Both solid-carbide and small indexable-insert ballnose endmills are capable of the speeds and feeds required for high-speed finishing of molds. Moldmakers should keep in mind, however, that the indexable-insert tools offer important cost advantages – starting with a much lower replacement cost and no regrinding. […]
With the primary focus on hot runner applications, the new quick flow analysis technology and software offers several features and advantages. […]
The importance of runner analysis on design and molding seems to have been long overlooked. When many flow analyses are carried out, the focus tends to be mainly on the part and cavity. However, the runners play a much more significant role than many realize. The polymer melt always fills the runner system first after [...]
Movable cores and side-actions are commonly used on injection molds to make complex geometries possible. While details are more complicated than described here, some simple calculations provide worst-case estimates for proper sizing. […]
In tooling molds, the mold base serves as the foundation onto which various components of the mold assembly are mounted. It provides support and stability for the mold cavities, cores, and other components. Key components of an effectively engineered mold base include: 1) Manifolded water channels—Custom-sized to each application to ensure optimal cooling, minimal connections [...]
A complete mold base project should include: […]
CAD/CAM companies realized these issues a few years ago and have come up with many ways to handle this abstract side of product development. One unique solution allows moldmakers and their customers to communicate and securely share data over the web. […]
Recently, CAD/CAM has begun to extend beyond just modeling, detailing and NC into the area of collaboration. One important aspect of collaboration for the mold industry is how moldmakers and their customers share information and discuss issues concerning mold design and manufacture. […]
Many CAD/CAM systems on the market claim to have associativity, but very few systems have bullet-proof associativity. Associativity means that changes made to a design model will be shown every place where the design model is used – such as in an assembly, a drawing, a mold design, etc. […]
Robust, parametric, fully-featured CAD/ CAM software provides the ability to create all complex geometry, allowing the models created to survive major changes to the design part, even late in the development cycle, thereby avoiding model reconstruction that would delay delivery of the tool. […]