GlossaryKind of term: Manufacturing termSpecial tooling
What is special tooling?
Special tooling is cutting tooling made or modified for one part or profile, such as a form cutter or a custom step drill, rather than taken from a catalogue.
Catalogue tooling counts only once it has been modified. A custom step drill may produce two diameters, or drill and countersink, in one pass; a form cutter follows a contour. Other examples are a tap for a thread with an unusual pitch and a reamer at a non-standard size. A fixture made for a single part is not a cutting tool, but estimates often treat it in the same way.
How does special tooling work in practice?
Buying or making it is a one-off cost, like programming and first-time setup. Spread it over the piece price of a one-off and the part becomes expensive; spread it over an expected batch that never comes and part of it goes unpaid. So it often appears as a separate line on the quote, with an agreement on ownership and storage. The tool's lead time can run to weeks, and then belongs in the schedule and in the delivery time on the quote. Special tooling wears too: over a long batch, regrinding and replacement come back per part. Whether it pays is a trade-off between time saved per part, quantity, lead time and the risk of a tool with no spare.
What is special tooling often confused with?
Special tooling is not the same as tool cost per part: the purchase is paid once, consumption accrues per part. Nor is a fixture a cutting tool: it holds the part, even though the quote often shows it as the same kind of one-off cost.
Frequently asked questions
How do I put special tooling on a quote?
Often as a one-off line beside the piece price, stating what it is, what it costs and who will own it. That shows why the first order costs more than a repeat order, as long as the tool does not need replacing.
Who pays for a fixture or special tooling?
That is an agreement, not a fixed rule. Often the customer pays it as a one-off cost when it only makes sense for their part. Agree who owns it, where it is stored and who pays for replacement.