
3D Printing Puts Fixtures into Gear
Automotive parts supplier gets up to speed on FDM’s capabilities for fixtures Read Case StudyConsider cast urethanes as an economical manufacturing method as you move into the final stages of product development.
Before cast urethane molding came along, there were limited economical options for producing small to medium runs for limited market releases and bridge applications. While injection molding is an excellent solution for mass production of identical products, it doesn’t offer a cost effective production solution for low volume needs or highly customized products. Answering this gap in production options involves lowering tooling costs and speeding up turnaround while using materials with equivalent properties and functionalities as those of injection molded products. Soft tooling through cast urethane processes has proven to be the best alternative to hard tooling for low volume, end use applications, for medical devices and training models, consumer products and more.
Creating a soft tool for urethane casting begins with a master pattern. The surface of a master pattern is critical when forming a soft tool, as the surface is directly translated from the master pattern and onto the silicone. Our engineers typically equate the detail relay of platinum reinforced silicone to as fine as a strand of human hair. The most cost effective, quick turn master patterns are built using 3D printing. Two additive manufacturing technologies offer the surface finish, feature detail and speed for optimal soft tool creation:
3D Printing Puts Fixtures into Gear
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The District Detroit Project Uses FDM to Showcase a New Motor CityThe District Detroit Project Uses FDM to Showcase a New Motor City
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