Analysis

Analysis 1 Jan 2009

Improving Quality to Increase the Bottom Line

Prevention cost is one of the most significant elements of the cost of quality. When developing plans for reduction of quality expenditures, it is critical to analyze the various prevention costs during the product launch phase with a shop floor management system or ERP solution.

Inspection & Measurement 1 Jan 2009

Five-Axis Inspection for Moldmakers

Does five-axis inspection offer similar benefits in speed and accuracy for moldmaking operations?

Business Strategy 1 Dec 2008

The Impact and Evolution of Additive Fabrication

SAn executive summary of the annual Wohlers Report that provides quantitative and qualitative analysis on the additive fabrication industry worldwide.

Analysis 1 Nov 2008

Badgering Mold Variability with On-Machine Gaging

Using unique on-machine metrology software helps to nail down injection mold machining consistency.

Leadership 1 Oct 2008

Optimizing Plastic Injection Mold Materials with FEA

Tooling cost reduction can be achieved with up-front engineering via company collaboration and simulation technologies based on finite element analysis.

Analysis 1 Oct 2008

Why You Need to Inspect the Part to See the Mold

In the simplest terms, a good mold is one that makes good parts. When your customer is making good parts, no one questions the mold. It’s when the parts are not meeting spec that the mold—as one of the main elements of the molding system—is called into question. In these situations, one common proposal is to measure the mold to ensure that it conforms to the designed dimensions.

Machining 1 Oct 2008

Measure Your Success for Rough Milling Improvements

In moldmaking, most applications still follow the traditional two- or three-phase process consisting of rough/pre-finish/finish, in order to hold tolerances. The following article will focus on the first phase of operations—the roughing phase—and how shops can improve rough milling applications with new strategies and cutting tools.