Often, the end product of a customer’s order is considered the most important part of the entire molding process. This is indeed the case in the ultimate sense, but what about all the aspects that come into play in order to get to that final stage and produce a quality product that works as it says on the tin? Without a properly designed and functioning die, it is impossible to produce an end product that meets design specifications, which is why die trials are so important. What is mold trialling, you ask? Read on!
The process of mold trialling is the production and further optimisation of a mold design to produce the best possible final product. This starts with the CAD design and input stage, and it is important to have the skills and knowledge of a highly experienced molding engineer to get the best out of this process. By working together with the customer, the engineer is able to anticipate any problems with the initial design and design them out prior to mold construction, thus saving time, money and resources on an expensive mistake! If this process is done correctly, it is possible that the die will be fairly lost to perfection just by the completion of this stage and be capable of producing the parts specified in the DFM.
In general, there are three phases to every mold trial:
- First Out of Tool (FOT):In this phase, plastic is injected into the new tool to check flow rates, cooling rates and ease of opening including checking for flash or any other injection molding anomalies. If this phase is not deemed a success, the mold design or flow rate of the resin may be altered.
- Customer Reviews: A small sample of the parts will be manufactured and then sent to the customer for approval. If these components meet the customer’s quality standards, then the tool is ready for final testing.
- Final Optimisation: The tool is nearly ready for mass production. The parts produced in the second stage are carefully studied to ensure that they satisfy all the parameters of the DFM and any further, minor adjustments are made. The tool is now ready to produce perfect parts for the rest of its life!