In 2018, the mould making department at Procter & Gamble optimised its portfolio in order to meet the requirements of multicavity moulds requiring small high accuracy geometries. In addition, the company wanted to consistently continue the changeover from copper to graphite electrodes, which began in 2014. With the investment in OPS-Ingersoll’s Eagle G5 Precision die-sinking EDM machine, they have fulfilled this task.

The 3D printing industry is continuing to develop very dynamically. This is due to competition between different 3D processes and technical advances in machine and process engineering. In general, this confirms that the industrial maturity of 3D printing in relation to conventional manufacturing strategies (casting or milling) continues to increase.

Empire Manufacturing has witnessed substantial growth, evolving from owning three sliding head turning centres to boasting a diverse machine tool range. In 2022, the company diversified its machine tool vendors, purchasing tools from Dugard, including the Hanwha XD10 sliding head lathe which remarkably improved precision and efficiency.

To implement complex mould part geometries and minimise in-house production efforts, Knarr offers standardised slanted slide units. These components also ensure quick replacement in the event of damage or wear.

CAD/CAM company Mastercam sponsors a competition to inspire students and professionals in the manufacturing arena. The Mastercam 2022 Wildest Parts Competition is now accepting entries.

Since the early days of the moulding industry, many mechanical solutions have been developed to help release undercuts during the ejection process. As a result of the technological evolution, machinery, or materials, many mechanisms have become redundant. However, there is one mechanism which has lasted through many changes with almost no redesign: the slide.

Tool supplier Big Daishowa expands its line of power chucks with the Mega 12DS, a tool designed for high-performance trochoidal milling. Featuring enhanced rigidity and high clamping force, the Mega 12DS is compatible with a variety of end mills and aims to enable stable, high-speed machining.

Liquidity bottlenecks are causing more and more tool, pattern and mould making entrepreneurs to deal with bankruptcy issues. Johannes Brinkmann, managing director of form & function from Hesse, had to experience first-hand what it means to go insolvent more than eleven years ago. In Part 2 of an interview, the 51-year-old talks about his experiences at that time and shows which mistakes should be avoided as best as possible.

With Freefoam, Desktop Metal wants to revolutionize the way foam products are made. This new family of photopolymer resins produces durable and dimensionally accurate closed cell foam parts without tooling.

The benefits of automation in the metal cutting industry are particularly welcome when it comes to implementing flexible production processes for small quantities. Here are some examples of the solutions to be presented at the International Exhibition for Metal Working (AMB) in Stuttgart from 13 to 17 September 2022.