Engineering Excellence in Injection Mold Design
At Liberty Molds, we take your ideas and turn them into reality through our expertise in injection mold engineering. Our experienced engineering team is dedicated to designing molds, prioritizing manufacturability and optimal production. With over 30 years of experience, our engineers specialize in creating high-precision plastic injection molds for the most challenging components.
We understand that a solid design is the foundation of every successful project, so we strongly emphasize functionality and efficiency from the beginning. By focusing on robust designs, we ensure longer-lasting tools, time savings during production, and fewer modifications. Additionally, our mold designers work closely with customer engineering departments to facilitate a seamless transition from design to the final product.
Engineering Excellence in Injection Mold Design
At Liberty Molds, we take your ideas and turn them into reality through our expertise in injection mold engineering. Our experienced engineering team is dedicated to designing molds, prioritizing manufacturability and optimal production. With over 30 years of experience, our engineers specialize in creating high-precision plastic injection molds for the most challenging components.
We understand that a solid design is the foundation of every successful project, so we strongly emphasize functionality and efficiency from the beginning. By focusing on robust designs, we ensure longer-lasting tools, time savings during production, and fewer modifications. Additionally, our mold designers work closely with customer engineering departments to facilitate a seamless transition from design to the final product.
Computer-Aided Design (CAD)
Liberty Molds's highly skilled engineering team leverages state-of-the-art CAD technology to ensure top-notch mold designs. We meticulously consider all critical aspects of the mold design process, including the following:
Gating
Venting
Cooling
Ejection
Parts Transfer
Manufacturability
Materials selection
This complex task demands knowledge, expertise, and unwavering attention to detail.
Our engineers rely on the most powerful software systems to address and resolve these challenges. We utilize industry-leading CAD software such as Cimatron, KeyCreator, and Esprit. This advanced software suite empowers us to create innovative solutions for conceptual designs, 3D modeling, revision control, tool drawing, and comprehensive documentation.
Gating
Venting
Cooling
Ejection
Parts Transfer
Manufacturability
Materials selection
Thermal and fluid flow analysis
Stress analysis
Nonconformity verification
Multibody dynamics
Manufacturing process analysis
Optimization of process documentation
Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE)
Once the injection mold has been designed, it undergoes a crucial simulation step to guarantee optimal performance. This is where CAE comes into play. Liberty Molds employs Moldex 3D software, a powerful tool enabling us to simulate molding and accurately prejudice pressure loss and fill scenarios. Integrating CAE with our CAD software seamlessly connects the mold design, part design, and molding activity. This integration enables us to conduct comprehensive fill analysis, thermal optimization, and warpage calculations, resulting in a superior mold design.
The CAE software considers pressure, temperature, applied forces, and component interactions to simulate the mold’s performance to achieve this. Our analyses encompass the following:
Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM)
EDM's advent has brought about a significant revolution in mold making. This innovative technology enables us to fabricate intricate designs that would otherwise pose challenges when produced using conventional tools. By harnessing the power of EDM, we effectively machine rigid materials and tackle complex geometries with unparalleled precision.
The process of EDM involves the controlled erosion of the workpiece through a series of electrical discharges. This allows us to achieve intricate details and precise features crucial for mold making. With the ability to work with various materials, including hardened steels, EDM opens up new possibilities for creating molds that meet the highest quality and functionality standards.
By conducting these simulations, we ensure our molds will function flawlessly before starting the steel-cutting process.
Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM)
Even the most sophisticated designed part loses its value if it can’t be produced efficiently. That’s where CAM software comes into play. At Liberty Molds, our skilled engineers utilize Cimatron and Esprit CAM software to create, verify, and optimize manufacturing processes.
With the help of this advanced CAM software, we employ a range of machining strategies, including the following:
By leveraging our machinists' expertise and this software's capabilities, we achieve exceptional productivity while minimizing expenses.
And what does all of this lead to? The result is a higher level of precision, tighter tolerances, and reduced part variance. We strive to deliver the utmost quality in our manufacturing processes.
Sinker EDM
With sinker EDM, a typical setup involves placing a carbon electrode (although other materials can be used) and the mold within a dielectric fluid. Subsequently, a rapid electrical current is passed between the electrode and the mold, resulting in the controlled removal of a small amount of material from both components. The strength and duration of the current can be finely adjusted to achieve the desired level of material removal from the mold.
With micro-setting sinker EDM, we can exercise precise control over the mold geometry, allowing us to accurately shape complex three-dimensional forms.
Wire EDM
In wire EDM, a slender brass wire is carefully fed from a spool through the mold or inset. This wire is a tool to remove material through a rapid series of electrical discharges between the wire and the mold. Wire EDM is particularly advantageous regarding cutting plates with substantial thickness, reaching up to 16.5 inches (420mm). Additionally, it excels in producing tools, dies, and punches made from hard metals.
One remarkable feature of wire EDM is its ability to create tapered and transitioning shapes. This is made possible by the independent movement of the upper guide on the wire EDM machine. Moreover, wire EDM can be programmed to cut highly intricate shapes, allowing for the production of complex and detailed components.
Trust the Liberty Engineering Team
State-of-the-art software is undoubtedly essential for achieving high-precision injection molds. However, it is crucial to recognize that software alone is not the complete solution. Creating these molds requires the expertise of a highly skilled team, including designers, machine specialists, and mold makers. At Liberty Molds, we take pride in possessing the necessary capabilities to take your project from concept to completion.
Our dedicated team at Liberty Molds comprises professionals who excel in their respective fields. With their expertise, we design exceptional high-precision plastic injection tools that consistently surpass expectations. We understand the significance of ultra-high precision and are prepared to handle the most difficult challenges.
Contact us today to learn more about how our injection mold engineering services can benefit you!