by Chris Blake
3D printing in molding has come a long way in the last decade and now plays a vital role innovating mold manufacturing. Clay Stephens has a front row seat to these trends as managing director at Plastic Manufacturing Technologies (PMT), a leader in applying 3D printing technologies to the fabrication of tools and dies.
With locations in Michigan and Texas, PMT excels in 3D printed metal molds that can be printed in aluminum or steel for both prototype and production molding applications. According to Clay, the technology allows for up to 50% faster production than conventionally milled steel molds while using 80% less material, on average, for the same or less cost than with conventional manufacturing alone.
But PMT’s capabilities in 3D printing are an outgrowth of decades of experience in traditional mold manufacturing, which led to them working directly with manufacturers of 3D printers and automotive OEMs to pioneer 3D printing advancements. Today, its 3D design, consulting, printing and engineering services complement a wide range of custom mold design and manufacturing services for conventional CNC milled molds and hybrid tooling that combines 3D printing with CNC techniques.
That combination informs an important point of view about the role 3D printing technology can play in the industry. We recently connected with Clay to get his knowledgeable perspective on how 3D printing technology benefits mold making; why mold cooling simulation is such a critical part of designing high quality and cost-effective 3D printed molds; emerging advancements in mold cooling technology; and what factors are holding back innovation in the industry.
Watch the full interview with Clay Stephens here: