Benefit of Mold Tool Features?
Benefit of Mold Tool Features?
(OP)
Recently in thread1103-174973 I was questioning notes that should be placed on molded part drawings.
If you read through that, you will see that my company is getting more interested in molding components rather than machinging them.
This post is questioning the benefits provided by all of the mold tools that are available in SW. If your company is not going to make the mold and produce the final component, where's the benefit in taking the time to deal with all the mold tool features beyond getting a realistic idea of what can be achieved?
From what I have found, rarely can mold tools be transferred from one shop to the next. Rarely do molders design tools in the same manner. Any insight would be great.
If you read through that, you will see that my company is getting more interested in molding components rather than machinging them.
This post is questioning the benefits provided by all of the mold tools that are available in SW. If your company is not going to make the mold and produce the final component, where's the benefit in taking the time to deal with all the mold tool features beyond getting a realistic idea of what can be achieved?
From what I have found, rarely can mold tools be transferred from one shop to the next. Rarely do molders design tools in the same manner. Any insight would be great.
"Art without engineering is dreaming; Engineering without art is calculating."
Have you read FAQ731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?






RE: Benefit of Mold Tool Features?
Unless you are fluent in injection moulding techniques and requirements, you will just be wasting your companies time and money by trying to design the tools.
Just design the part for it's intended purpose. As was stated in your linked thread, all the mould maker needs is a model (or drawing) of your finished part. They will recommend any changes required to produce the part as close to your design as possible. It will then be up to you verify that those changes are acceptable.
RE: Benefit of Mold Tool Features?
I design my parts in such a way that they ought to be relatively easy to mold. So a great deal of the headache can be alleviated within the part design. Beyond that, you'll want a skilled mold designer to design the mold. If you cannot obtain the design services with the vendor, at least have someone hold your hand while you learn what you're doing (there's a reason whole careers can be made of this trade/profession--lots to know about) or to guide you through each mold design.
Then there are issues of cost and efficiency. These take either experience, wisdom, or sheer cleverness on the part of the mold designer. I was privileged to do some contract work for a local mold designer (and injection/blow molder) who designed and ran his own tooling (which was machined off-site). Since my part in all this was typically running SolidWorks to get complex geometry, I'd read his ACAD drawings and duplicate things into the 3D world to create IGES output for the mold maker. I learned a lot along the way, but nowhere near enough to really do this sort of design on my own.
Jeff Mowry
www.industrialdesignhaus.com
Reason trumps all. And awe transcends reason.
RE: Benefit of Mold Tool Features?
The problem with designing your own mould tools is that if they do not work you have a nice shiny piece of scrap steel to admire or weep over!
As Theophilus implied, mould design is somewhat of a "black art" and a good designer will have many years at doing just this, learning as he goes along.
Also, the tool design cost is usually a relatively small part of the overall cost of tooling (approx 10-15% here in UK), so you will not save much vs. the risks.
imho (as the owner of a moulding company) - do not go there. Concentrating on optimum part design for moulding will save you much more $$$!
(Oh, and you might have to grow a ponytail to be really good!!)lol!
Cheers
Harry
RE: Benefit of Mold Tool Features?
Also, if you had your own 3D printer, you could print your own molds and use them as needed. Learning as you go.
Chris
SolidWorks 06 5.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 10-27-06)