The objective is to match the gate area to the part quality requirements and then select a machine and plunger so that the operating window as large as possible and consistent with quality requirements. The minimum machine power necessary to maximize the operating window is determined from basic part requirements and the optimal plunger range is determined for a specified machine. Tools are also provided to select a nominal operating point that “centers” the process, placing the operating point near the center of the operating window. The operating point selection tools work whether or not the machine and plunger are selected based on the optimization.