Rapid Prototype Molds
Low cost fast lead time tooling for the stage before a production mold
Rapid Prototype Molds
Rapid prototype mold making is one of the services we list, offered at a low price and a fast lead time. It exists for the moment when a design still needs real molded parts but does not yet justify a production tool.
- Real molded material properties before committing to steel
- A cheap place to find a design problem
- Shorter path from prototype learning to production tooling
- Same engineering team across both stages
How Rapid Prototype Molds Runs
Scope agreement
We agree what the prototype tool has to prove and what it does not have to survive.
Simplified design
The tool is designed for the shortest route to a correct part.
Fast fabrication
Machining is prioritized for lead time rather than for tool life.
Trial and samples
The tool is tried and molded samples are sent for evaluation.
Transition to production
What is learned feeds the DFM for the production mold.
The Rest of the Engineering
Mold Design
Full 3D mold design completed to one hundred percent and reviewed before it reaches you
DFM Study
A written design for manufacture study submitted on every mold before fabrication
MoldFlow Analysis
Practical MoldFlow study applied to mass production molds to remove defects in advance
Mold Making
CNC EDM grinding and CMM equipped mold manufacture since 2011
Injection Molding Production
Production molding on the tools we build for customers who want parts not just a mold
Die Casting Mold Making
Aluminum die casting tooling built alongside our injection mold work
Rapid Prototype Molds — Common Questions
Is rapid prototype molds included in the mold price?
It is part of how we build molds rather than an item sold separately. Where you want it as a stand-alone service, say so in the enquiry and we will quote it that way.
What do you need from us to start?
3D part data in STEP, IGES, Parasolid, CATIA or SolidWorks, the resin, the expected annual volume and your mold standard if you have one.
How long does it take?
The quotation comes back within two working days. The engineering itself runs against the project schedule agreed in that quotation. Specific durations: TBC per project.
Who will we be dealing with?
Our engineering team, which has been trained on customer mold standards and corresponds in English. Response is no later than 24 hours.
Put Rapid Prototype Molds on Your Next Tool
Tell us the part and the volume. A professional quotation with technical comment comes back within two working days.