STL BASED RAPID TOOLING FOR MOULD AND DIE PRODUCTIVITY

摘要

Rapid tooling is mainly used for injection molded prototypes and bridge tooling. Rapid tooling is in essence no different from traditional mould making, but it should be done faster. Speed is mainly obtained from three constants: Use of Aluminium instead of steel; Use of high speed cutting; STL based tool design automation. Digital STL based tooling is a range software products that automates tool design for plastic injection molding. Automation of tool designs holds promises for tool shops as it can grow their business and improve their competitive position. We believe that automating tool design is the way of the future. We thus believe that five years from now nobody will create tools as they do it today, which is basically redesigning the part. This paper aims to be practical and is illustrated by the hand of case studies. The authors can rely on a vast experience and technology base that proves the true value of this rapid tooling methodology.