Toolmaking has always been one of Audi’s core competences, they are constantly pushing the boundaries of what is technically feasible to lay the foundation for our high‑quality car bodies and to remain globally competitive. […]
There are a lot ways to make a shop better, more efficient, more productive and more profitable, but one practical method that is often overlooked is tool lifecycle management. This is about more than cutting tools. Fundamentally, it’s about data: ensuring that cutting tool data is available where and when it is needed. It links [...]
Maintenance training becomes increasingly necessary each time a boomer clocks out for good. Decades of repair experience and mold knowledge are gone in the flash of a retirement party, severely compromising ongoing mold maintenance. This is mainly because many companies do not document critical procedures accurately. […]
Understanding how data is processed helps to select the appropriate CNC control for a five-axis machine to optimize machining time, surface finish quality and workpiece accuracy. Here are five basic requirements a CNC control should meet: […]
Before examining CNC requirements, let’s review how data processing can influence a mold’s accuracy and surface quality. Here are four key influencers of data processing on the results of five-axis mold machining: […]
In today’s competitive moldmaking marketplace, some mold builders believe the industry’s required tolerances and surface finishes can no longer be achieved with electrodes. Instead, they rely on high-speed cutting of 3D surfaces, which not only meets the necessary tolerance and finish requirements, but can also streamline the manufacturing process and positively impact a shop’s bottom [...]
Flow marks refer to the obvious flow cracks of melt that can be found near the gate. […]
It is a snake-shaped squirt flow formed upon the melt’s entering the cavity with thick walls and large section with excessively high injection rate. […]
When melt with unsteady flow is injected into the mold cavity through the runner and gate in semi-solidified state, […]
When the melt flows from a runner with narrow section into a cavity with large section or when the runner is very narrow and the surface roughness is rather poor, turbulence flow will form within the runner (including the cavity), thereby resulting in the turbulence flow mark on the surface of plastic parts. [...]