INTRODUCTION

This Code of Practice covers all aspects of the manufacture of a plastics product from it's conception through to its sale and, indeed, on to service life and final disposal. It particularly addresses the relationships between organisations and people which enable the efficient creation of a finished product.

The initiative for the document came from the 1992 Institute of Materials mouldmaking conference at which a working group was formed to address the problem of "the absence of simultaneous engineering in mould design and manufacture of the end product".

Under the Chairmanship of the late Tony Challis, to whose experience, enthusiasm and analytical wisdom the publication of the 1st Edition owes much, the working party concluded that a more concerted strategy than apparently existed was fundamental to a successful total design and manufacturing process. They therefore set out to produce a document which identified the co-operation and changes of practice required from the many parties involved in the whole manufacturing chain.

Industry, in the form of survey responses, had contributed greatly to the working party's conclusions and subsequently an industry-wide forum met to review the document; as well as making valuable comment, it encouraged publication and the PENTAMODE paper was born. Simultaneously, the GTMA produced their World Class Toolmaker Profile and their Partnership initiative was coming to fruition. These documents were well conceived and totally complementary to PENTAMODE; they focus solely on the mouldmaker's operations within the whole process.

The 2nd Edition of PENTAMODE incorporates feedback from those who have already started using the Code; additionally, a performance-assessment section has been introduced to help users implement the approach. However, the essential message, which has not changed, is that both customers and manufacturers will profit from the PENTAMODE recommendations, which are flexible by intent, so that every company or project team can match them to their own particular requirements.

Companies in the manufacturing chain adopting the PENTAMODE philosophy will achieve swifter and smoother accomplishment of project objectives which, in turn, will mean greater economic advantage to all concerned.

In dedicating this 2nd Edition of PENTAMODE to the name of Tony Challis, I commend its use to all in our industry who wish to improve their competitiveness as well as their profitability.

Peter D. Bean

(Chairman of the PENTAMODE Steering Committee)

March 1998.