Gang-molding

Gang-molding is the practice of using the same plastic mold to simultaneously manufacture different parts for different toys.

Multiple large toys are not typically gang-molded; the procedure is normally used either for a single large toy and a smaller one that is associated with it, such as a Headmaster and its head component, or for several smaller toys, such as a Mini-Con team. Sometimes gang-molded toys are sold together, as in these cases, but there have been instances of toys that were sold separately sharing parts, such as the Axelerators Skram and Windbreaker.

In most cases, producing one of several toys that are gang-molded together will automatically result in some or all of the parts for the other toys being produced as well. This is why all the toys in certain types of groups tend to get redecoed at about the same time--making a toy from Armada Firebot's mold, such as Anti-Blaze, will also create similarly colored versions of Makeshift and Prowl (in Anti-Blaze's case, Scythe and Checkpoint respectively).

Not all toys that are packaged together are gang-molded. The three members of the Clear Skies Mini-Con Team, for example, are molded independently of each other.