Rapid Mold Making-14

Benefits of Rapid Prototyping Speed: Rapid prototyping is fast, provides stable quality, and ensures high consistency during small-batch trial production and verification. Low Cost: Rapid prototyping can save significant costs in material selection and mold design. Reliable Materials: The injection materials used in rapid prototyping are more reliable than those used in CNC machining, enabling the achievement of mass production product quality.

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Description

Rapid tooling involves creating molds using aluminum or mild steel, stocking mold bases, and manually loading inserts. Rapid tooling is ideal for small-batch orders and can be used for marketing samples, product evaluation, and process design.

For small projects, traditional molds are often prohibitively expensive. Our custom rapid tooling service provides cost-effective small-batch alternatives when large quantities of parts are no longer needed in the future. Rapid tooling is commonly used in industrial environments for prototyping or validating design problems.

Why use rapid tooling?

Rapid tooling is a fast and cost-effective method for functional and aspect testing with selected materials, as well as for small-batch production to test the market.

How quickly can I get a sample?

This depends on the size and geometry of the part. For opening and closing molds with standard-sized parts such as 300 x 300 x 50 mm, molding can be completed within 10 days.

What materials can I choose for rapid tooling?

There are no restrictions on material selection. Any plastic suitable for mass production can also be used with rapid tooling processes.

What is the quality level of rapid tooling?

The quality of molds produced through rapid tooling is that of the final product. They are very close to mass-produced parts. How many products can I get from a rapid die-casting machine?

Typically, an aluminum die-casting machine is sufficient for +/- 1,000 pieces, while a Steel P20 die-casting machine can handle +/- 10,000 pieces.

Faq

What is Precision Metal Parts Manufacturing?

Precision metal parts manufacturing refers to the process of shaping metal materials—such as steel, aluminum, copper, and stainless steel—into high-accuracy, complex components using techniques like turning, milling, grinding, stamping, and CNC machining. The core of this process lies in controlling dimensional tolerances (as tight as ±0.001mm), geometric tolerances, and surface finishes. It is widely applied in industries such as automotive, medical devices, aerospace, and telecommunications.

What Are the Main Processes in Metal Parts Manufacturing?

Common processes include: CNC Machining: Suitable for complex 3D shapes, offering high precision and flexibility. Stamping: Ideal for high-volume production of thin-walled metal parts, with high efficiency. Turning: Primarily used for rotational parts like shafts and sleeves. Milling: Used for machining planes, curves, slots, and holes. Wire EDM / EDM: For machining high-hardness materials or complex molds. Laser Cutting / Waterjet Cutting: Suitable for precision sheet metal blanking. Surface Treatment: Such as plating, anodizing, sandblasting, and passivation, for corrosion resistance or aesthetics.

How to Choose the Right Metal Material?

Selection should consider: Functional Requirements: Strength, hardness, wear resistance, corrosion resistance, conductivity, etc. Process Suitability: Aluminum (easy to machine, lightweight), stainless steel (corrosion-resistant), copper (good conductivity), titanium alloys (high strength, biocompatible). Cost and Lead Time: Common materials (e.g., 45# steel, 6061 aluminum) are cost-effective and readily available; specialty alloys (e.g., Inconel, molybdenum) are more expensive and may require pre-ordering.

What Are the Key Factors Affecting the Price of Metal Parts?

Material Cost: Raw material type, usage, and market fluctuations. Complexity of Machining: Number of processes, precision requirements, special treatments (e.g., mirror polishing). Order Quantity: High volumes can amortize mold/programming costs, reducing unit prices. Quality Certifications: Certifications like medical (ISO 13485) or automotive (IATF 16949) may increase management costs. Surface Treatment and Packaging: Special coatings, vacuum packaging, etc., add to the cost.

How Are Tolerance Grades Generally Classified in Part Manufacturing?

Standard Tolerance: ±0.1mm or above, suitable for structural parts, housings, etc. Precision Tolerance: ±0.01mm to ±0.05mm, suitable for mechanical assembly parts. High-Precision Tolerance: Within ±0.005mm, suitable for critical components in aerospace, optical instruments, etc. Recommendation: Define tolerances based on actual functional needs, as unnecessarily tight tolerances significantly increase costs.

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