--- title: "How Long Does Custom Tray Development Take? | Termotray" description: "Discovery, concept, prototype, validation, and production. How a pilot run cuts risk before the production mold is built, and what drives lead time." url: "https://www.termotray.com.br/en/library/tray-development-lead-times" type: "article" published: "2026-10-22" updated: "2026-10-28" author: "Amilcar Luchesi" --- # From drawing to production: lead times, prototypes, and tooling The five stages of custom tray development, what the prototype and pilot run validate, and what drives the lead time to volume production. [Smart Sourcing](https://www.termotray.com.br/en/library/category/smart-sourcing) · 7 min read · Published October 22, 2026 · Updated October 28, 2026 ## Key takeaways - Custom tray development goes through five stages: discovery, concept, prototype, validation, and production. - The pilot run is tested in your operation, and the production mold is built only after you approve it. - Each stage has a typical lead time, but your project's timeline is confirmed in the formal quote, because it depends on the part's complexity, the rounds of adjustments, and the testing time on your line. - When the part is revised, the tray design is updated from the existing file. There are five stages between a part drawing and a custom thermoformed tray in volume production: discovery, concept, prototype, validation, and production. The pilot run is the key step. The first trays are tested in your operation, and the production mold is built only after you approve the results. Each stage has a typical lead time, but the overall timeline depends on the part's complexity and the rounds of adjustments, so it's confirmed in the formal quote, stage by stage. Below is what happens in each phase and what you can do to shorten the timeline. ## What are the stages from drawing to production? Every tray is custom-designed around the part's geometry and where it will be used. That's why the process starts with the part and how your line runs day to day, not with a ready-made design. The stages exist so that each decision is tested before it turns into a tooling investment. In practice, the project follows five stages, always with [our engineering team](https://www.termotray.com.br/en/engineering) involved and with your approval before moving on to the next one. Each approval locks in a decision, and the next stage builds on it, so nothing that's already been validated gets reopened. - Discovery: a review of the part, volume, life cycle, use, and requirements, during an on-site visit or a technical meeting. - Concept: a 3D design with the part already in position and a rendered image for approval. - Prototype: a physical sample, usually a single 3D-printed cavity, to validate fit and handling. - Validation: a pilot run tested in your operation; the production mold is released only after you approve it. - Production: volume production with in-house tooling, inspection, and lot traceability. ## Discovery and concept: the design before the mold In discovery, the conversation goes beyond the part. We want to know how many parts move per lot and whether the tray ends up at the customer's assembly line or comes back to the plant. We also ask whether there's a robot or vision system and whether the component needs electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection. Each answer shapes the tray. An expendable tray and a [returnable tray](https://www.termotray.com.br/en/solutions/returnable-trays) for the same part can be very different. In the concept stage, you receive the 3D design with your part in position. The design takes into account geometry, handling, ESD protection, stacking, transport, and automation. Because the tray is still a file, changes are made at the design stage, which reduces rework and cost in the later phases. It's the best time to involve the people who run the line, because they're the first to notice a cavity that's hard to reach with gloves on. Related solution [Process and automation trays](https://www.termotray.com.br/en/solutions/process-automation-trays) Precise part positioning for production lines, robots, and vision systems, including robot-ready matrix trays. ## What is a pilot run, and what does it validate? The prototype and the pilot run do different jobs. The prototype is a physical sample, usually of a single cavity, used to check that the part goes in, seats, and comes out as intended. In more complex cases, the prototype is the complete tray, tested in your operation with real operators, boxes, stacking, and transport. The pilot run then puts the tray into your line's day-to-day operation, and that's where the details a file can't show come to light. Starting small reduces your risk as the buyer. A problem found in the pilot run is fixed before the production mold is built. The same problem found in volume production means adjusting tooling while production is already underway. That's why the production mold is released only after you approve the pilot run. During the pilot run, it pays to check a few things on the line and document what you find, with photos and feedback from the operators. That feedback guides the final adjustments before the production mold is released. - The part goes in and comes out without force, and it isn't so loose that it moves in transit. - Operators can pick up the part easily, even with gloves on. - Trays stack securely and fit the box, KLT bin (small load carrier), or rack you already use. - Counts per tray and per box add up without part-by-part checks. - If there's a robot or vision system, every