Why it works

Mechanism	A press earns money only while it makes parts. Fetching the mold, hoses and tools does not need the press stopped. Done while the old job runs, each minute of fetching becomes a minute the press runs. The swap itself is not rushed.
Math	We estimate 15 minutes of waiting at each of 2,200 mold changes per year, which is 550 press hours. A press hour is worth $55 when an order fills it, and we assume orders fill 70 percent of them. That is about $21,200 per year, or about $20,300 after about $900 per year to restock the carts. Six carts and the checklists cost about $10,200 once, a payback of about 6 months.
Industry evidence	The standard method for faster mold changes does all work that does not need a stopped machine before it stops. Molders that worked on their mold changes report cuts of 30 to 60 percent. The 15 minutes we assume is about a quarter of the median change here.
Limitations	A freed press hour is worth money only when an order fills it. We assume 70 percent are filled, because about one order in seven shipped late last year. We saw one mold change, on one press, and did not time it. The cart only helps when the next job is known before the press stops.

Illustrative sample. The plant, the walk and the footage are synthetic. Figures from our analysis are estimates made with AI, not guarantees.