a plastic injection mold manufacturer specializing in a wide variety of automotive components—aluminum tooling is gaining in prominence. The end result of using aluminum tooling is to reduce costs to the OEM,

We do see a reduction in costs in the tooling—which will vary from molder to molder and how we build the tool. Each injection molder has their own tooling standards. The moldmaker must take this into account when quoting and ultimately building the mold. These tooling standards fundamentally drive the overall design and cost of the tool. But it can run anywhere from 15 to 25 percent savings on tooling, or greater, depending on simplicity.

Also, because of the ability to cool aluminum at a nice even rate, the theory is that cycle times will drop,Reduction in cycle time is dependent on each individual molder. Each injection molder has their own process (which can vary greatly depending on personnel, equipment available at that location and materials being molded). Their individual process can impact the cycle time.

For example, some injection molders are looking at lowest cost tooling up front and not considering the piece part cost over the lifecycle of the production run. This can greatly impact cycle time. If using valve gates you can reduce cycle time and increase the process window, but they cost more up front. One molder may use valve gates whenever possible and another may not at all. The savings in tooling and a drop in cycle times will produce parts quicker.

Another benefit is that it is easier to cut aluminum than steel. You still have to invest in specialized tooling for optimal chip removal and you have to think differently with regards to processing, chip rate, chip load, etc., but the learning comes pretty easy. The major learning curve lies with the molder to teach their people to take care of the tooling and be gentle with it.

As for the longevity of aluminum tooling, Jones points out that he has some tools still running with well over 100,000 shots on them. “The criteria for aluminum tooling is changing. In the past the mainstay was prototype tooling. You would get 50, 100 maybe 1,000 parts for all the testing and different departments and then build a steel production tool.

Today aluminum tooling is being used for 50,000, 100,000 and even 200,000 shots for production. The average will depend on the demand. The demand (or volume) will dictate if today’s aluminum tooling fits the project. Throw into the mix modern surface coatings that can extend the aluminum tool life and you have yet one more thing to consider in the decision-making process.