3D Printed Molds Used for Injection Molding

SHENZHEN, January 9, 2015 (Newswire.com) - In design for manufacture circle, 3D printing, the also called rapid prototyping process, has been widely used to produce one-off mock-up or batch components to confirm a design before mass production is carried out. Rapid prototyping validates designs, designs dictates molds and molds derive mass products. 3D printing is never used for mold making or quantity production directly. 

However that’s only current situation. The future outlook of 3D printing will be direct molds manufacturing. And 3D printed molds will be used for subsequent processes like reaction injection molding.

It’s not a total future scenario. Last June, Stratasys displayed molds made with the company’s 3D printing machines and digital ABS material at the Rapid 2014 Conference Exposition in Detroit. The group exhibited two major strengths of 3D printed molds. Most conspicuously, 3D printed molds can be made with better conformal cooling channels than traditional mold making, substantially reducing the cooling time of the mold in the injection machine and making the manufacturing of the ultimate plastic part cheaper and more energy efficient. 3D printed molds can help identify design problems before an expensive aluminum or steel tool is built.

There is a downside for rapid prototype molds - they are too fragile. They work with lower-heat, lower-pressure materials than metal molds can withstand, and the molded item has to be able to release easily, because prying it out could damage the plastic tool. To conquer that, Stratasys is researching even harder. A representative said “There are resins limitations, manufacturing limitations, ... We are not here yet, but we never doubt the pace of development.” To be fair, it must be admitted that they can be used to duplicate short-run products of a couple hundred shots.

What adds to the rosy prospects of 3D print manufacturing is more and more molders and auto makers are aware of the technology.Panasonic Corp.said in June 2014 that its Eco-solutions business unit plans to make half its yearly output of 5,000 molds, including molds for mass production, using 3D printing. This move was echoed by some auto makers in Detroit. With increasingly fierce competition in global manufacturing, wider attention will pack on this topic.