Introduction, Needs, Types of Rapid Tooling Processes &
Advantages, Disadvantage, tools Application & Future
Development
BY MUKESH KUMAR
1. What is Rapid Tooling
2. Why Rapid Tooling ?
3. Importance of Rapid Tooling
4. RT Process Classification
5. Silicon Rubber Tooling
6. Epoxy tools
7. Hybrid Tooling
8. Rapid Tooling Processes
9. Rapid Tooling of Investment casting
10. Rapid Tooling and Injection moulding
Rapid tooling
Rapid Tooling refers to mould cavities that are either directly or indirectly fabricated using
Rapid Prototyping techniques.
Soft Tooling:
It can be used to intake multiple wax or plastic parts using conventional injection moulding
techniques. It produces short term production patterns. Injected wax patterns can be used to
produce castings. Soft tools can usually be fabricated for ten times less than a machine tool.
Hard Tooling:
Patterns are fabricated by machining either tool steel or aluminum into the negative shape of the
desired component. Steel tools are very expensive yet typically last indefinitely building millions of
parts in a mass production environment. Aluminum tools are less expensive than steel and are used
for lower production quantities.
Indirect Rapid Tooling:
As RP is becoming more mature, material properties, accuracy, cost and lead time are improving to
permitting to be employed for production of tools. Indirect RT methods are called indirect because
they use RP pattern obtained by appropriate RP technique as a model for mould and die making.
Role of Indirect methods in tool production:
RP technologies offer the capabilities of rapid production of 3D solid objects directly from CAD. Instead of several
weeks, a prototype can be completed in a few days or even a few hours. Unfortunately with RP techniques, there
is only a limited range of materials from which prototypes can be made. Consequently a dimensional verification
are possible, functional testing of prototypes often is not due to different mechanical and thermal properties of
prototype compared to production part.
All this leads to the next step which is for RP industry to target tooling as a natural way to capitalize on 3D CAD
modeling and RP technology. With increase in accuracy of RP techniques, numerous processes have been
developed for producing tooling from RP masters. The most widely used indirect RT methods are to use RP
masters to make silicon room temperature vulcanizing moulds for plastic parts and as sacrificial models or
investment casting of metal parts. These processes are usually known as Soft Tooling Techniques though
visualization and dimensional verification are possible, functional testing of prototypes often is not due to
different mechanical and thermal properties of prototype compared to production part.
Silicon Rubber Tooling:
It is a soft tooling technique. It is a indirect rapid tooling method.
Another root for soft tooling is to use RP model as a pattern for silicon rubber mould which can
then in turn be injected several times. Room Temperature Vulcanization Silicones are preferable as
they do not require special curing equipment. This rubber moulding technique is a flexible mould
that can be peeled away from more implicate patterns as suppose to former mould materials.
There are as many or more techniques for silicon moulding as there are RP processes but the
following is the general description for making simple two piece moulds.
Silicon Rubber Tooling Technique
Epoxy Tools:
Epoxy tools are used to manufacture prototype parts or limited runs of production parts.
Epoxy tools are used as:-
Moulds for prototype injection plastic Moulds for casting
Compression moulds
Reaction Injection Moulds
The fabrication of moulds begins with the construction of a simple frame around the parting line of RP
model. Screw gauges and runners can be added or cut later on once the mould is finished. The exposed
surface of the model is coated with a release agent and epoxy is poured over the model. Aluminum powder
is usually added to epoxy resin and copper
Epoxy Tools have the following
limitations.
Limited tool life
Poor thermal transfer
Tolerance dependent on master patterns Aluminum filled epoxy has low tensile strength
Process Chain Of Vacuum Casting
