Short answer

Consider additive manufacturing for soft tooling inserts when rapid prototyping or pilot production of injection-molded parts with micro-features is required, and be mindful of the insert's limited lifespan.

Field: Final Production
Source: Journal of Visualized Experiments (2018)
Method: Experimental research and process development
Evidence: Strong effect

Utilizing additive manufacturing for soft tooling inserts allows for the efficient production of injection-molded components with intricate micro-scale features, significantly reducing manufacturing time and cost compared to traditional methods. This final production research insight is drawn from a 2018 study published in Journal of Visualized Experiments. Using Experimental research and process development, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Consider additive manufacturing for soft tooling inserts when rapid prototyping or pilot production of injection-molded parts with micro-features is required, and be mindful of the insert's limited lifespan.

Study

Final ProductionHigh ImpactStrong effect

Additive manufactured soft tooling enables micro-feature injection molding with reduced lead times

Journal of Visualized Experiments · 2018

Key Findings

01Additive manufactured soft tooling inserts can successfully produce injection-molded parts with microstructures on complex geometries.
02The soft tooling process chain significantly reduces machining time and cost compared to CNC machining.
03The precision of micro-feature replication is influenced by the additive manufacturing process parameters.
04The lifespan of the soft tooling inserts makes this method more suitable for pilot production rather than mass manufacturing.

Application

Design takeaway

How to apply

When designing a new product that requires micro-scale features and initial production volumes are low, explore using 3D printing to create the injection mold inserts. This can accelerate development and reduce upfront tooling costs.

Project actions

01When selecting an additive manufacturing process for tooling, consider the required temperature resistance and resolution for your micro-features.
02Document the injection molding parameters carefully, as they will influence the replication fidelity of the microstructures.

Method & Evidence

AimTo investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of a soft tooling process chain using additive manufacturing for creating injection molding inserts capable of replicating micro-scale features on final components.

MethodExperimental research and process development

ProcedureSoft tooling inserts were fabricated using vat photopolymerization (Digital Light Processing) with a high-temperature photopolymer. These inserts were then used for injection molding of polyethylene parts featuring micro pillars (200 µm diameter, aspect ratio 1) and complex geometries (e.g., 60° tines). The process chain was evaluated for its ability to replicate microstructures and its efficiency compared to conventional methods.

ContextInjection molding, Additive Manufacturing, Microfabrication

Variables

IVAdditive manufacturing process for tooling, material of the soft tooling insert

DVReplication fidelity of micro-features, injection molding cycle time, tooling cost, insert lifespan

CVMaterial of the injected part (Polyethylene), design of the micro-pillars and tines, injection molding parameters (temperature, pressure, time)

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Demonstrates a practical application of additive manufacturing for tooling.
+Provides quantitative insights into cost and time savings.
+Addresses the challenge of replicating micro-features.

Limitations

The durability of the 3D printed mold is a key limitation; it will wear out faster than a metal mold. The accuracy of the micro-features can be affected by the 3D printing process itself.

Reliability & validity

The study's validity is supported by its experimental procedure and comparison to conventional methods. Reliability could be enhanced by repeating the molding process multiple times to assess insert wear and feature consistency.

Think critically

How might advancements in photopolymer materials and additive manufacturing resolution further extend the applicability of soft tooling for higher-volume production runs?

Design Principles

"Leverage additive manufacturing for rapid and cost-effective tooling in early-stage production cycles."

This approach offers a viable pathway for rapid prototyping and pilot production of complex parts with microstructures. Designers and engineers can iterate on designs more quickly and cost-effectively, especially when dealing with small batch sizes or early-stage product development.

What This Means for Your Design

You can 3D print molds to make plastic parts with tiny details, which is faster and cheaper for making a few parts than traditional metal molds.

How to use in your project

1.Reference this study when discussing the selection of manufacturing methods for prototypes or pilot production, particularly when micro-features are involved.
2.Use the findings to justify the choice of additive manufacturing for tooling if it leads to reduced lead times or costs in your design project.

Add to My Project

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

The research by Zhang et al. (2018) demonstrates that additive manufacturing can be employed to create soft tooling inserts for injection molding, enabling the replication of micro-scale features on complex geometries. This approach offers significant reductions in machining time and cost compared to conventional CNC machining, making it particularly suitable for pilot production and rapid prototyping. However, the lifespan of the additive manufactured inserts is a critical consideration, limiting its application for high-volume manufacturing.

Source

Journal of Visualized Experiments

A Soft Tooling Process Chain for Injection Molding of a 3D Component with Micro Pillars

journal · 2018

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about additive manufactured soft tooling enables micro-feature injection molding with reduced lead times?: Consider additive manufacturing for soft tooling inserts when rapid prototyping or pilot production of injection-molded parts with micro-features is required, and be mindful of the insert's limited lifespan. Evidence: Journal of Visualized Experiments (2018).
Why does "Additive manufactured soft tooling enables micro-feature injection molding with reduced lead times" matter for design?: This approach offers a viable pathway for rapid prototyping and pilot production of complex parts with microstructures. Designers and engineers can iterate on designs more quickly and cost-effectively, especially when dealing with small batch sizes or early-stage product development.
How can designers apply this research?: Consider additive manufacturing for soft tooling inserts when rapid prototyping or pilot production of injection-molded parts with micro-features is required, and be mindful of the insert's limited lifespan.
What were the main findings?: Additive manufactured soft tooling inserts can successfully produce injection-molded parts with microstructures on complex geometries.. The soft tooling process chain significantly reduces machining time and cost compared to CNC machining.. The precision of micro-feature replication is influenced by the additive manufacturing process parameters.. The lifespan of the soft tooling inserts makes this method more suitable for pilot production rather than mass manufacturing.
What research method was used?: Experimental research and process development.
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2018 journal from Journal of Visualized Experiments.
What should I do differently in my next project?: When designing a new product that requires micro-scale features and initial production volumes are low, explore using 3D printing to create the injection mold inserts. This can accelerate development and reduce upfront tooling costs.
What are the limitations?: The limited lifespan of the soft tooling inserts restricts its application to pilot production or low-volume runs. The precision of micro-feature replication is dependent on the capabilities of the specific additive manufacturing process used.