1/10/2017 Rapid Tooling

TECHNOLOGY| R APID  T OOLING  |

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RT ­ RAPID TOOLING

INTR ODUCTION

Rapid Tooling (RT) describes a process that is the result of combining Rapid
Prototyping techniques with conventional tooling practices to produce a mold quickly
or parts of a functional model from CAD data in less time and at a lower cost relative
to traditional machining methods. Rapid Tooling can act as a bridge to production
injection molded parts.

Rapid Tooling (RT) typically, either uses a Rapid Prototyping (RP) model as a pattern
or uses the Rapid Prototyping process directly to fabricate a tool for a limited volume
of prototypes.

Expensive tooling cost can be well justified just when the production quantity is
massive. Actually the way to produce tooling quicker and more economically,
especially for small quantity manufacturing becomes a significant question.
Additionally, in the product development cycle, requires always some intermediate
tooling to produce a small quantity of prototypes or functional tests, samples for
marketing, evaluation purpose, or production process design. RT becomes more and
more important to nowadays manufacturing industry.

The main advantages are tooling time is much shorter than for a conventional tool.
RT Process
Time to first articles can be less than one‐fifth that of conventional tooling; tooling
cost is much less than for a conventional tool. Cost can be below five percent of conventional tooling cost.

The main challenges are tool life is less than for conventional tools and tolerances are wider than for conventional tools.

 
   

BENEF IT S  OF   R AP ID  INJ ECT ION  T OOL   MOL DING ADVANT AGES  OF   R AP ID  T OOL ING  F OR   MANUF ACT UR ING
 
 
 
¤  S h or t e n t h e Tool in g Le ad ‐Time ‐ N or mal d e ve l op me n t t ime
¤ P r ot ot yp e s in p r od u ct ion mat e r ial in l it t l e t ime . is sh or t e n e d fr om mon t h s t o a fe w d ays or we e ks.
¤  Low Cost ‐ r e d u ce d Cost al l owin g r e al t r ial s affor d ab l e .  
¤  Al l ows for fu l l fit an d fu n ct ion t e st in g. ¤  Al l ows fu n ct ion al t e st of p ar t s on in it ial d e sign st age  
¤  Dat a CAD Dir e ct Tr an sfe r ‐ M an y imp e r fe ct ion s d u e t o
¤  Discove r an y d e sign imp e r fe ct ion on e ar l y st age .
d r awin gs misin t e r p r e t at ion can b e avoid e d u sin g t h e or igin al
¤  Low cost t ool in g al l ows for facil it at e d e sign r e fin e me n t an d CAD mod e l al l t h r ou gh t h e RP p r oce ss an d t h e n al on g t o RT
mod ificat ion . p r oce ss.
¤  Du e t o sh or t t ool in g man u fact u r e t ime an d l ow cost in
¤  P r e ce d in g p r od u ct ion p r oce ss‐ mol d s can p r od u ce t h ou san d s of u sin g RT, man y e n gin e e r s p r e fe r t o p r od u ce p ar t s for
p ar t s. fu n ct ion al t e st in t h e e ar l y d e sign st age . As a r e su l t , man y
d e sign fau l t s ar e d e b u gge d b e for e p r od u ct ion , so man y
d e sign fail u r e s ar e avoid e d .

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New st at i o ns rapi d mi l l i ng CNC ‐ Ch ar l yRob ot

p r e se n t in g at t r act ive cost s can p r od u ce mol d s Tr an sfor min g CAD mod e l s in S TL fil e s
or p r ot ot yp e s in Fib e r gl ass, al u min u m an d
Comp osit e s or fast p r od u ct ion of p r od u ct s in  
e xt r e me l y sh or t t ime in d ime n sion s:
3100 mm x 2100 mm x 450 mm
e ve n t o fr act ion l ar ge r mol d s mod e l in g.

   

R AP ID  T OOL ING  CONST R AINT S DIRECT FABRICATION PROCESSES

   
   

Th e most r ap id RP syst e ms ar e st il l t oo sl ow an d ar e l imit e d as Molding and casting are specialized rapid prototyping processes that
t h e y can 't p r od u ce p ar t s in a wid e r an ge of mat e r ial s, at a fast have been developed to meet specific application and material
e n ou gh r at e , t o p e r for m t h e e n or mou s r an ge of in d u st r y requirements. Stereolithography or selective laser sintering are
r e q u ir e me n t s. De sp it e t h e vast p r ogr e ss in d ir e ct p ar t normally forms of basic RP processes and methods developed for
fab r icat ion , e ve n con ve n t ion al p r oce sse s su ch as mol d in g an d specific applications.
cast in g ar e st il l t h e on l y me an s avail ab l e .

