Engineering & ManufacturingCNC · Sheet Metal · Stamping · Rapid Prototyping
Rapid tooling
Prototype molds for parts in the production plastic
Rapid tooling is a simplified injection mold, usually with aluminum or pre-hardened steel cavities, that makes real molded parts in the production resin. It is built when printed or cast parts are not close enough: fit and function tests in the real material, certification samples, pre-series builds, or bridge tooling while the production mold is being made.
Cavities and cores are machined by CNC and EDM in our tool room, and the samples are molded in our own plants, the same plants that build CNM production injection molds.
When rapid tooling makes sense
- The test needs the final plastic, not a printed or cast substitute
- Design validation and certification samples
- Pre-series builds and market tests
- Bridge parts until the production mold is approved
- Low lifetime volumes that will not pay back a production mold
Rapid tooling at a glance (typical)
| Mold materials | Aluminum (for example 7075) or pre-hardened steel such as P20 or 718 |
|---|---|
| Construction | Usually single cavity; hand-loaded inserts instead of slides where possible |
| Part materials | Production thermoplastics such as ABS, PC, PC/ABS, PA, PP and POM |
| Mold life | Aluminum: typically a few thousand to about 10,000 shots, fewer with glass-filled resins; pre-hardened steel: typically tens of thousands of shots |
| Typical use | Validation samples, pre-series, bridge production, low lifetime volumes |
Rapid tooling FAQ
How is rapid tooling different from a production mold?
A rapid tool uses softer, faster-to-machine cavity materials and simpler construction, so it is quicker and cheaper to build but makes fewer parts. A production mold uses hardened steel, full cooling and automatic actions for long runs.
Are rapid tooling parts the same as production parts?
They are molded in the real production plastic, so material properties match. Cycle time, surface finish and some details can differ because the mold is simpler, for example where a hand-loaded insert replaces a slide.