Industry Solutions / Die and Mould Making

Trends and Innovations in Mould Making

For centuries mould making had been the most important step in the production of metal parts. State-of-the-art CNC machine tools are now being used to make moulds and dies.

Low-cost Mass Production Thanks to High-Precision Molds

Mold making refers to the production of molds for the manufacture of plastic or metal castings. Die making is a special subcategory of mold making.

Injection molds are now being produced in greater volume, which is in part driven by growth in demand for electric vehicles. There are a number of special challenges when it comes to machining moulds:

  • Strict standards for precision down to the micrometre range
  • Stringent requirements in terms of process reliability
  • Strict mould and tolerances
  • Need for high chip removal rates
  • Large overhangs with deep moulds
  • High surface quality requirements

New materials like Toolox mould steel play a key role in the production of extrusion moulds. The pre-hardened engineering and tool steel is easy to work and retains its shape. Conversely, the hardness and high temperatures in the cutting zone present a challenge for the tools.

ZCC-CT offers a range of milling tools and drills for the precision machining of moulds, including the PM-Micro series of solid carbide cutters, XMR01 high-feed mills, and the SL series of deep hole drills.