RP is fr e q u e n t l y t h e t e ch n ol ogical p at h makin g t h e se
man u fact u r in g p r oce sse s fast e r , ch e ap e r an d b e t t e r . Ce r t ain l y,
t h e t ool in g fab r icat ion Is act u al l y t h e most imp or t an t ap p l icat ion
of d ir e ct man u fact u r in g.

Th e t wo main ways t o make t ool in g mol d s u sin g Rap id P r ot ot yp in g

ar e d ir e ct l y fab r icat e d b y an RP syst e m, or in d ir e ct or se con d ar y
p r oce sse s RP ‐ge n e r at e d p ar t s t h at can b e u se d as p at t e r n s for a
mol d fab r icat in g.

See the Video from RTe site

Site RTejournal
Rapid Tecnologies Forum

RT Pr oc es s
Air way  Cooling Vent

  FDM™ 200mc

   

INDIR ECT   OR   SECONDAR Y   P R OCESSES RT CHOICE METHODS

 
The clear result is that there are a different number of paths to
De sp it e RP mat e r ial s p r op e r t ie s imp r ove an d e xp an d obtain a final functional part or tool starting from a CAD definition. The
con t in u ou sl y, a l imit l e ss ar r ay of ap p l icat ion s me an s wil l al ways choice depends on:
r e q u e st t o t r an sfe r p ar t s fab r icat e d in a mat e r ial e mp l oye d in an
¤ The purpose
RP p r oce ss in t o an ot h e r mat e r ial . As u su al l y it is n e ce ssar y t o
¤ Volume to be produced
u se ve r y sp e cific mat e r ial s t o make most t ool s, se ve r al mat e r ial
¤ Final material and accuracy requirements
t r an sfe r t e ch n ol ogie s h ave b e e n d e ve l op e d .
¤ Applied rapid prototyping process
S e e on t h e n e xt p age RP Rap id P r ot ot yp in g se ve r al p r oce ss
an d mat e r ial t r an sfe r t e ch n ogie s. Numerous other factors may influence choices since most technologies
are emergent, have significant limitations, and there are usually
several competing alternatives.

   

TYPES OF RT PROCESS CNNECTED SERVICES

Low Volume (from tens to hundreds)  

¤ Soft Tooling ¤ Simulation

¤ Reaction injection molding ¤ Consulting and information about simulation techniques

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¤ Bridge Tooling ‐ Direct Access Injection Molding  ¤ Numerical simulation of manufacturing processes
¤ Numerical simulation of the mechanical and thermal component
Intermediate (from hundreds to thousands) behavior 
¤ Topology and shape optimization
¤ Metal filled Epoxy Tooling ¤ Rapid Prototyping
¤ Powdered Metal Tooling ¤ Consulting and technology transfer
¤ Prototyping of parts
Other technologies
¤ Manufacturing of mold inserts
¤ Space Puzzle Molding

Next Page link to RP ‐ Rapid Prototype Main Page Page link to RPD, RP and RT directories & links
Technologies For Rapid Tooling, Videos, links

Seções Principais Domínios Pesquisa Industrial Tecnologias Projetos Materiais Informações

> Industry > Plastics > Industrial Process > Rapid Prototyping > Plastics Furniture > Fibers > Plastics Guide
> Industrial Consultancy > Composites > Industrial Design > Rapid Tooling > Agro‐Industrial Bamboo > Expanded sheets > Product Design
> Industrial Technology > Recycling > Produto Development > Extrusion > Bamboo Wood > Industrial Plastics > Boats Design
> Industria l Project > Plastic Wood > Process Development > Thermoforming > Plastics Recycling > Bamboo > Vehicles Design
> Industrial Facilities > WPC Wood Plastic Composite > Product and Process > Injection > Electronics Recycling > Recycled Polyetilene > Vaccuum Cleaner
> Lay Out Industrial > Automation > Supervisory Sistems > Rotomolding > HMSPP Polypropilene > Recycled Polypropilene > Solar Cells
> Process Design > Alternative Energy > Mobile Supervisory > Intrusion > Wind and SolarEnergy > Expanded PVC > Eletric Vehicles
> Industrial Control > Hybrid Energy > Process Control > Twin Sheet > Hydrogel Cosmetics > Co‐extruded > Electric Cars
> Industrial Engineering > Recycled Plastics > Product Development > Thermopressing > Hydrogel > Multilayers > Industrial Systems Design
> Industrial Experts > Industrial Innovation > Rapid Product Developemnt > Virtual Simulation > River Transport > Plastic Blends > Airplanes
> Industrial Sustenability > Production Line > Rapid Manufacturing > Industrial Simulation > Electric Vehicles > WPC Sheets > Industrial Plant
> Industrial Energy > Composites Industry > Machiness and Equipaments > Virtual Prototyping > Bikes > Recycled Sheets > Production Line
> Technology Transfert > Industrial Simulation > Flexible Manufacturing Systems > Prototypes > Vehicles Design > Thermoformed Sheets > Machines Design

               
               

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