TOOLING MATERIALSInsights / 01
Translated technical articles, case studies and application briefs explain the decisions behind material and tooling routes.
08 / Material selection
An automotive styling model, a foundry pattern and a heated mold place very different demands on a tooling board. First establish whether heat is involved and whether the board will contact the molding resin. Then consider accuracy, abrasion resistance and surface finish. Density, hardness and grade selection follow the choice of material system.
Read article ↗01 / Composite tooling
Compare four composite-tooling master-model construction routes, including bonded polyurethane and epoxy tooling board, with practical guidance on thermal cycles, joints, datums and total manufacturing cost.
Read article ↗02 / Vacuum tooling
Compare cast aluminium with bonded board, precision-cast tooling resin and replicated composite skins using thermal-expansion data, sealing risks, manufacturing routes and qualification checks.
Read article ↗03 / Aerospace tooling
Compare PUCAST 260 and EPCAST 75 for machined blanks and directly replicated upper tools, with practical guidance on moisture, filling, cure and surface quality.
Read article ↗04 / Precision tooling
Follow the route from a designed near-net blank to a finished model or fixture, and compare seam control, machining allowance and total manufacturing cost.
Read article ↗05 / Composite tooling
A practical guide to the support structure, mixing, application, cure, machining and surface finishing of MP50 masters for wind, automotive and aerospace projects.
Read article ↗06 / Composite tooling
Low-temperature tooling prepreg and ambient-curing vacuum-infusion resin provide two routes to high-temperature carbon-fiber molds. After the specified post-cure, EPTEK’s selected systems can achieve a DMA glass-transition temperature (Tg) of around 464 °F (240 °C) and meet the tooling requirements of 356–374 °F (180–190 °C) autoclave processes.
Read article ↗07 / APPLICATION BRIEF
Why thickness, dissolution path, wall support and access openings must be designed together.
Read the brief ↗
