Plastic injection mold manufacturing
French workshop
The NOCENTE mold workshop for manufacturing your molds for plastic parts
NOCENTE ensures the manufacturing of tooling within its workshops in Voiron (38). Thanks to a modern machine park, approximately 150 molds are produced in our workshop each year, ranging from a few kilograms to 10 tons.
The tooling/mold manufacturing process, from computer design to fine-tuning, is complex and requires meticulous planning, technical expertise, and specialized equipment. Each step is crucial to ensure the quality, precision, and performance of the final mold and the success of the series production of plastic parts.
Steps of Mold Manufacturing
Computer-Aided Design (CAD):
The first step in mold manufacturing at NOCENTE involves computer-aided design (CAD). Our engineers use advanced CAD software to develop detailed 3D models of the molds based on the part's specifications.
Once the design is finalized, the necessary materials for mold manufacturing are selected based on the injected material and the production volume. Typically, PT 110kg steel is preferred for cores and tooling cavities.
The 3D design model is then transferred to computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) software. CAM involves creating automated manufacturing programs to physically produce the designed parts. These programs, often called machining or milling programs, contain detailed instructions on how the machine tool should operate to shape the raw piece according to the design specifications. CAM considers aspects such as tool selection, tool paths, cutting parameters, machining strategies, etc.
Once the CAM program is transmitted to the machine tool, the milling phase begins, carving raw steel or aluminum blocks. Our HAAS VF 3-axis machine tools can perform a variety of milling operations, including drilling, roughing, contouring, and chamfering, to produce parts with high precision to the hundredth.
Our electrical discharge machining (EDM) equipment allows creating fine details or complex cavities in the mold. This method uses electrical discharges to erode the material, thus achieving precise surface finishes and complex geometric shapes. For example, non-achievable angles in milling.
The adjustment phase of a mold for plastic injection is crucial in the manufacturing process. It aims to ensure the mold operates optimally and produces high-quality plastic parts.
Adjustment allows identifying and correcting any defects or issues in the plastic parts' manufacturing. This can include defects like weld marks, burrs, deformations, or weld lines that could compromise the quality of the produced parts.
NOCENTE transmits the injection parameters and ensures the production of plastic parts is followed up with the injector.
China mold manufacturing
With 50 years of experience, NOCENTE handles the design and development of molds at its design office in Voiron and oversees the outsourced manufacturing of molds through long-standing partners.
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