Direct rapid tooling of injection moulds using electro-discharge machining

This paper presents a method of creating a rapid tool for injection moulding, which can produce components of higher accuracy and better surface finish. Main investigation focuses on the rapid tooling process of a complex part using high speed machining and Electro Discharge Machining (EDM) to produce an injection mould of higher accuracy and surface finish than that achieved by a rapid prototyping based tooling process. Results demonstrate how short-run injection moulds with a higher accuracy could be made in a much faster way using high speed machining and EDM with a lead-time that can match any other methods of rapid tooling process