The importance of a controlled tool temperature
05 November 2018
RP Technologies manufacture prototype injection mould tooling from aluminium. However, its service differs slightly to other prototype tool makers & moulders as it manufactures tooling to production standard, including cooling and heating channels.
There seems to be a common misconception in the industry that aluminium moulds do not need cooling channels due to aluminium transferring heat more effectively than steel, so RP Technologies wanted to explain the importance of controlling tool temperatures when using aluminium tools.
Part of the statement is true, aluminium has a 5x better heat transfer rate (depending on the grade) than steel. With better conductivity, the position of cooling channels becomes less critical than with steel tooling.
However, RP Technologies believe the part about aluminium moulds not needing cooling channel isn‘t true. Without the ability to heat or maintain a consistent tool temperature, the moulder will encounter flow issues, appearance problems but most importantly dimensional and warping problems. The cooling channels allow the moulder to maintain a steady tool temperature, eliminating these issues.
Read the full article in the November issue of DPA
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