Typical design process for new moulds
Deltavorm can perform all stages of the design process, ranging from concept development to the physical production of the moulds. In consultation with you, we can work out a concept. Input can range from a rough idea to a detailed 3D drawing of the mould. The design process can be described chronologically as follows:
Digital sketches - From a concept or rough idea we can create digital sketches first. This stage is very useful when several people are involved from different departments or companies, or if you are not quite sure yet what type of models match your idea best. It can also be a good idea to ask for a couple of alternative styles, so that you can choose which style fits best with the idea and then work out the individual models. We can then adjust the sketches and improve them using your comments. In this phase, the style and direction of the project are chosen.
These sketches are not necessary if you have already got clear view of what the moulds should look like. In that case, we can skip this step and start designing in 3 dimensions.
3D proposals – The next step is to create a digital 3D design. A 3D design will be send to you by mail in a 3D PDF so you can evaluate the result. You can turn it around on your screen to judge it from all angles. Please keep in mind what the final size of the product will be: on your screen it is easy to enlarge to an unrealistic size. Our proposal will provide complete information on the design of the mould and can be evaluated with all the parties involved. The result is open for discussion. As no physical moulds have been produced, changes can be made relatively cheap and fast: the proposals are shared instantaneously as there is no shipping of samples necessary and we do not have to make physical prototypes just yet. In this phase, the look of the end product and its weight can be evaluated.
Design on lay-out – In this phase, it makes sense to fit the designs on the nozzle plate lay-out of your choice. If you haven’t chosen one already, we can help you find a suitable lay-out. We can even work out the most promising lay-outs and give you all the information you need to make the best decision. This step will largely determine the future tray yield and efficiency of the mould lay-out. Check out this video about the benefits of designing on lay-out.
Plaster samples - After approval of the 3D PDF we will be able to create plaster samples and ship them to you. This stage will take approximately one week. The samples can be used for laboratory trials. Each new designed sample will be given its own unique number. This number is needed when ordering the new design.
Render service - We have introduced a rendering-service eliminating the need to take photos of end products. Provided we have a digital 3D design for the moulds, we can generate photo realistic photos of your end product. This eliminates a lot of work needed to take photos of physical produced end products: i.e. produce a master mould, produce multiple mould samples, transport them to the laboratory, stamp in starch, produce and deposit the correct recipe, dry the product, clean it, apply the correct surface treatment and finally take a good picture.
Production of moulds - After approval of the samples, the moulds can be produced in several alternative materials. We can advise our client in choosing the most suitable mould material and assist in testing the various alternatives to assess the best choice for the specific production process. We recommend to start with (detectable) plaster for new moulds. This way, fine-tuning the lay-out and/or mould design is possible with relatively low costs. Ultimately, when both design and lay-out have proven themselves in production, longer lasting materials can be produced and the plaster version can serve as a spare.
The production of moulds in (detectable) plaster or detectable elastomer requires a matrix. This is a production tool needed to produce moulds of these materials in larger amounts than 2 pieces. The design and matrix are stored in the archive with a unique number for future reference. After the first production run with the moulds we can evaluate the moulds together to optimize the process and the results. Whenever you wish to re-order these moulds, all you have to do is give us this number and the required quantity and material.
