3D-Printed Polymer Mold Inserts Tested for Prototype Injection Molding
IPC, a French plastics and composites technical center, worked with ARaymond on 3D-printed polymer mold inserts. The aim was to injection mold cable-clip prototypes in the final production material before committing to metal tooling.
ARaymond wanted functional cable-clip prototypes. The company needed parts molded in the final production material, not just shape-and-fit checks, before it paid for high-volume tooling.
IPC, France's technical center for plastics and composites, worked with ARaymond on an alternative. The approach uses 3D-printed polymer mold inserts. According to the source, it is meant to speed design iteration and functional validation while lowering cost.
The source says machined tooling can take weeks to make and change. That makes repeated design rounds slow and expensive.
For equipment buyers, ask whether printed inserts suit your part geometry and production material. Ask how many molding cycles an insert is expected to last. Ask how insert changes affect press setup and cycle time. Ask what validation is needed before metal tooling is ordered.