What it is
Tooling is the specialised equipment needed to manufacture a product in a repeatable way—moulds for injection moulding, dies for stamping, jigs and fixtures for assembly, and similar items. Tooling is often expensive up front but amortised across production volume.
What to clarify
Ask who pays for tooling, who owns it, where it is stored, and what happens if you switch suppliers. Also confirm what revision rounds are included if the design changes after tooling starts.
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