This is basically a process that describes how a rapid prototyping technique is combined with the conventional tooling practices in order to produce or make a mold very quickly or even the parts of the functional model from The CAD data in very little time. this process is also called the result of the union of the rapid prototyping technique for the quick production of the molds. The cost that this process brings is very less in comparison to the traditional machining methods. It is basically a channel to produce the injected molded parts.
Common types of rapid tooling
The technique of the rapid tooling which in the hands of the people from the 1990s, when there was the development of the injection molding and tested as how many hours are needed in the building of the molds. ideal rapid tooling is considered when the parts are full scale and have high production.
There are different types of rapid tooling available as each has different kinds of benefits also to offer:
- 3d printing in plastic: This form of rapid tooling plays a number of roles in the process of the plastic injection molding which involves the printing of a plastic injection mold. This process allows the molds to be created very quickly and even they are very inexpensive as compared to the printing in the metal.
- The direct metal laser sintering: the material of material can be readily used in the process of the rapid tooling in the process of creating the plastic injection mold by fusing it together with the particles of metal in order to make a solvent in the process known as the sintering in the rapid tooling.
- The rapid tooling through the traditional machining: earlier the method of the traditional machining has a great pace but eventually the term rapid tooling came into action as to build the molds quickly but does has some limitation, one of which is the geometry.
Advantages of rapid tooling
The process of this rapid tooling is about building the core and the cavity inserts as a product of the rapid prototyping technology and the products are introduced in the market before the scheduled time which is one of the advantages of its servers to the users. One can get the products at a very lower cost as they are created in single forms as the products when are created with mass production which definitely has more of the price. It even saves time as the manufacture time is not very long as it is concerned with specific small quantity needs including prototyping also. These days this process of rapid tooling ids being used on a large scale in order to create the molds for the commercial operations since the time is less between the process of start and finish.
Hence, this method of tooling is really beneficial as it creates the molds quickly and does not need much investment.