Accurate forming and prototype deep drawn stamping service from Metalstar Prototype helps you to turn your innovative idea to practical solution. Our service covers the industries of auto, motorcycle, aircraft, electrical and burning appliances (stoves, BBQ grills, TV, refrigerator, air conditioner etc.).
Comparing with CNC machining or 3D print prototyping technology, metal prototype accurate forming and deep drawn metal prototype stamping is much more complicated, this is mainly because accurate prototype forming and deep drawn prototype stamping usually needs quick high-performing soft tools. Thus, the soft tools’ design and tooling process is one of the key to deliver quality prototype parts in short lead time at low price.
To achieve the goal to deliver our customer quick quality prototype at low price, we take below the deep drawn prototype part as example for explaining how many factors need to be considered and should be careful managed when we design and make the soft tool.
1, the off-tool parts’ quality should be the first, so the raw material selection for the tool is the base. Because the parts shown in above picture has some important ribs and some other small functional features, and because the part requests CRCQ steel in 1.5mm thickness, so we must use steel material as the raw material of the tool, this is because usually the tools make by resin materials (ABS or phenolic) cannot ensure getting the small functional features per design although their tooling cost are much less than steel tools, especially for this kind of thick material.
2, the hardness of the raw material of the prototype soft tool, or the surface hardness of the prototype soft tool. For few deep drawn prototype parts, usually for cost and time saving, we only need to use polished tool directly without any heat treatment to the surfaces. But for small amount production, such as 1000~3000pcs, then we must consider the heat treatment for the tools to improve the duration by increasing its hardness.
3, to avoid the wrinkling, wobbling issue etc. and the same time to get the best adaptability for different raw material thickness of sheet metal. During prototyping phase, the customer usually has demand to test different thickness of raw material to get the most practical or economical solution, with that demand, the prototype factory must consider that in advance for cost and time saving, but the biggest challenge will be: to avoid wrinkling or wobbling issue requires the clearance between male die and female die needs to be close to raw material’s thickness as possible as it can be. But on opposite side, the smaller clearance means worse adaptability of the tool, so how to balance the two parameters, and then to get significant time and cost saving for deep drawn prototypes is one of the core competitive abilities of a prototype factory who focus on providing metal prototype accurate forming and deep drawn prototype stamping service.
4, for complicated features, make them all in one deep drawing step, or split it to different individual steps? This must be thought about carefully during tool’s design phase. Usually a failed tool design will cause significant prototyping schedule delay, thus rich-experienced tool designer is another key for delivering quick quality prototype parts at competitive price.
To sum up, the tools design is quite important for quick quality metal prototype accurate forming, and for high quality deep drawn prototype stamping. With more than 14 years’ deep drawn prototype tools design and fabricating experience, Metalstar can always support you in this field to get great success for new product development.
Welcome to view our company website at www.gzmetalstar.com, and warmly welcome to visit our factory when you get time someday.
Thanks for reading!
From: Metalstar Prototype Team