Injection moulding tools made in three days

The MCP EP250 Tooling System can produce an injection moulding tool within three days to mould between 100 and 5000 components.

The MCP EP250 Tooling System can produce an injection moulding tool within three days to mould between 100 and 5000 components.

Fast prototyping and short pre-production runs can be carried out.

MCP's EP250 Tooling System enables designers and manufacturers to produce plastics prototypes in final production materials quickly and cost effectively.

Using 'real materials' is a key requirement when, for example, conducting trials with prototype medical devices, or crash testing automotive parts - when parts cast in vacuum processed polyurethane resins would be unsuitable.

CNC machining and stereo lithography are the most successful methods for producing master models, says MCP.

Both processes produce accurate models where split lines can be incorporated as part of the original model.

On day One, the EP250 components are mixed under vacuum and poured into the back half of a bolster, directly onto the model, and allowed to cure overnight.

On Day Two, the upper casting frame is fixed and filled with mixed and degassed EP250.

On Day Three, the tool is heated to achieve the maximum physical properties, before ejector pins and gating systems are fitted.

MCP says the final tool offers comprehensive strength and heat deflection temperature.

Shrinkage is contained within 0.02%.

MCP says the material is easy to machine to give a surface, which can be polished to mirror finish.

MCP has carried out EP250 projects including the production of 1000 automotive fans moulded in Nylon 6.6, 100 air box mouldings in 40% talc-filled polypropylene and 250 air vent and grill mouldings in PC/ABS plastics.

MCP says that on the completion of each project the tools were still in good condition.

Materials used in EP250 Tooling System successfully include ABS, polystyrene, polymethylmethacrylate, LDPE, HDP and polyformaldehyde.

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