AM
/
Taking Shape
additivemanufacturing.media
15
The frst rapid tooling project was for the welding aftermarket component indus-
try. The part is used in a system to straighten the wire as it is pulled from a distance.
The geometry of the part proved to be challenging due to its thin walls and deep draw.
Recommended guidelines for the maximum material load and wall thickness ratio
from the printer manufacturer fgured into the successful tool design. The tool was
built in four business days, and molded production-intent components on the ffth
business day. This project saved thousands of dollars in labor and material compared
to a standard aluminum prototype tool, Felicijan says.
He says customers have been eager to use the rapid tooling capability for
components that would normally take 12 to 14 weeks for prototyping and design
validation testing. "However, it doesn't meet the needs of all applications," he
says. The shop has development work underway related to rapid tooling for
high-temperature materials.
Currently, about 60 percent of Accu-Mold's business is mold building and 40 per-
cent is molding, in large part for automotive. The company is looking to use its new
AM capabilities to diversify into medical products because of their short product life
cycles and defense products because of their legacy component and assemblies. Addi-
tionally, Accu-Mold hopes to increase its contract manufacturing work by expanding
into more advanced AM, including metal 3D printing.
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