A mold is a complex piece of technological tooling used for the mass production of three-dimensional products made from polymer materials, rubber, and metal by means of injection molding or compression molding. The mold design creates a negative impression of the future part and ensures the production of a large number of items with identical geometric parameters.
Molds are a key element of industrial mass production, where repeatability, accuracy, and stability of finished product parameters are critical. The manufacturing of molds to custom dimensions is carried out on the basis of design documentation and requires the use of specialized production equipment.
New Standard manufactures molds according to the customer’s drawings and technical requirements, taking into account operating conditions and the intended production volume.
How a Mold Works
A mold consists of two main components — a stationary cavity (die) and a movable core (punch). When closed, the cavity and the core form a hollow space of the required shape, into which the material is injected under pressure. In addition to these two main elements, a mold design includes a runner system, a cooling system, an ejection system, and guiding elements.
Mold Operation | Main Stages
- the working material is melted in an injection molding machine until a molten state is achieved;
- the molten material is injected under high pressure through special openings into the closed mold;
- the material fills the mold cavities and cools under the action of the cooling system, taking the required shape;
- the mold opens, and the finished product is ejected.
Main Types of Molds
The most common material used for mold manufacturing is steel. Alloy and tool steels provide molds with the required level of mechanical strength and durability under the most demanding operating conditions.
Another popular material is aluminum alloys. Aluminum molds are characterized by lower cost and lighter weight but have a shorter service life. As a result, aluminum molds are mainly used for short-run or low-volume production.
Design Features. Molds Can Be:
- two-component — consist of a cavity (die) and one core; used for producing simple parts;
- three-component — consist of one cavity and two cores; used for producing complex parts;
- multi-cavity — capable of forming several parts simultaneously;
- by parting line orientation — vertical or horizontal.
Depending on the design of the temperature control system, molds are divided into two types — cold-runner and hot-runner. Cold-runner molds are water-cooled and are the most widely used. In hot-runner molds, molten material is supplied through heated channels, which significantly reduces cycle time.
In addition, molds are classified by the mode of operation. Manual molds require the operator to remove the mold from the machine to extract the finished product, while in automatic and semi-automatic molds, part removal is performed without human involvement.
Mold Manufacturing
Production is carried out using technological equipment required for machining and manufacturing tooling in accordance with specified technical parameters.
To clarify the cost and lead time of an order, the customer should contact the company by phone or email and provide the necessary input data. The quotation is prepared taking into account the product design, materials, accuracy requirements, and operating conditions.