PTXPO Preview 2023: 3D Printing, Machining and Cutting Tools Technology and Services

The Plastics Technology Expo (PTXPO), taking place this year March 28-30, 2023, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois, brings partners across the supply chain together, which really changes things when you walk the show floor. This is what makes in-person industry events like PTXPO so crucial for the growth of the moldmaking and plastic processing industries.

To provide a little more insight into who our product, equipment or service suppliers are before you arrive at PTXPO, the MMT team put together this special show section* that provides a snapshot of each exhibitor most relevant to moldmaking, whether they are being promoted within the Moldmaking Pavilion powered by Amerimold, or are longtime moldmaking supporters across the show floor.

Each profile shares details such as the importance of the moldmaking marketplace to their business, the company's most meaningful innovation for mold manufacturing, the reason they are exhibiting at PTXPO in or around the MoldMaking Pavilion and specifics about their booth themes, key technologies, expert talent on hand and, of course, any special announcements, news and giveaways.

Use promo code MMT23 and register today for your FREE exhibit hall pass, and we’ll see YOU in Chicago!

*This exhibitor list is subject to change. Current as of 2/01/23

Get to Know Mantle 3D

Moldmaking is at the core of what Mantle does. Through innovative metal 3D printing, Mantle shows how you can dramatically simplify the moldmaking process while reducing lead times and costs, having used it to produce over two million end-use parts for customers.

Visit Booth 1416 for printed tooling components from Westminster Tool, Fathom Manufacturing, Tessy Plastics, DME Company, Pepsi Co., Thogus Products, Hypertherm Associates and more, as well as metrics on why certain applications made sense to print and how much time and cost was saved. Mantle’s booth will be staffed by injection molding and 3D printing experts who look forward to speaking with attendees and discussing how Mantle can add value to your business!

Mantle’s precision 3D printers give manufacturers the accuracy, surface finish and tool steel properties required for production, prototype and bridge tool components — such as cavities, cores and sprue bushings — that reduce the time and cost of making production-grade tools, molds and dies and remove many of the steps involved in conventional manufacturing processes.

Mantle’s technology combines additive 3D printing of metal pastes with subtractive machining to meet the requirements of the tooling industry, including surface finish (1-4 μm Ra), accuracy of 0.001 to 0.004 inch across 4-inch inserts, fine features and sharp details and unique conformal cooling designs, all of which typically require significant EDM or hardmilling to produce traditionally. Two tool steel materials the company developed, P20 and H13, have demonstrated that these materials perform in a manner comparable to traditional tool steels.

Get to Know Xact Metal

Xact Metal has not invented powder-bed fusion technology, but rather made it more accessible and affordable for small to medium-sized businesses. There are many applications that combine plastics and metal, but it has been too risky for many businesses to try this new technology because of the price. Xact Metal brings opportunity for innovation to the moldmaking marketplace by designing machines that produce quality metal parts, for a fraction of the price.

Moldmaking can be a great application for metal 3D printing because of the ability to include internal conformal cooling channels. Cooling a mold can be up to 80% of the cycle time for injection molding. Conformal cooling channels can greatly reduce this, therefore reducing overall cycle time and optimizing production line process.

Visit Booth 1615 for support in metal additive technologies, or to start your journey from plastics to metal.

Get to Know Agathon Machine Tools Inc.

Visit Booth 1415 to discover a guide system that can greatly improve mold performance and save money. Moldmaking is not only important to Agathon, but Agathon has become more important to the moldmaking industry. The innovations that the company has developed over the last 10 years have helped to develop a new and improved way of centering mold cavities while using the same rolling elements the company provides on its main tool guides and ejector guides. 

The team will be highlighting the Guide System Plus, Agathon Round Fine Centering and Mini Centering Systems along with a variety of rolling guides. Agathon’s sales professionals will be on hand to advise each customer about the proper use of and applications for any component within the product catalog.

Agathon reports that its guide systems experience little to no wear, increased cycle times and reduced maintenance costs, and have proven success in critical applications that require tight tolerances and a clean working environment.

The company's latest innovation is the Guide System Plus. This universal system not only provides the main tool guiding, but also the fine centering between the mold halves.

The Agathon Fine Centering uses rolling elements that permit customers to eliminate traditional friction-style mold locks that wear out quickly and require frequent replacement. Customers report a better, smoother running tool and much longer tool life.

Get to Know Cheto Corp. SA

The moldmaking industry was the genesis for the lifelong careers of Cheto founders Carlos Teixeira (CEO) and Sérgio André (CTO), and eventually Cheto itself. Driven by its work to identify industry problems, acquire process know-how and understand the needs of the manufacturer, Cheto has become a company in a constant state of evolution, with a market presence and experience in four continents. Its location at Booth 1321 is meant to show its competitive edge and high-value generating products — such as its multifunction machines — in the North America market for clients in the mold, energy, oil and gas, and military and nuclear sectors.

Over the last 25 years, Cheto has brought a variety of innovations to the moldmaking marketplace to increase the accuracy and decrease the costs of complex mold production. The introduction of five- and seven-axis multifunction machines feature faster, cleaner, more reliable and more efficient machining while streamlining operations. Cheto multifunction machines can perform different functions in a single setup — deep-hole drilling, radial drilling, milling, tapping and boring.

Also highlighted is Cheto’s patented automatic tool changer (ATC) with a length of up to 2 meters. The ATC gundrill enables the reduction of human intervention and drilling time without stop.

Cheto’s PTXPO booth, run by company CEO and founder Carlos Teixeira, is a representation of what the company is and what it offers — that is, it reflects its primary goal of providing the highest levels of precision to its customers with continuous innovation.

Get to Know Hermle USA

At Booth 1535, Hermle is showcasing the undreamt-of possibilities that moldmaking shops can achieve with its additive manufacturing (AM) solution, Hermle MPA Technology.

MPA Technology is a thermal injection technique has been established after more than 10 years of intensive research and development. According to Hermle, the one-of-a-kind innovation opens up new dimensions in the field of AM. Based on a unique application process for powdered metal, the technology unites the ideas of additive production with semi-finished parts and conventional chipping for the manufacture of hybrid metal components, large or small.