A look back at the top moldmaking trends of 2024, as revealed through our analytics. This review highlights the most popular technical articles, case studies, tips and best practices that captured the industry’s attention over the past year.

3D Printing Innovates Hot Runner Manifold Design

we want to detail a 3D-printed manifold technology that significantly improves color change efficiency for injection molding. The design features separate floating modules screwed onto a conventional manifold, allowing flexible cavity placement. The key innovation is its ability to eliminate flow shadows by dividing and merging the melt channel where the valve stem enters, preventing material trapping that typically causes color change issues. Testing showed the system achieved pure white material in the first cycle when changing from black to white ABS, with no deposits around the valve pin stem after four shots. This design enables 3-4 times faster color changes than conventional systems, resulting in long-term cost savings.

How to Manage a CAD Library

This article explains the five key priorities of an effective CAD library. First, establish a streamlined main library with commonly used, approved components. Second, create secondary libraries for occasional-use items and custom components. Third, maximize data reuse by saving repeatable tasks and leveraging supplier-provided features. Fourth, implement clear standards for tolerances, orientation and colors without over-restricting design flexibility. Finally, automate bill of materials (BOM) population directly from 3D designs. This organized approach reduces time spent on repetitive tasks, minimizes errors and allows designers to focus on critical cavity and core details.

Ultra-Fast Femtosecond Laser Texturing Helps Produce EV Lighting Lens Molds

The electric vehicle industry is driving innovation in automotive lighting through edge-lighting systems, which use LEDs around lens edges for illumination. This article details a Ultra-fast femtosecond laser texturing technology that can meet the required special micro-faceted patterns in plastic lenses that can’t be achieved through conventional moldmaking methods. This solution allows manufacturers to test patterns directly on plastic lenses before applying them to production molds. It creates sharper, more intricate details than traditional nanosecond lasers and produces minimal heat-affected areas. While costly, the system’s dual-platform capability allows shops to use both laser types, expanding their application range and reducing product development time. This advancement supports the growing “shy tech” trend in EV design, emphasizing cleaner, button-free interfaces.

How to Make Data Work for Mold Productivity and Performance

Manufacturing is evolving through digital integration, with a focus on connecting scattered data across the product lifecycle through a “digital thread. this approach enables digital twins and machine learning applications. Two key developments are highlighted: digital design libraries, which use parametric design for standardized components, and advanced conformal cooling through additive manufacturing. The latter can significantly reduce cycle times and improve mold efficiency through optimized cooling channels. Machine learning is increasingly important for leveraging manufacturing data, helping with defect prediction and design optimization. The industry faces challenges in building robust data infrastructure while maintaining manufacturing expertise alongside software development skills.

Navigating the Future of Mold Design and Manufacturing

This Q&A with a mold designer discusses key industry challenges, including staffing shortages, training needs, shortened lead times and increasing competition from overseas manufacturers. He shares efforts to build local manufacturing interest through school outreach, though he faces resistance from high schools prioritizing college paths over direct employment. He also highlights how 3D printing has enhanced design capabilities by enabling physical prototyping. Regarding future trends, automation is expected to significantly impact the industry, particularly in adapting to one-off parts production. While AI’s role in design is mentioned, he remains cautiously optimistic, suggesting it will enhance rather than replace human designers. he also notes improvements in CAD software user experience and accessibility.

Reasons to Use Fiber Lasers for Mold Cleaning

Contaminants like rust, dirt, grease and oil can severely impact the injection molding process, leading to surface defects, increased mold corrosion and heightened wear and tear. we want to review a solution to prevent these issues that cause costly damage and downtime. Traditional cleaning methods, such as chemical, ultrasonic and steam cleaning, have their drawbacks, including potential damage to mold surfaces and inefficiency with temperature-sensitive molds. Fiber laser cleaning offers a fast, precise and reliable alternative. It minimizes cleaning risks by transforming contaminants into vapor or dust without damaging the mold. The portable laser cleaner, weighing 50-60 pounds, allows for efficient on-site cleaning, extending mold life and reducing maintenance needs.

The Lowdown on Guided Ejection Systems

This article explains how guided ejection systems, which include guide pins and bushings within the ejector housing, significantly extend mold longevity by supporting, guiding and aligning ejector plates and connected components. These systems prevent the weight of ejector plates from causing wear and damage to mold parts, ensuring proper alignment and movement. They are particularly beneficial for molds with heavy ejector plates, complex ejection components or long ejector strokes. While they increase mold costs, guided ejection systems reduce downtime and repair expenses by preventing issues like flash and component wear. Mold base suppliers offer various sizes and configurations, allowing customization to meet specific mold design needs.