Tooling in manufacturing, also known as machine tooling, is the process of designing, cutting, shaping, and forming materials that will be used to produce parts and components. Tooling is an essential part of the manufacturing process, providing a wide range of industries with the necessary equipment for a particular project. Tooling types vary depending on the component being manufactured, but the most common types of tooling are cutting tools and screwdrivers, jigs, fixtures, and workholding, dies, molds, and gauges for measurements.

The quality of a finished part, its properties, the speed and accuracy with which it can be produced, and the repeatability of manufacture in high volume production runs all depend on the precision and characteristics of the tooling. Properly designed and engineered tooling leads to a product that functions as needed, and well-made tooling can make manufacturing processes faster and more economical.

Tooling can be made using a variety of production processes, including milling, machining, hard turning, electrical discharge machining (EDM), and 3D printing. Soft tooling is cheaper and less time-consuming to make than hard tooling, which is made of durable metals like steel or nickel alloys and can withstand many production cycles.

In summary, tooling is an essential part of the manufacturing process that involves designing, cutting, shaping, and forming materials to produce parts and components. The quality of the finished product, the speed and accuracy of production, and the repeatability of manufacture all depend on the precision and characteristics of the tooling. Tooling can be made using a variety of production processes, and the type of tooling used depends on the component being manufactured.