Rapid Tooling
Rapid Tooling is when Rapid Prototyping techniques and conventional tooling practices are used together to produce a mold quickly. Rapid tooling is able to generate core and cavity inserts as a product of a rapid prototyping technology. Rapid tooling requires little or no machining. It is the result of additive process by CAD. Rapid tooling process is used to prepare parts of a model from CAD data in a short period of time and at a lower cost compared to traditional manufacturing methods. Rapid Tooling is used as a method to produce injection molded parts.
Injection molding is used for rapid prototyping and for low-high volume manufacturing. It is used for producing parts in the thousands. The injection molding process has an injection moulding machine, raw plastic, and the machined mould. The raw plastic is melted in the injection moulding machine and then injected into the mould where it cools and solidifies into the final part. Once the part has cooled, it is removed and finished.
The requirements and the component’s definition matches with the capabilities of the rapid tooling technology. Lead times can be shortened. There are powerful rapid tooling solutions available. Of the dozens of processes, each one can claim numerous success stories where their clients reduced price and time. Rapid tooling is a powerful solution when it is selected as the right tool for the job. Nowadays,Rapid Tooling Solutions are generally niche applications. They excel when all conditions are right and customers accept the limitations of the process in order to get the time advantage. It is this narrow breadth of application that prevents these technologies from becoming widely used and generally known. Rapid tooling technologies become a standard rapid manufacturing method in the product development and production process.
With the help of Rapid Tooling, more output as compared to other manufacturing processes. Complex assembly processes can be consolidated into one process. The mould can produce a large number of products without wearing out. Most thermoplastics and some silicone can be injection molded.
TEAM Rapid, we have over 10 years experience in rapid tooling manufacturing. If you need helps on your rapid tooling for injection molding projects, contact us at [email protected] today.
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