of their work and the end result. You can also ask for a few contact details of their customers who have agreed to act as a testimonial for them. The precision machining company will be happy to hand these over if they are confident in their work. Talking directly to their customers will give a great indication of what kind of company that particular precision machining company is like and if they were happy with the work.

If you are searching for a Manchester based rapid tooling company then please visit ITI-Manchester's website for more information.

Always check what type of machinery and equipment the precision machining company use and whether this type of equipment can effectively create your component. Enquire about their specialties and what they can do to see if this matches your precision machining needs. Some companies will say anything to get a project only to find that they cannot fulfill their end of the deal and so ask the company what they cannot do and speaking to the company in person will give you a better indication of whether you can trust what they are saying and promising.