| While manufacturing is typically considered a high-volume industry, the necessity for small quantities of products and components exists for aerospace customers and those producers wishing to mass customize their products. Because of the high cost of tooling, injection molding processes are seldom used to produce only small quantities of parts. This, however, can be remedied if cost effective tooling methods are implemented. Rapid prototyping processes show great potential for such tooling applications because they generally require shorter lead times, produce less waste, and, in some cases, use less expensive materials.; The research presented herein studies the feasibility of using injection mold inserts produced with additive methods by investigating ejection and friction. Through experimentation, the application of P-20 steel, laser sintered LaserForm ST-100, and stereolithography SL 5170 tools to produce limited quantities of a thin-walled cylindrical part are explored. A substantial amount of data and statistical analysis are provided that reveal conditions during the actual injection molding process, and comparisons are made among the three insert types. Experimental ejection forces from each tool type are compared with model-based calculations, and apparent coefficients of static friction are calculated and compared to standard test results. Based on the data and analyses, the benefits and limitations of using rapid tooled injection mold inserts are presented. |
