Tool And Die Making
Tool and die making, the industrial art of manufacturing stamping dies, plastics molds, and jigs and fixtures to be used in the mass production of solid objects. The fabrication of pressworking dies constitutes the major part of the work done in tool and die shops. Most pressworking dies are utilized in the fabrication of sheet-metal parts that range in size from the finger stop on a dial telephone to the panels of an automobile body.
Each pressworking die consists of two sections, called punch and die, or male and female. Both sections are mounted firmly in an electrically or hydraulically driven press. In a working cycle the press ram, on which the male section is mounted, descends into the fixed female section. Any metal interposed between the sections is cut or shaped to a prescribed form. Like the dies, the presses range in size from extremely small to gigantic. A bench press is often small enough to be picked up manually; but the press that stamps out the roof of a car is generally about three stories high and capable of exerting tons of force.
Tool And Die Making Finishes
Diamond polishing results in the finest finish on molds and components to produce highly visible or lens quality parts. The SPI* A-2 is the most widely used diamond finish, providing good release and good visual parts. An SPI A-3 is a fine choice for release where a high-gloss appearance is not required. All diamond finishes work well with chrome and nickel coatings.
Next to diamond polishing, paper finishes are the second most refined finishes available. Paper finishes can produce a slightly reflective or glossy shine and very good release. They are often recommended for products that do not require a decorative or visual impact.
The most economical finish, stone finishes are also the first step in the process of paper and diamond polishing. Stone finishes provide good release, but deliver very little gloss to the plastic part. This is a good choice for strictly functional molded parts where aesthetics are of no importance.
When done properly, blasted finishes can produce some of the most interesting stipples and textures on mold surfaces. From a fine satin texture with varied degrees of gloss to a flat, no-gloss coarse stipple, Bales has the blast media to produce the proper finish for you. Blast finishes are also an excellent way to camouflage weld repairs and slight imperfections.
