Injection Mould Toolmaking
The mould tool is possibly the most important part of the injection moulding process. Throughout the life of the tool, it will be required to produce high quality components hundreds, thousands and even millions of times. It must be right every time.
We have extensive knowledge and many years’ experience when it comes to injection mould tooling. Whether you are looking for a competent moulder to take your existing tooling or need guidance with a new tooling project then AC Plastics is here to help.
If you require a single tool or a multi tool ‘suite’ then we can assist you every step of the way. From relatively low volume single impression tools to high volume, multi-cavity tools. AC Plastics is able to specify and have manufactured tooling of the highest quality.
We have trusted long-standing partnerships with UK and Far Eastern toolmakers. It is through these relationships, borne by many years and hundreds of tooling projects, that we are confident that we can source and supply tooling for your projects that is both high quality and competitively priced.
Saving you cost and time
With our wealth of knowledge and experience we can project manage your new tooling from the ground up.
Starting with a 2D drawing, 3D CAD model or even a simple sketch, AC Plastics can offer support at every turn to help bring your vision to life.
Calling upon many years of experience we can analyse your design, specifying materials and assisting to ensure the product is fit for purpose. We can take the final component design and through a full review procedure, including
- Mould flow analysis
- DFMEA
- 3D GA review
to ensure that high quality tooling is manufactured to produce your component.
Only through this review and analysis procedure can we be sure that the tooling will be right every time. We also give guidance and support on helping to ensure the final design meets your criteria for cost effectiveness and efficiency.
Choosing the right tool
Production volume, dimensional tolerances and cost all play a major part when deciding the makeup of an injection mould tool. High volume production tooling can be made from high quality, fully-hardened steel. They are extremely durable and long lasting, but more expensive to construct.
Less abrasive materials might only require softer steels. Prototype or low volume components could be made from aluminium to keep costs low.
Our engineers can advise you of the right mould for your project and ensure you get the maximum life and quality for your product.
Transferring your existing mould
If you have existing injection mould tooling based in the UK or internationally and would like to talk to us about transferring it to AC Plastics then please get in touch.
We will assist with the transportation of the moulds and with our in-house toolroom we can inspect and prepare all incoming tooling to ensure it is production ready on one of our 25 injection moulding machines.
Thermoplastic materials and colours
As well as having the right mould tooling, it is essential that the plastic material is suited to the application. The performance, longevity and overall appearance of your products will depend on the plastic materials and colours you choose.
There are 85,000 commercial options when choosing a thermoplastic material, which is why it is essential to talk to an engineering expert.
Choosing the right material will depend on many things. What is the primary function of the component? What environment will the component be operating in? What other materials will it be used in conjunction with? Everything from medical instruments, electrical components and automotive components need assessing to ensure the right thermoplastic material is selected for the job. AC Plastics has the expertise and knowledge that will make sure you make the right decision for your product.
