RAPID PROTOTYPING & INJECTION MOULDING
A prototype mould tool can provide you with a cost and time-efficient option to validate your design. Using a prototype mould allows you to focus on material iterations, confirming the final material used for producing the component. A prototype mould allows us to work together to ensure the components’ manufacturability during the prototype stage, well before full production begins.
Prototyping using injection moulding is actually more affordable than you may think. Our prototype moulds are created using tooling grade aluminium which is a time and cost-effective option. With aluminum tooling, single and multi-cavity tooling in 2, 4 and 8-cavity molds are possible depending on part size and complexity.
At Protoshape we only have to create the shape of your component in what are called cavity plates. This is because we have our very own bolster system which cavity plates can quickly be swapped in and out of. This means that an entire mould is not required, providing further cost and time savings.
Our service does not end when the prototype mould has been created, we can then use our suite of injection moulding machines to manufacture your components. Our injection moulding machines range from 35 to 250 tons which gives us the flexibility to components in a wide variety of sizes. Having toolmaking and moulding capabilities under the same roof presents a range of advantages. Time is the greatest advantage; once the mould has been created, it is simply put on one of our machines and components can be produced immediately. It also gives you the opportunity for rapid design iterations as the toolmaker and machine operator work in close collaboration.