Using aluminum tooling for injection molding is not an entirely new concept. Initially, prototype molds were most commonly made out of aluminum, although the automotive industry has used it for years and it has slowly been gaining popularity with companies outside the automotive realm.

More and more customers have asked how to extend the life of these tools so they can be used for limited production. As this trend progressed, those same customers began approaching aluminum tooling as bonafide production tools, and even more questions were asked, such as:

1) What is the final finish required so that the tool may be plated for better part release?

2) Does it require a paper finish, a diamond finish or perhaps a light bead blast, for example

3) What is required to prevent corrosion and wear?
These are all good questions that should be answered prior to treating the tool.
Aluminum tooling is also becoming more popular in such applications as blow molds, R.I.M. molding, rubber molds, structural foam molds and R.T.M. molds due to new technologies and the development of aluminum mold plate, specifically designed for molding plastic. It is gaining in popularity and believers in the material say it is, in fact, underutilized, though it may not be appropriate for every application.