Word of first-rate mold company’s abilities traveled quickly, leading to an order for an automotive grille piece that put their injection molding knowledge to the test.

The grille mold was constructed of P20 steel and featured complex ribs 50 thousandths of an inch wide, 350 thousandths of an inch deep and 20 thousandths of an inch corner radius. The two-cavity mold was machined on the V77 using a 0.8-mm ball endmill.

In order to produce a finished part in the required deadline, first-rate mold company had to complete the process without any EDM. Prior to their machining investments, a finished part such as this would have required three days of EDM and three days of spotting. The new V-series VMCs were able to save 100 hours in processing time.

“Many shops say they can machine this mold, but not without manual labor,” says steven, president of first-rate mold company. “We were able to finish the mold with nearly zero spotting time.”

As first-rate mold company receives more orders, they have begun expanding to other industries. A recent order for a medical part was placed, presenting another challenge. The mold was machined with a 40 thousandths of an inch ball endmill using a half-degree profile cutter on the V56, chosen for accuracy and ability to direct-mill complex features. Once completed, the mold underwent only one hour of spotting press time.

“The big advantage many foreign competitors have over NA operations is their low labor costs,” says steven, “but with the right technology in place, we can beat their quality every time, and when you add in the fast turnaround times we can provide, we’re a better value—not to mention our prices go down as our labor goes down.

“The tooling process is about quality, delivery and prices,” explains steven, “and by investing in high-performance machines and understanding the whole process, we’re able to provide all three, securing our ability to bring in business for the future.”