In the world of polishing, current trends are mirroring industry trends: overseas competition, shorter leadtimes and high-speed machining technology decreasing the need for handwork and finishing. Below are five trends and opportunities in this market. […]
Indexable-insert ballnose endmills for high-speed finishing of molds can be purchased as individual units from a standard endmill catalog, or assembled from components of available modular end-milling systems. […]
Ask any polisher what the hardest part of his/her job is and most will tell you the same thing – stoning. It doesn’t have to be that way. Here is a simple technique that not only makes stoning easier and more enjoyable, but actually cuts 30 percent off the time it takes to do a [...]
Ask most shop owners what the number one reason is for new molds failing their first sample and you will most likely hear “material sticking in the ribs.It is not uncommon for a tool to have its ribs and slots repolished two, three or more times before the tool works cleanly. […]
Checking for Positive DraftOn occasion tool marks can be so deep that they reduce the draft or the polisher accidentally takes off the draft. The key is to always check for positive draft by putting a six-inch scale on the wall and comparing the angle it makes to the parting line. It takes just a [...]
To provide the high-performance results demanded in today’s moldmaking, many indexable-insert ballnose endmills use PVD-coated, precision-ground, micrograin- carbide inserts. Experience shows that such inserts perform best with sharp edges, which represents a departure from the conventional wisdom that extra-strong edges are required to stand up to hardened materials at very high feedrates. […]
In addition to modular endmilling systems specifically designed for mold-making and other copymilling applications, general indexable-insert endmilling systems are available that include components for high-speed/high-feed finishing of molds and dies. […]
Both solid-carbide and small indexable-insert ballnose endmills are capable of the speeds and feeds required for high-speed finishing of molds. Moldmakers should keep in mind, however, that the indexable-insert tools offer important cost advantages – starting with a much lower replacement cost and no regrinding. […]
When justifying the investment, it is important to complete an accurate estimate of the potential cost savings for automating an area. Robotic automation offers many direct benefits to the bottom line of the manufacturing operation. Replacing manual operations reduces obvious factors like labor cost including overtime, benefits and taxes. […]
Rule 1: Mold tolerances become more critical.As parts get smaller, any miscalculations have a significantly greater impact. When requesting a micro mold, aim for 10 percent part tolerances, as opposed to the 25 to 50 percent level commonly seen in macro molds, […]