ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING
BREAKING THE MOULD
How can this new rapid moulding technology speed up production? Jake Holmes fi nds out…
M
any companies are turning their attention to the growing benefi ts of additive manufacturing, especially
for custom solutions or just-in-time manufacturing. Through additive manufacturing, companies can reduce costs and material waste by producing only what is needed, and also save on storage costs. Many train manufacturers have been utilising another great benefi t: the ability to produce products instantaneously, cutting lead times from potentially months to just a few hours. This reduces downtime and increases productivity. Meanwhile, manufacturers within the
aerospace and automotive industries often rely on large, complex, and unique equipment for machining. Having the technological ability to quickly produce specifi c tools reduces the need for stockpiling single-purpose tools in the warehouse. Traditional machinery can be
space-consuming and require multiple fi xtures, vices, and jigs. Having a range of single-purpose
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machinery can also be expensive and ineff icient. This is where additive manufacturing has its benefi ts, as the same machinery can be repurposed for diff erent applications. Fyous, a British innovative moulding systems developer, is poised to further disrupt this area with its recently launched Polymorphic rapid tooling technology. Designed to reduce the amount
of machinery and tools required in the factory, Fyous’ system can create moulds 14 times faster than traditional additive manufacturing, allowing much faster production. Moulds can be produced almost instantly using this new technology, reducing lead times and allowing factories to have access to custom tools almost instantly.
POLYMORPHIC MOULDING Fyous’ PolyMorphic 28k forming machine is composed of the machine itself, the pin tool and the fi rm’s 3D CAD software. The moulding process itself takes approximately 20 minutes, roughly 14 times faster than
The Polymorphic 28k moulding machine
3D printing processes for similar- sized pieces. Workholding increases productivity and eff iciency by reducing the time it takes for time set up between moulds. The machine then vacuums the
material around the pin to create the fi nal mould. The tightly packed pins raise or lower to the correct level to create the mould, shaping the material with each pin. The pin tool in the forming machine is infi nitely reusable, with the 3D CAD model forming the 28,000 densely packed pins into a tooling shape. The strength of the pin tools makes them well-suited to holding metal for machining. The pins boast an accuracy rate of
up to 0.1mm, being able to withstand up to six tonnes of pressure once locked into place. These capabilities make the pins well-suited to vacuum forming, composite layup, composite bonding, and moulding polyurethane products. Each pin part is roughly the same size as a shoe box and can be used together to create large moulds for multiple applications.
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