Stratasys offers six multi-material 3D printers with compact and mid-size build envelopes that all feature the company’s PolyJet triple-jetting technology. Both the compact Objet260 and the mid-size Objet350 are available in Connex1, Connex2 and Connex3 versions. Larger Objet500 printers also are available in the three versions. PolyJet technology allows users to build products with as many as three base materials in a single run, forming new digital materials such as Digital ABS or producing parts in multiple colors. Parts are printed in a single, automated build, allowing for as many as 80 m ..read more

Aluminum Molds vs 3d-printed-conformal cooled Steel inserts **************** Slideshow will go here **************** 3D printing has made great strides in both technological advancements and manufacturing production implementation. One proven application that many companies have implemented is using 3D printing to build cooling channels close to the contours of a mold’s internal cavity walls, helping to reduce cycle times. 3D-printed conformal cooling channels also funnel the liquid coolant at a constant distance from the injected plastic melt pool. This produces a better part without the warp ..read more

Davide Masato was born and educated in Italy, but his passion for mechanical engineering and plastic injection moldmaking and molding landed him at the University of Massachusetts Lowell where is teaching our future generation of plastics engineers and mold designers. This assistant professor in plastics engineering also continues to conduct plastics research, specifically in mold surface treatments for injection molds. Davide is also one of MMT’s newest editorial advisory board members, who I introduced back in February 2020, and he also serves alongside me ..read more

MoldMaking Technology readers zeroed in on an array of topics presented during August. Here are the top 10 most-viewed items: Forces and Calculations Are Key to Sizing Core Pull Hydraulic Cylinders Five-Axis Hard Milling Improves Electrode Accuracy Moldmaking Breaks Out of Prolonged Contraction for First Month Since Covid-19 What Is The Difference Between Knit and Meld Lines and Why Does It Matter? Print the Whole Injection Mold in HSS to Increase Tool Life Michigan Moldmaker Produces Tools Onshore and Off A Multi-Metal Additive Approach to Optical Quality Molds Mold Builder To ..read more

With so much going on in the moldmaking industry, it can be easy to miss the comprehensive list of products and services MoldMaking Technology showcases, both online and in its monthly magazine issues. This week, we look at cutting tool solutions, provided to us by our supplier companies. Ranging from a comprehensive catalog, to high-penetration drill systems and micro end mills, this list gives you a variety of new or proven solutions for your cutting tool needs.  Interested in more cutting tool solutions? Be sure to check out the Cutting Tools Zone for the lates ..read more

Trying something new leads to growth **************** Slideshow will go here **************** Although COVID-19 canceled our 21-year-old live Amerimold Expo, we had the industry covered with Amerimold Connects, its first-ever remote event experience to keep this community connected with each other and with technology, process and best practices content and resources. We tried something new, and what a journey it was. In a matter of eight weeks, our events, marketing, creative and sales teams as well as the Map Your Show crew pivoted from producing our live trade show to a virtual platform—givi ..read more

Settle in and listen to this quick MMT Chat all about mergers and acquisitions, which is something that has picked up within mold manufacturing in recent years.  Fran Brunelle, President of Accelerated Manufacturing Brokers, has a wealth of experience and passion for manufacturing, which shows when she works with her clients (which one in particular shared with me and happens to be the subject of a feature story I am writing right now … so stay tuned). I first met Fran after an industry colleague, Tom Cutler, recommended me as a guest for the Women In Manufacturi ..read more

    Figure 1. A screw boss. Images courtesy of RJG Inc.   Like many part inconsistencies, these unwanted features are rooted in product design. Since you inject the material through a gate, it must flow through the cavity and around various features, such as holes or bosses (Figure 1). If a knit line is present in a screw boss, the boss will likely crack when a screw is driven into it, leading to part inconsistencies. For automotive parts, this results in parts that bump, squeak, or rattle. For electronics, the broken screw boss will not allow proper compression of a seal ..read more

Problem: Increased idle CNC machine time and inefficient capabilities to track machine performance and utilization. Solution: Invested in FactoryWiz Monitoring software to monitor the physical processes of a wide range of CNC machines and applications to help make informed business decisions based on facts and numbers. Results: Reduced machine idle time from 1200-1400 hours a month to 400 hours a month. RCO Engineering (RCO; Roseville, Michigan) has a strict business standard that it lives up to every day: accountability to the customer.  The company achieves this with its talented wo ..read more

hardcore metal printing **************** Slideshow will go here **************** An innovative mindset, motivation and commitment are what keeps businesses on track, even in challenging economic times. Southern Germany-based toolmaker Webo Werkzeugbau has been a trendsetter in the manufacture of special tools for automotive transmissions since its foundation during the global financial crisis in 2008. It has just opened a new subsidiary in China — despite market uncertainties and global production volume declines in the automotive industry. Webo CEO Axel Wittig is a man of action. Since launch ..read more