Rapid Tooling
Bastech's Advanced Rapid Tooling Division offers the quickest, most accurate, rapid tooling technologies available today. Our center utilizes many different, but complementary rapid tooling processes for rapidly creating plastic injection molds, stamping dies, wax dies, and diecast dies. Our experienced rapid tooling engineers will select the most appropriate and cost effective method based on client lead-time, tolerance requirements, production volumes, and material specifications. Bastech's Advanced Rapid Tooling Division can guide your project from CAD model through plastic injection in as little as 12 to 15 days.
SLS (LaserForm™ A6 Metal) Ferrous and non-ferrous tool grade materials
SLS is a Rapid Tooling process in which tool inserts are created by laser sintering an A6 Tool Steel based powder mixed with a binder, then sintered and infiltrated with bronze (36%). The end result is a fully dense steel/bronze tool.
Utilizing the SLS Laserform A6 process will yield "near net shape" molds and/or inserts in as little as two to three days. Final fit machining is required. If your application is appropriate for Laserform A6, functional metal tooling can be produced in less than 4 days. Compare this to 11+ days needed to prepare traditional tooling inserts. This can shave weeks off your development schedule and get you to market in a fraction of the time.
CNC - Computerized Numerically Controlled Machining
In cases where sintered LaserForm A6 tooling is not the correct solution for your application, due to part size, tolerance, geometry, or quantities required, Bastech, Inc. has applied its rapid tooling and SRP (subtractive rapid prototyping) methodology to traditional machined aluminum and P-20 tooling.
Our Haas VMC's have a working envelope of X 500mm, Y 350mm, Z 500mm. Capable of 3 Axis high speed machining with a 20 station automatic tool changer, combined with state of the art cad/cam software this gives us the capacity to rapidly respond to our customers requirements.
Main Advantages of SLS rapid tooling methodology
- Speed
- Cost effective for complex tooling
- Full automated process
- Reduces/eliminates human error
- Cost effective for multi tool projects
- Creative design possibilities
- Superior in strength and hardness to aluminum
- Few geometry constraints - waterlines and undercuts permissible
- Better accuracy and fewer size limitations than previous versions
- Durable metal molds for 10 to 20,000 injection molded plastic parts
- Can be plated, textured, machined, EDM'd, or welded (braised)
- Also can be used for creating complex metal parts
Uses of SLS rapid tooling methodology
- DevelopmentalTooling
- Cost effective, very fast
- 1.5 to 2 weeks, 20 to 1,000 parts
- Mid-range Tooling
- Consistent delivery and tolerance
- 2 to 4 weeks, 200 to 5,000 parts
- Low-volume Production or Bridge Tooling
- 4 to 5 weeks, 5,000 to 20,000 parts
