Moldmaking
Making the glass mold
U.S. moldmaking has been hit hard by overseas competition. Makers of molds for glass products face added pressure because alternate materials—mostly plastics—are replacing many glass applications. Quality Mould Inc., one of a handful of independent glass mold shops remaining in the U.S., machines molds for pressed-glass products. The shop combines traditional craftsmanship with CNC machining and CAM technology that set its products apart from those of overseas competitors. Quality Mould is also leveraging its longtime skills to diversify its customer base.
Competitive technology
Machining molds typically involves creating complex contours and fine surface finishes. Molds are high-value items usually produced in single-digit volumes, making gradual process development and scrapping parts a costly exercise. Moldmakers' customers generally want to get their products to market as fast as possible, so lead times can be short and inflexible. Finally, overseas competition puts added pressure on U.S. shops. Moldmakers are facing the challenges with a combination of technology and teamwork, and CAD/CAM software is a key competitive tool.
True mold manufacturing
Len Graham, Business Unit Leader, Rexam Mold Manufacturing, discusses the motivation behind the Buffalo Grove, Ill., company's decision to build a Mega Cell automated mold manufacturing system. Graham offers a detailed walk-through of the company's Mega Cell, which began operation in March 2013.