本文关注预浸复合材料模具设计和制造的实际方面。给定工具的成败通常由多种因素共同决定，包括与零件配置有关的工具设计、主模型材料选择和构造、工具材料选择和加工以及使用条件。研究了因任何或所有这些原因导致工具失效的原因，并就确保一致成功所需的措施提出了建议。应用于工具设计和制造的技术水平在整个行业中差异很大，作者的观点是，如果工具工程师受过足够的教育，绝大多数工具制造或服务故障是完全可以避免的。

THIS PAPER IS CONCERNED WITH PRACTICAL ASPECTS OF THE DESIGN AND MANUFACTURE OF PREPREG COMPOSITE TOOLING. THE SUCCESS OR FAILURE OF A GIVEN TOOL IS USUALLY DETERMINED BY A COMBINATION OF FACTORS, INCLUDING TOOL DESIGN IN RELATION TO PART CONFIGURATION, MASTER MODEL MATERIAL SELECTION AND CONSTRUCTION, TOOL MATERIAL SELECTION AND PROCESSING, AND SERVICE USAGE CONDITIONS. REASONS FOR TOOL FAILURE RESULTING FROM ANY OR ALL OF THESE REASONS ARE EXAMINED, AND RECOMMENDATIONS GIVEN REGARDING THE MEASURES NECESSARY TO ENSURE CONSISTENT SUCCESS. THE LEVEL OF TECHNOLOGY APPLIED TO TOOL DESIGN AND MANUFACTURE DIFFERS WIDELY ACROSS THE INDUSTRY AND IT IS THE AUTHORS' CONTENTION THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF TOOL MANUFACTURING OR SERVICE FAILURES ARE COMPLETELY AVOIDABLE, GIVEN AN ADEQUATE LEVEL OF EDUCATION AMONG TOOLING ENGINEERS.