| Back in the olden days of mold making, there were | | | | the past, and the simplicity and efficiency are a marvel |
| obviously no CNC machines and no CAD/CAM | | | | to behold. |
| programs. Can you imagine that! Just consider, if you | | | | It is the same with complicated setups on the |
| have the background to do so, how much is done on | | | | Bridgeport manual milling machine. In the not-to-distant |
| the CNC EDM's, WEDM's, vertical machining centers, 5 | | | | past, the majority of work was done on these |
| axis machines, and more. That would be just about | | | | machines. Now they are just handy machines for |
| everything. | | | | simple tasks like EDM blanks or WEDM blocks. |
| Then, consider how much work is done in the design | | | | Occasionally there is a repair or engineering change |
| area by the computers and the mold design software! | | | | done manually, but even that is a rare occurrence. |
| I cannot even remember the last time I saw | | | | Which mold maker is not thankful for the incredible |
| somebody using a drafting table. | | | | speed, precision and ability of the CNC machining |
| One thing that always amazes me is how every single | | | | centers or EDM's? The tedious tasks and nerve |
| mold has to be hand finished. While it is true that some | | | | wracking jobs are mostly gone, now we have |
| molds do not require much hand work, they all do, to | | | | different problems to deal with. |
| some degree. If you consider the surface grinding, mold | | | | Another big change is in the mold polishing area. With |
| polishing and hand fitting, there is actually a lot of finish | | | | the ever-increasing abilities of the EDM machines and |
| work done manually. | | | | high speed milling machines to leave a fine finish, much |
| Often you can hear salesmen and engineers giving | | | | of the need for manual polishing is gone. Hallelujah! The |
| tours to prospective customers. At times it borders on | | | | endless blending of mismatched surfaces and rough |
| the comical; some of the comments are so far off. | | | | finishes with deep cutter marks is thankfully gone. |
| My favorite is when one told the tour group that we | | | | Now, the polishing is more focused on diamond finishes |
| inserted raw steel into a Haas machining center, ran it | | | | and textures. This has become much easier because |
| through a Makino high speed mill, then a Sodick EDM, | | | | the finish is already usually quite good from the |
| and voila! There was the finished mold! The customer | | | | machining operations. |
| just nodded his head as they shuffled along the aisle. | | | | So, with the changes in the milling machine, surface |
| Several of us were literally holding back the laughter | | | | grinder and mold polishing, what is left? Good question! |
| with our hands over our mouths. | | | | Now the problems are just as difficult, it is just that |
| In reality, the modern mold making shop is a | | | | they have changed. |
| combination of the new and the old. The days of | | | | Some of the newer problems are the complexity of |
| complex setups on the compound sine plate to | | | | molds, very short lead times, global competition, and an |
| surface grind a precision angular shut-off are mostly | | | | acute shortage of the old school mold makers. There |
| long gone. This is due to the wonderful ability of the | | | | may be less of a demand for this old skill, but the |
| WEDM machine. The accuracy is just as good as in | | | | supply is quickly disappearing. |