Re: SS420 tool PR on RP list

From: B. J. Arnold-Feret (ppsltd@airmail.net)
Date: Mon Mar 22 1999 - 18:24:44 EET


Please do not limit this discussion to private email. Many of us are very
interested in investment cast tooling for injection molding tools. I will
be talking to the Society of Plastics Engineers in May about alternative
tooling techniques, and this is one area that little information is out in
the public domain about. Additionally, I have the same questions about the
Sanders process and the tolerances cited.

Thanks folks, this list is a great source of information at times.

B. J. Arnold-Feret
ppsltd@airmail.net

>John: My comments are preceeded by %%%%%%%%%%%%%%
>
>At 08:25 PM 3/16/99 -0600, you wrote:
>>Tom --
>>I know from your various postings to RP-ML that you are involved with
>investment cast tools for injection molding. Also from Sanders web I note
>your company is listed as a service bureau for Sanders. I have a question
>which really seems to relate to both --
>>
>>On 3/8, Elaine Hunt of Clemson University posted to RP-list an illustration
>of a digital phone unit apparently made of sintered Stainless 420
>infiltrated with Bronze. The photo had some caption info which sounded too
>good to be true. Specifically "accurate to 0.001", 38 Rc, 1m life in
>molding plastic, ok for diecast, produced in 1 week". Contact name was a
>Rolf Hurbert at Sanders-Prototype.
>>
>>A couple of days later Elaine posted a note that tool source was New Design
>Models in NY state -- but no comments as to the process or claims, etc.
>>
>>Since this process is apparently getting touted by Sanders, are the claims
>legitimate?? Does the process involve conventional sintering &
>infiltration?? And if so, do you have any clues as to how they can claim the
>0.001" accuracy level?? If this stuff is conventionally sintered it would
>seem that it might be infringing on the old 3M patents (Keltool) some of
>which still have a few years before running out. Do you feel the process is
>suitable for actual plastic injection tooling or is it a dream??
>
>%%%%%%%%%%%%%5 My interest lies in another direction. I've been investment
>casting the mold parts for plastics injection molders.
>
>Since you have been involved with investment casting for tools, do you know
>of any respective strengths or weakness details?? If this process is so
>good, why hasn't it gotten any discussion on RP group -- particularly after
>the posting by Elaine. etc, and how might you see it impacting work by your
>company and others pursuing investment casting for volume production plastic
>injection tooling?? etc, etc. I'd appreciate any thoughts or insights
>direct to me at jes@ro.com
>>
>>John Stricklin, jes@ro.com
>>Huntsville Alabama
>><!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN">
>><HTML>
>><HEAD>
>>
>><META content=text/html;charset=iso-8859-1 http-equiv=Content-Type>
>><META content='"MSHTML 4.72.3110.7"' name=GENERATOR>
>></HEAD>
>><BODY bgColor=#ffffff>
>><DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>Tom --</FONT></DIV>
>><DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>I know from your various postings to RP-ML
>that
>>you are involved with investment cast tools for injection molding.&nbsp; Also
>>from Sanders web I note your company is listed as a service bureau for
>>Sanders.&nbsp; I have a question which really seems to relate to both
>>--</FONT></DIV>
>><DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
>><DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>On 3/8, Elaine Hunt of Clemson University
>posted
>>to RP-list an illustration of a digital phone unit apparently made of
sintered
>>Stainless 420 infiltrated with Bronze.&nbsp; The photo had some caption info
>>which sounded too good to be true.&nbsp; Specifically &quot;accurate to
>>0.001&quot;, 38 Rc, 1m life in molding plastic, ok for diecast, produced in 1
>>week&quot;. Contact name was a Rolf Hurbert at Sanders-Prototype.</FONT></DIV>
>><DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
>><DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>A couple of days later Elaine posted a note
>that
>>tool source was New Design Models in NY state -- but no comments as to the
>>process or claims, etc.</FONT></DIV>
>><DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
>><DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>Since this process is apparently getting
>touted
>>by Sanders, are the claims legitimate?? Does the process involve conventional
>>sintering &amp; infiltration?? And if so, do you have any clues as to how
they
>>can claim the 0.001&quot; accuracy level?? If this stuff is conventionally
>>sintered it would seem that it might be infringing on the old 3M patents
>>(Keltool) some of which still have a few years before running out.&nbsp; Do
>you
>>feel the process is suitable for actual plastic injection tooling or is it a
>>dream?? Since you have been involved with investment casting for tools, do
you
>>know of any respective strengths or weakness details?? If this process is so
>>good, why hasn't it gotten any discussion on RP group -- particularly after
>the
>>posting by Elaine. etc, and how might you see it impacting work by your
>company
>>and others pursuing investment casting for volume production plastic
injection
>>tooling?? etc, etc.&nbsp;&nbsp; I'd appreciate any thoughts or insights
direct
>>to me at <A href="mailto:jes@ro.com">jes@ro.com</A> </FONT></DIV>
>><DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
>><DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>John Stricklin,&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <A
>>href="mailto:jes@ro.com">jes@ro.com</A></FONT></DIV>
>><DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>Huntsville Alabama</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
>>
>
>
>For more information about the rp-ml, see http://ltk.hut.fi/rp-ml/
>
>
 *********************************************
 * Prototyping and Rapid Tooling Services *
 * 1401 Summer Dell Court *
 * Roanoke TX 76262 *
 * 817-379-5629 voice - 817-431-5341 fax *
 * 817-979-0222 pager - ppsltd@airmail.net *
 * *
 *********************************************

For more information about the rp-ml, see http://ltk.hut.fi/rp-ml/



This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.2 : Tue Jun 05 2001 - 22:51:17 EEST