A tooling change is a controlled modification, replacement, or introduction of tooling used to make, hold, form, cut, assemble, or inspect a product. In manufacturing, this can include changes to fixtures, dies, molds, jigs, cutting tools, gauges, nests, or other production and inspection aids.
Tooling changes are commonly managed through engineering, manufacturing engineering, quality, and production control workflows. They may require updates to work instructions, routings, setup sheets, inspection plans, tool records, ERP or MES master data, and traceability records. In regulated or quality-sensitive environments, the change is typically reviewed for its effect on product characteristics, process capability, inspection method, and production release status.
A tooling change should not be confused with a routine tool changeover. A changeover usually means switching equipment or tools between jobs, batches, or part numbers. A tooling change alters the tooling itself, its approved configuration, or its intended use. It is also narrower than an engineering change, although an engineering change may cause or require a tooling change.