3D to Prototype to Production - Standardized HASCO mold system and 3D-printed inserts allow quick and inexpensive prototypes.

3D-printed inserts for mold prototypes can serve as a testing ground to quickly prove out production mold design options. This presentation takes a look at one project that put this theory to the test. An initial cost analysis and design review revealed that this plug type could not be economically produced by conventional injection molding. A collaborative prototyping method that combines 3D-printed cavities, cores and slide faces with a quick-change mold system and standard components was used and permitted rapid, low-cost prototypes that helped design and manufacture a better production mold.