>From: Douglas A. VanPutte, PPD-Enterprize, 1/604/KP 24102
Tel.: (716) 477-1492, Fax: (716) 722-0810, E-mail: vanputte@Kodak.COM
Subject: Large Tools
This is in response to Juergen Bauer's (BIBA) note on alternate methods for
making large tools.
Juergen, technology which might apply to your large tools (1m * 2m) is
electroforming. If one can create a large pattern or parting board on rp and
render it conductive, a shell can be created by electroforming. The shell is
backed up by epoxy or chemically-bonded-ceramic to create a tool. The
savings over traditional approaches should improve as the size increases. The
electroforming tanks come in large sizes for that type of application. It is
possible to get a precise replication using electroforming, presuming the
pattern is not altered during the plating process.
Cemcom is developing an approach with this technology using a two-sided
pattern, thus arriving at a shell for each mold half in one plating operation.
For information, contact Sean Wise at 410-247-0012 or email cemcom@access.digex
I believe your colleagues at the Fraunhofer in Bremen has also been developing
tools by electroforming.
We have a small tank at Kodak which we have used to make tools with mixed
results. The technology needs to be developed further to get good results
with rp patterns.
Regards,
Doug VanPutte
Eastman Kodak Company
Rochester, NY 14652-4102
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.2 : Wed Jun 20 2001 - 12:57:31 EEST