When it comes to hardware molds, many people may feel that it is far away from them, but in fact it is closely related to mobile phone cases, auto parts and even tableware used in daily life. Simply put, the mold is the "master" used to mass-produce various metal or plastic parts. Its design and manufacturing directly determine the quality and cost of the final product.
1. Design stage
First, you have to draw drawings according to product requirements. Now basically CAD software (such as SolidWorks) is used for modeling, and it must be accurate to every millimeter. For example, to make a screw mold, you have to consider the depth and diameter of the thread, and leave space for later mold repair. If this step is sloppy, it may be all waste in the later production.
2. Material selection
Molds are divided into steel molds, aluminum molds and even ceramic molds. Steel molds have a long life but are expensive, suitable for mass production; aluminum molds are cheap but easy to wear, suitable for small batch trial production. Material selection depends on the budget and product requirements. For example, to make a mold for a car engine, high-hardness steel must be used.
3. Processing and manufacturing
After the design drawing is completed, the CNC machine tool (CNC) comes on stage. This is the most expensive part, because the equipment costs hundreds of thousands or millions. The temperature and cutting speed must be controlled during processing, otherwise there will be cracks on the surface of the mold. Some complex structures must be machined with electrical discharge machining (EDM) to slowly "burn" out the details.
4. Mold trial and debugging
Making the hardware mold is only the first step, and mold trial is the highlight. Eighty percent of the products produced for the first time will have problems, such as many burrs and incorrect sizes. At this time, the mold must be repeatedly repaired. The experience of the old master is particularly important, and a small adjustment may make the yield rate soar.
5. Mass production and maintenance
After successful debugging, mass production can be carried out, but the mold will wear out after a long time, and it must be polished or replaced regularly. A good mold can be used hundreds of thousands of times, while a bad mold may be scrapped after a few thousand times.
Summary
Mold manufacturing is a technical job, and every link from design to mass production must be taken seriously. Now many factories use 3D printing to make quick prototypes, but mass production still relies on traditional processes. In the future, with the development of intelligence, the accuracy and efficiency of molds will be taken to a higher level.
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