Tool Making
Tool Making for Injection Molding
Tool making is a key industry in the manufacturing sector. In simple terms, tool making is the art of making a tool for producing a product. We at Diamond Tool & Engineering have come a long way from the early days of manually controlled machine tools like lathes, milling machines, grinders, and hand tools such as files. Today our process involves setting up and operating a variety of computer controlled machine tools to produce precision metal parts. We have graduated from sketches to blueprints to computer-aided design (CAD) and now to computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) files.
Advances in technology does not replace the necessity for training, knowledge, and experience in creating a sophisticated plastic injection mold. In fact, our reliance on today’s modern technology necessitates a higher level skill set than the outmoded technology of yesterday. We have witnessed many tool and die shops of yesterday develop into sophisticated specialty mold making shops of today.
Key Steps in Tool Making
Kick-off meeting – Cross-functional team meeting of engineers, tool makers, and machinists to create the most effective and efficient mold to produce the perfect part.
Program steel, roughing – All machines are Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC). The rough steel milling is programed into a computer controlled machine.
Program steel, finishing – Final dimensions are programmed into a computer controlled machine.
Program graphite
Trode milling
Steel milling, roughing
Steel milling, finishing
EDM Close-up. Wire EDM – Wire Electrical Discharge Machining/Milling (WEDM) allows us to cut intricate and delicate shapes.
Sinker EDM
Base milling
Grinding tool maker
Polishing
LEAN
The LEAN Production Processes
Diamond Tool and Engineering works continuously to create value for our customers through the adaptation of Lean Production Processes. Lean production is rigorously controlled program that seeks to maximize customer value while minimizing waste. Lean is a simple concept that can have a dramatic impact on an organization and its customers.
“Just as a carpenter needs a vision of what to build in order to get the full benefit of a hammer, Lean Thinkers need a vision before picking up our lean tool. Thinking deeply about purpose, process, people is the key to doing this.”
— James P. Womack, Author, “Lean Thinking”
The Five Principles of Lean Thinking
Value is defined by the customer.
Identify all the steps in the value stream for each product family, eliminating whenever possible those steps that do not create value.
Ensure the retained value creating steps occur in rational, smooth sequence moving towards the customer.2. Identify all steps in the value stream, eliminate those steps that do not create value.
As work flow is introduced, customers pull value from the next upstream activity.
As the process is normalized, waste is removed, work flow is smoothed begin the process again. Continue refining until a state of perfection is reached.
Through the adaptation of Lean Processes Diamond Tool and Engineering is continuously improving our engineering, manufacturing, and business processes for the direct benefit of our customers.
Specialized Equipment
We continue to invest our resources in the most advanced technology available. Over the last serval years we have invested heavily in robotics. Robotics have come a long way since the first CNC machines were developed at MIT in 1952. In 1972, electric discharge machines (EDM) completely revolutionized the tool & die business. EDM technology allows us to create complex shapes that would otherwise be difficult to produce with conventional cutting tools. Additionally, we can machine extremely hard material to very close tolerances.
Today, we are seeing a whole new army of machines capable of working through the night to produce precision molds.
Diamond Tool & Engineering's Equipment
Roku-roku™ graphite cutting machine with System 3R™ robotic tool change and work piece change out
Makino™ V33 high speed finishing mill
Makino™ Edge 3 Sinkers EDM with robotic tool change and work piece change out
DMG™ Five axis machine centered
Ziess™ CMM inspection equipment
Nikon™ inspection equipment
Mitsui™ finishing grinders
Kitamura™ and Haas™ Vertical Milling Machine (VMC) machining centers ranging from 12,000 rpm to 20,000 rpm
Daewoo™ CNC lathe with live tooling
Cimatron™ Design and CAM Programming Software
Over Twenty Years of Mold Making Experience
Our efficiency in getting the mold correct the first time gets our customers into production faster. In 98% of projects, our molds are ready for production following the first sampling. Our expertise and attention to detail ensure you receive a tool that will hold up and reliably produce parts throughout the life of the mold. We excel at perfection because we spend the time it takes upfront to design and engineer an injection mold that is of the highest level of integrity and quality.