Rapid tooling is a proficient way to perform injection molding for numerous types of plastic parts. First, the steel mold has been produced with this newest tooling process, and then it can be used in between the molding process to create a number of molds and patterns out of them. In little time, this process allows you to create molds and the testing can also be done in-between time in order to judge the imperfections which are there present in the final product. Earlier in conventional machines, it is not at all possible to do this testing before production. But now this newest technique has allowed things that are ahead of things.
This advanced technology is letting engineers do things from the future which are there in their minds as before production at the time of testing, the changes can be done and things can be rectified. Different types of molds, patterns, and shapes can be produced which with traditional machines is not at all possible. Superior quality rapid tooling solutions are available with this tooling technique.
The engineers available with different industries are combining their experience with this newest technology in order to come up with the most optimum solutions The rapid tooling process carried out by these engineers carries some sort of limitations and the process goes this way:-
- This process involves the generation of a mold using a metal named steel or aluminum. This technique is best for small orders or low-volume production as it costs less as compared to traditional tooling.
- For low-volume production, conventional tooling is highly expensive and the results which you will get also will not be the same as per your thinking.
- This process is putting an implausible and positive impact on the process of prototyping.
- This process actually divides into two processes and they are direct tooling and in-direct tooling.
If particularly speaking about the direct tooling, then it is the simplest way to generate tools and molds whereas indirect tooling takes time to do things and a few resources are also required in this process to accomplish the whole thing. But this does not means everyone should go with the direct tooling. It is the simplest option but not the only appropriate one. If we believe the fact, numerous product designers want to go with indirect tooling as they exactly know the advantages and disadvantages equipped with both the processes. Which option you want to go with strictly depends upon your requirements and you have to weigh things accordingly that which option will suits you better.
Direct tooling actually is utilized much for manufacturing things as compared to prototyping. This process allows you to generate tools or molds on a quicker mode and then starts with the production. For low-volume productions, this is simply the most perfect option as here durability of the mold is not a big deal. The things that need consideration here are the types of mold, design’s intricacy and most importantly the materials utilized.