cavity is in the expected position. ## What drives the lead time to volume production Each stage has a typical lead time. Discovery usually happens as soon as your team is available, in person or online, and the 3D concept is typically ready in five days. After initial approval comes the prototype, usually a single 3D-printed cavity. The pilot run is typically delivered five days after the drawings are approved, and volume production has a lead time of 12 days after the pilot run is approved. Your project's timeline is confirmed in the formal quote, because it varies from case to case. A simple part, with few cavities and no special requirements, moves faster than a component with complex geometry, multiple positions, and ESD protection. The number of adjustment rounds in the concept and prototype stages also plays a part. Part of the timeline depends on you. The time it takes to approve the concept, receive the prototype, and test the pilot run on your line is usually the biggest variable. Having the physical part on hand, an up-to-date 3D file, and a single point of contact for approvals shortens the timeline considerably. A part revision in the middle of the project, on the other hand, sends the work back to the concept stage. ## In-house tooling and part revisions Engineering, molds, prototypes, and production all happen under one roof, in Guararema, São Paulo, Brazil. In-house tooling, backed by a maintenance plan, is the foundation of repeatability and keeps the same fit lot after lot. Controlling how wall thickness is distributed, including at the corners, is part of the design, so the tray is strong throughout. Parts get revised, especially in electronics. When that happens, the tray design is updated from the existing file, and the change goes through the same approval stages. If you already use a tray made by another supplier, see also [how we evaluate your current mold](https://www.termotray.com.br/en/library/reuse-existing-mold). ## What to send to start development The more complete the initial information, the less back-and-forth in the concept stage. We accept STEP, IGES, or PDF files, and a physical sample of the part helps check the fit from the start. If the part is still in development, tell us the revision of the file you're sending. - The part: a physical sample, drawing, or 3D CAD file. - The volume: quantity per lot and frequency of use. - The workflow: where and how the tray will be used, and whether it ends up at the customer or circulates inside the plant. - The requirements: ESD protection when needed, technical cleanliness, a standard box or rack, and anything your customer specifies. With this information, our engineering team reviews your case and presents an initial tray proposal. You can send everything through the [quote request form](https://www.termotray.com.br/en/quote). If some information is still missing, send what you have, and we'll contact you if we need more details. Files accepted to start a project: STEP, IGES, or PDF. The production mold is built only after the pilot run is approved in your operation. ## Frequently asked questions ### How long does it take to go from drawing to the first production delivery? The time from drawing to the first production delivery depends on the part's complexity, the number of adjustment rounds, and how long the pilot run is tested on your line. For reference, the concept is ready in five days, the pilot run is delivered five days after the drawings are approved, and volume production has a lead time of 12 days after the pilot run is approved. Each project's timeline is confirmed in the formal quote. Sending your part details, an up-to-date 3D file, and your requirements early on usually shortens the timeline. ### Does a pilot run cost more per unit? A pilot run usually costs more per unit, because it's produced in a smaller quantity and before the production mold is built. In return, you test the tray in your operation before committing to the investment in production tooling. Pilot run terms are presented in the formal quote for each project. ### How many trays are in a pilot run? The pilot run quantity is agreed with you, based on what needs to be tested. It has to be large enough to run through real day-to-day conditions on your line, including stacking, transport, and, where applicable, the return loop or robot testing. ### When can the pilot run be skipped? Whether the pilot run can be skipped is decided with our engineering team, case by case. A small change to a tray that has already been validated, for example, may not need the same testing as a new project. In new projects, the pilot run is how fit and handling are confirmed before the production mold is built. Author · **Amilcar Luchesi** · Technical Director ## Related reading [Already have a mold with another supplier? Here's when you can reuse it](https://www.termotray.com.br/en/library/reuse-existing-mold) [Functional trays: how to specify by life cycle](https://www.termotray.com.br/en/library/specify-trays-by-life-cycle) [Process trays for assembly lines, robots, and line feeding](https://www.termotray.com.br/en/solutions/process-automation-trays) ## Send your part drawing and start with a pilot run [Request a Quote](https://www.termotray.com.br/en/quote) --- Termotray is a Brazilian manufacturer of custom thermoformed trays for auto parts, electronics, and sensitive components, based in Guararema, São Paulo. - Request a Quote: https://www.termotray.com.br/en/quote - Site index for AI agents: https://www.termotray.com.br/llms.txt - Instructions for AI agents: https://www.termotray.com.br/agents.md