The "Shot Count" Problem: Maintaining molds based on the calendar (e.g., "Monthly") is dangerous. You must maintain them based on Cycles (Shots).
The Data Silo: Most factories track molds in Excel or a logbook, disconnected from the main maintenance system. This leads to production delays when a mold isn't ready.
The Top Contenders: We review Fabrico, OASIS, ToolWatch, and others to help you automate your tooling lifecycle.
For Injection Molding and Metal Stamping manufacturers, the Tool (Mold/Die) is just as valuable as the machine itself.
A €50,000 mold is a capital asset that needs careful tracking.
Yet, most factories manage molds with "paper tickers" and spreadsheets.
The problem with this approach is Maintenance Timing.
If you maintain a mold "Every Month," you are guessing.
Scenario A: The mold sat on the shelf all month. You clean it anyway. (Waste).
Scenario B: The mold ran a high-speed job and hit 100,000 shots in two weeks. It needed grease a week ago. It seizes up. (Disaster).
To manage tooling correctly, you need Cycle-Based Maintenance. You need software that counts the shots automatically and triggers the repair exactly when it is needed.
Here are the 5 best Tool & Mold Management systems for 2025.
Best For: Manufacturers who want to link Production Cycles to Maintenance Work Orders.
Fabrico solves the #1 problem in tooling: "How many shots has this mold run?"
By connecting to the machine's PLC (via the OEE module), Fabrico counts the cycles automatically. You never have to rely on an operator writing numbers in a logbook.
Smart Triggers: You set the rule: "Clean Mold A every 20,000 shots." Fabrico watches the count. When it hits 20,000, the Work Order is generated instantly.
Lifecycle Tracking: Fabrico tracks the Total Life of the mold. You can see exactly when a mold is approaching its "End of Life" to budget for a replacement.
Cavity Management: You can track issues by cavity (e.g., "Cavity 4 is blocked"). This helps technicians fix the specific problem rather than tearing down the whole tool.
Integrated Workflow: The mold is managed in the same system as the injection molding machine. This prevents the "Disconnect" where Maintenance fixes the machine but forgets to service the tool.
The Verdict: If you want to move from "Guessing" to "Precision," Fabrico is the automated choice.
Best For: Dedicated Mold Shops.
OASIS is a specialized tool designed purely for the mold-making and mold-maintenance industry.
Pros: Incredible depth on mold specifics (steel types, runner systems). It is built by mold experts for mold experts.
Cons: It is a silo. It is great for the Tool Room, but it doesn't connect easily to the general plant maintenance (conveyors, chillers, compressors). You end up running two separate maintenance systems.
The Difference: OASIS is for the Tool Maker; Fabrico is for the Manufacturer.
Best For: Tracking location (Check-in / Check-out).
ToolWatch is a leader in the Construction and Utility sectors. Its primary strength is tracking where a tool is (e.g., "On Truck 4" or "At Job Site B").
Pros: Excellent barcode/RFID tracking for finding lost assets. Great for portable tools.
Cons: It is less focused on the internal maintenance of complex injection molds. It tracks "Who has it," not necessarily "How many cycles did it run today?"
The Difference: Use ToolWatch if you lose tools. Use Fabrico if you break tools.
Best For: CAD/CAM users and Tool Design.
Cimatron is primarily a CAD/CAM software for designing molds, but it has modules for shop floor management.
Pros: If you design and build your own molds in-house, this keeps the maintenance data linked to the original CAD design files.
Cons: It is overkill for a production plant that just uses molds. It is expensive and complex for a maintenance technician who just needs to know if the mold needs cleaning.
The Difference: Cimatron is for the Design Engineer; Fabrico is for the Maintenance Manager.
Best For: General Asset Management.
Fiix treats a mold like any other asset. It can track costs and work orders effectively.
Pros: Strong enterprise reporting. Good for tracking total costs.
Cons: Cycle counting usually requires a manual input or a complex integration project. It does not have the "Shot Count" logic built-in as natively as specialized tools.
The Difference: A solid generalist, but requires configuration to handle high-speed tooling cycles effectively.
| Feature | Fabrico | OASIS | ToolWatch | Fiix |
| Primary Focus | Production & Maint. | Tooling Room | Location Tracking | General Assets |
| Auto-Shot Counting | ✅ Native (OEE) | ⚠️ Manual/Import | ❌ No | ⚠️ Integration |
| Maintenance Triggers | ✅ Cycle Based | ✅ Cycle Based | ⚠️ Time Based | ✅ Cycle/Time |
| Asset Hierarchy | ✅ Machine + Mold | ⚠️ Mold Only | ❌ Flat List | ✅ Machine + Asset |
| User Experience | Modern | Technical | Modern | Good |
A mold sitting on a shelf does not degrade. A mold running a 5-second cycle degrades rapidly.
If your software cannot tell the difference (by counting shots), you are wasting money on unnecessary cleaning or risking quality defects from worn tools.
Stick with ToolWatch if: You are tracking drills and saws across construction sites.
Choose OASIS if: You are a dedicated tool-and-die shop building molds for others.
Choose Fabrico if: You are a Manufacturer. If you need to coordinate the Machine, the Mold, and the Maintenance Team in one system to keep production running, Fabrico is the unified solution.
Automate your shot counting.
[Book a Demo with Fabrico] to see how we trigger maintenance exactly when the mold needs it.
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