US industrial computed tomography (CT) software manufacturer Volume Graphics joins a project on rapid tooling by the German Kunststoff-Institut. The project aims to produce inserts for injection moulds faster and cheaper using 3D printing techniques.
3D printing is used, among other things, to produce parts in small runs and print prototypes in a short time. However, additive manufacturing can also play a role in the production of inserts for moulds. "Inserts for moulds are the focus of the Kunstoff-Institut's second project given their critical importance in reinforcing parts and/or encapsulating manufactured components," Volume Graphics writes in a press release.
Faster and cheaper
The development of injection-moulded parts and inserts in many cases requires producing prototypes in small runs. For this step, a choice is currently usually made between two methods: the production of prototypes via a rapid process that produces low-quality parts or a more complex method in which the prototype is injection-moulded into an aluminium mould.
A third method is being worked on within the project of the Kunstoff-Institut, a consortium of companies that was founded in 1988 and today has over 340 members. This involves manufacturing plastic moulds using an industrial 3D printer, which can thereby be manufactured faster than an aluminium mould. This plastic mould is then used to make prototypes of traditional plastic components with inserts. Using plastic moulds is not only faster than using aluminium moulds, but also cheaper.
Non-destructive testing
Volume Graphics will make its industrial CT software available for the project. CT technology has long been used to inspect tools and moulds, and allows non-destructive testing of manufactured components. For example, by comparing scans of components with the original CAD drawings, CT software can detect anomalies that are not visible to the naked eye.
Specifically, Volume Graphics is making available the latest versions of its CT analysis software VGSTUDIO MAX and VGMETROLOGY. These software suites include the Manufacturing Geometry Correction module, which is specifically designed to detect and correct anomalies. If anomalies are detected during a scan, they can be transferred to the CAD model using the module, which allows the problems to be analysed and relevant contours to be adjusted in order to 3D print the component correctly.
Improve design and 3D printing strategy
"With our Manufacturing Geometry Correction module, we have laid the foundation for many new applications in tool and die manufacturing that can benefit from the improved speed and quality of additive manufacturing," said Christof Reinhart, CEO of Volume Graphics. "This data can be very valuable for tool designers, both to improve the design of the tool itself and the 3D printing strategy used for production."
"Working together with the Kunstoff-Institut and partners on this project is very important to us," explains Reinhart. "Because we are convinced that industrial CT can advance the future of rapid tooling. We have been keeping a close eye on additive manufacturing in general and rapid tooling in particular for some time now, working on solutions to improve prototyping volume, design speed and overall quality of products and processes."
Author: Wouter Hoeffnagel
