Injection molding is a proven process for robust plastic parts in series production – however, the production of classic metal moulds is complex and expensive. US manufacturer APSX is now demonstrating how 3D-printed molds can also be suitable for use in a real injection molding machine. The example shown was printed with a Formlabs Form 3+ using Rigid 10K Resin, a high-strength synthetic resin.
The result is a two-part mold with integrated ejector pins that is filled with polypropylene in an APSX PIM V3 machine. The entire injection cycle takes 65 seconds. APSX states that the printed mold runs through approximately 500 automated cycles before it needs to be replaced. The finished product is a circular component.
The mold has sufficient surface quality, which is essential for a functional end product in injection molding. Even if the load-bearing capacity of a printed plastic mold does not come close to that of aluminum or steel, the example nevertheless shows the potential that 3D printing offers in tool manufacturing – especially for small series or pre-series production.
However, getting started with this production method remains expensive. In addition to the SLA printer from Formlabs, the APSX PIM machine is also required, which currently costs around 13,500 US dollars. However, this investment could be worthwhile for applications with regular part requirements in the lower thousand range – especially as the time and materials required can be significantly reduced compared to conventional FDM printing.
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