More often than not, the first question a moldmaker asks when presented with an end mill is, “How much does this tool cost?” For this, there is really only one answer, “I can tell you the price, but I cannot tell you the cost until you run the tool.” […]
Another component of preventative maintenance is checking all machine components to make sure they’re in proper working order. These include cables, the wire transport system, rollers, bearings and flush cups. […]
Machine lubrication is important to overall performance. All machines run on ways and move with ball screws. Check with OEM specifications for the recommended lubrication schedule. Positioning accuracy depends on the smooth operation of these items. […]
EDMs require several consumables to ensure top performance. These include power feeders, filters and resin. […]
The more often a machine is cleaned, the easier and quicker it is to maintain. Failure to wipe down machine areas regularly will result in build up and will require significant time and energy to restore. Be careful when choosing your cleaners; […]
Photopolymer jetting (or PolyJet) builds prototypes by jetting liquid photopolymer resin from ink-jet style heads. The resin is sprayed from the moving heads, […]
FDM liquefies solid thermoplastic and extrudes it through nozzles not much thicker than a human hair. Each layer of plastic fuses to the previous one and is immediately solidified. […]
Whatever the item a company intends to produce, creating a prototype is crucial to the design process. Moldmakers would be wise to stay on top of technology developments and consider their use to improve the service they provide. Following are four reasons why prototyping is important. […]
Robotic automation is one of the solutions that can improve efficiency of manufacturing. As production requirements increase, robots can be used to efficiently tend existing machines for medium and large lifetime production volumes. […]
Traditional techniques for making a mold require several time-consuming steps that can reduce how flexible and diversified a company can be. If the moldmaking process could be accelerated, moldmakers could build more tools for different products or variations of products in a fraction of the time. In these tough economic times, diversification can mean the [...]