Novel compounds aid rapid injection moulding

Rapid injection moulding specialist Protomold is frequently challenged with demanding property requirements for unique applications, and turns to custom compounder RTP Company for help.

Rapid injection moulding specialist Protomold is frequently challenged with demanding property requirements for unique applications, and turns to custom compounder RTP Company for help.

According to Brad Cleveland, Protomold President: "We routinely encounter customers with demanding material property requirements and accelerated delivery schedules".

"Thanks to the specialty compounds available from RTP Company we can usually achieve both".

Rapid injection moulding is a process that quickly turns out high quality products and is frequently referred to as the "bridge" between prototyping and conventional injection moulding.

Specially compounded materials from RTP Company are used in a variety of products made with this process.

For example, Protomold used an RTP 200 Series nylon 6/6 carbon fibre reinforced and PTFE lubricated compound for MTS Systems Corp's ODT omnidirectional treadmill because of its excellent wear resistant properties.

"Our project needed a means of keeping a continuous belt centred and on-track", said ODT creator David Carmein of MTS.

"We also needed low belt hysteresis and transverse stability".

"By moulding discrete T-sections fitting into T-tracks, and employing the rigid-yet-lubricious RTP-supplied material, we were able to meet all of our requirements".

Another example illustrates why rapid injection moulding is ideal for prototypes that need to undergo design changes during development.

Protomold and RTP Company were working with Aupperle and Associates to customise a part known as a "key cap divider" that is integral to a switch array.

Snapped into an associated circuit board, it retains, guides and limits the movement of snap-in key caps.

The part went through rapid prototyping alterations prior to its release to Protomold.

After the first parts were delivered, a component change forced a redesign.

Again Protomold was able to quickly deliver.

The key cap divider parts used a "supercharged glow-in-the-dark" precoloured RTP 300 Series polycarbonate compound.

"This tool will provide initial production parts until full production is completed for volume manufacture", commented Don Aupperle of Aupperle and Associates.

Protomold's quick and low-cost rapid injection moulding process significantly reduces the lead time and cost associated with obtaining functional plastic parts.

When combined with specialty compounds from RTP Company, the process of streamlining product development becomes a reality.

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