The Prosperity of Aluminum Molds by David Parmelee Sr.
A common inquiry I receive when working with customers is in regard to the aluminum tool versus the hardened steel tool: under what circumstances is the aluminum tool a better fit for mold production, in contrast to a steel mold? Here are the facts:
When a customer wants a mold built, quantity, cost, and efficiency are essential factors in choosing the right tool, for the best value. If your customer is only in need of 100,000 parts or less, aluminum tooling is the best fit. In this case and in cases similar, the cost of tooling is going to be significantly less than that of steel tooling, the lead time is going to be shorter, there will be access to most available resins, and any necessary adjustments to the mold during production will be far from painstaking. In what business should a customer spend tens of thousands more for a tool that they’re only going to use for a tenth of what it was made to do? Not ours, and this is why careful consideration is taken in deciphering between the aluminum and steel tool for precise fit in all ranges of interest. https://wepcoplastics.com/capabilities/
Significant Benefits of Aluminum Molds:
Speed: Aluminum molds in contrast to steel molds take a fraction of the time to build. If lead time is the forefront consideration for a customer, and parts are needed within 1-2 weeks, aluminum tooling is an absolute fit. 3D printed parts can be made, but the all-in cost to produce 500 pieces versus building a tool and running parts could be remarkably close. Whether 500 pieces or 50,000 pieces are needed, production quality is indisputably consistent.
Price: The fun part. An aluminum tool that can produce 50,000 parts can have multiple side pulls, undercuts, textures, etc., and may cost up to $10,000 with a 2-3 week lead time. The same tool in hardened steel may cost up to $50,000 with a 6-8 week lead time. As the steel tool has the ability to produce millions of parts during its life cycle, an aluminum tool in contrast has the ability to produce 100,000-200,000 parts during its life cycle. If a customer is not in need of millions of parts for their product, then why encourage that customer to spend the extra money? With an environment of healthy customer-employee rapport, customer satisfaction, and proper execution of desired product that is fostered here at Wepco, money saved by a customer is sturdy incentive for the development of their next product.
Material: When running non-abrasive materials with lower heat content in the mold (for example, in the use of plastics with low glass content) aluminum serves a fitting purpose. Although susceptible to high-heat, aluminum molds can work for low volume runs under 10,000 pieces for the life of the tool, and are excellent for working with those non-abrasive materials at a lower heat. https://wepcoplastics.com/materials/
Changes: When developing a new product, it is likely that at some point during the process, either after the first sample run or further down the road, changes will need to be made. Aluminum tooling is proficient in fast changes, for it can be welded, inserts can be added easily, and the tool itself can be re-made promptly, surpassing the efficiency of changes in the hardened steel tool.
Here at Wepco, we both build our aluminum tooling and run the molds that are built. This is essential in maintaining tooling for maximum life, and allows for a full, encompassing understanding of both the limitations and advantages of low-volume aluminum mold production. In hopes that this information will allow our customers to make more informed decisions in the process of choosing tooling to best suit their needs, our next blog post will provide a checklist, some insight on what to look for, and an inventory of “must-do’s” to use when choosing an injection molder/toolmaker.