3D printing is a highly useful tool for making molds for injection molding applications. For example, worldwide moldmaker, HASCO, recently developed a rapid, cost-efficient method to produce small volumes of injection molded prototypes by integrating Stratasys 3D printing with its K3500 quick-change mold system. With this approach, molders can quickly change between inserts for different products and cost-effectively produce low volumes of injection molded parts for samples, prototypes and small production runs.
HASCO 3D printed the inserts in Stratasys’ Digital ABS material using the Objet500 Connex Multi-material 3D Production System. Typically, a 3D printed mold insert takes only hours to produce. Therefore, molders can make design modifications to the product for a fraction of the time and cost of conventional tooling methods.
“With time-to-market cycles shorter than ever and production quantities dropping, our customers are looking for solutions that help them to deliver prototypes quickly and cost-effectively,” said Dirk Paulmann, Executive Vice President, Sales & Business Development at HASCO. “Compared with conventional metal or aluminum inserts, our approach offers molders the flexibility to quickly produce and switch inserts, making them more productive and profitable. Combining our longstanding heritage in mold making with Stratasys’ pioneering expertise in 3D printing injection molds, this best of both worlds technique is the future of prototype and low volume production.”
3D printed molding put to the test
When producing a sealing plug for its industry-standard A8001 clamping fixture, HASCO identified that the walls of the ABS plastic sealing screw would need to be 12 mm thick to seal the large number of threaded holes. Given this geometry, it was clear that the screw could not be produced using conventional injection molding. With the level of intricacy enabled by Stratasys PolyJet 3D printing, HASCO redesigned the screw with a reduced wall thickness and subsequently 3D printed a mold insert to the new specifications to test the integrity of the design before mass production.
“The speed of the process was incredible,” said Paulmann. “Using our Objet500 Connex 3D Production System, we produced the parts of the cavity that shape the polymer – such as the inserts and slides – in six hours compared to the 24 hours it previously took. We then worked with prototyping specialists Canto Ing. GmbH, Lüdenscheid to finish the 3D printed inserts and test the sample mold. We were delighted with the result, the first sealing screws were produced ready for mounting on our clamping unit in a record time of four days.
“Through the use of tried-and-tested standard HASCO products and Stratasys state-of-the-art 3D printing, the project proved that it is possible to implement this innovative rapid-technology application within the injection molding process. For the production of low-volume prototypes in the final product material, the ability to quickly change molds with a 3D printed cavity offers a rapid, low-cost alternative to conventional methods,” he added.
HASCO
www.hasco.com
Stratasys Ltd.
www.stratasys.com
