PDx-amerimold: What You Need to Know about Fast PD (& Moldmaking, Too)

A brand new event that combines the former Time Compression Expo and MoldMaking Expo into one information-gathering and networking opportunity—
PDx/amerimold—is being held May 11 to 13 at the Duke Energy Center in Cincinnati, OH. It includes technical sessions, keynote addresses, workshops, and plant tours in addition to an expansive show floor, all of which are geared toward mold making, design, and development.

The technical conference sessions cover many topics in the product development (PD) and manufacturing lifecycle. The amerimold sessions, presented by MoldMaking Technology magazine, cover trends and opportunities in mold making. The product development sessions, presented by Time Compression magazine, pertain to rapid prototyping and industrial design.

While some events offer a single keynote address, PDx/amerimold is offering three. Doug Hall, founder and CEO of Eureka! Ranch, will discuss innovation engineering: how to create, communicate, and commercialize meaningfully unique ideas. Mark Bringle, technical sponsor manager for Joe Gibbs Racing, was the first manufacturing engineer hired for the NASCAR team. Bringle will address manufacturing in the professional racing world. Richard Gresens, who joined the Whirlpool Corporation in 2008 as principal designer, was chief designer for the Ford Flex, so he has a wide view of consumer product development.

The workshops allow attendees to take a deeper look into specific topics in a small group setting. There will be a full-day workshop on Monday, May 10 (the day prior to the “official” opening of the event) on injection molding. Tuesday and Thursday will include half-day workshops specific to additive and mold manufacturing. Participants must be pre-registered, and fees vary with each workshop.

Participating in a plant tour is a great way to see some of the most innovative manufacturing facilities in the Midwest in action. Plant tours include the Makino Technical Center (mold manufacturing), Morris Technologies (additive manufacturing), and Mazak Corporation (lean inventory management). Participants must be pre-registered and present a valid U.S. passport to register.

For complete information on the PDx/amerimold event, visit pdx-amerimold.com.

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PRODUCT DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT

3D Systems, Inc.—Booth #213
3D Systems (3dsystems.com) provides 3D printing, rapid prototyping, and manufacturing parts and systems solutions including 3D modelers, SLA and SLS systems. 3D Systems will showcase a wide variety of its 3D printers, including the ProJet 5000. This 3D modeling system is specifically designed for large and small high-definition hard plastic models and prototypes to provide form-fit testing, physical/functional testing, and molding/casting patterns.

AIM Plastics, Inc.—Booth #131
AIM Plastics (aimplastics.com) is a full-service custom plastic injection molding supplier with in-house tool manufacturing. AIM provides rapid production quality types, as well as short run, low, and high-volume production. Services include design assistance, advanced molding technologies, and clean room manufacturing. AIM’s Prototype-Plus process is a low-cost tooling solution for high-quality tools.
 

American Precision Prototyping, LLC—Booth #123
American Precision Prototyping, or APP, (approto.com) specializes in large-part manufacturing using SLA, SLS, FDM and 3D printing technologies. APP offers low-to-high-volume production solutions varying from metal castings to precision CNC machining and injection molding; finishing options include plating texturing and custom painting. APP will showcase their Accura resins that produce flexible, water-resistant, and durable parts for testing.

AST Technology—Booth #132
AST Technology (ast-tech.de) assists plastics part producers through assessing component design structures, material selections, tooling, and injection molding processes. AST provides customer support to optimize cost, quality, and delivery with injection tooling for part production.

Canadian Association of Mold Makers—Booth #326
The Canadian Association of Mold Makers (CAMM; camm.ca) is a non-profit group representing Canadian mold, tool and die makers. CAMM’s mission is to promote the mold, tool and die industry at a global level and connect buyers to quality makers.

Carl Zeiss IMT Corporation—Booth #443
Carl Zeiss IMT (zeiss.com/imt) features bridge-
type, horizontal-arm, inline, form contour, and surface-measuring machines for multidimensional metrology. Carl Zeiss develops and manufactures key components such as controllers, software, measuring systems, and sensors to enhance metrology.

CT Core Technologies—Booth #234
CT Core Technologies (coretechnologie.com) specializes in the optimization of MCAD interoperability and solutions for PLM integration and automation through 3D CAD data conversion software. It offers 3D Evolution CAD translation software that assists product development in consumer goods, aerospace, mechanical engineering, and automotive fields.

Dassault Systèmes—Booth #224
Dassault Systèmes (3ds.com) develops product lifecycle management (PLM) application software and services that can be used for industrial processes in mold and die manufacturing. Dassault will showcase its line of PLM application software including SolidWorks, CATIA, SIMULIA, DELMIA, ENOVIA, and 3DVIA.

EOS of North America, Inc.—Booth #319
EOS (eos.us) is a provider of metal and plastic laser sintering systems for use in fields including the medical, aerospace, mold making, and automotive industries. EOS will demonstrate its EOSINT M 270 metal laser-sintering system which produces tooling inserts, prototype parts, and end products in metal.

Exact Metrology, Inc.—Booth #236
Exact Metrology (exactmetrology.com) specializes in 3D scanning and printing, reverse engineering non-contact inspection, and 3D digitizing and training. Exact Metrology will feature its 3D scanning, printing, and portable measurement technologies.

Metalise it…America—Booth #222
Metalise it…America (metaliseit-america.com) provides electroplating services for products produced with rapid prototyping (RP) and rapid manufacturing (RM) technologies. The Metalise it…electroplating process provides strength, corrosion resistance, and RFI shielding. Parts can be electroplated with a 0.004-in. structural coating of copper and nickel. Decorative high-gloss chrome or gold finishes are also available.

Met-L-Flo, Inc.—Booth #230
Met-L-Flo (met-l-flo.com) is a service provider for parts produced with both additive manufacturing (SLA, SLS, FDM, 3DP) and casting (urethanes and metals). Met-L-Flo will be showcasing products from its new rapid prototyping service, Prototype Rotational Molding (PRM), a production process for making non-symmetric hollow parts such as automotive ductwork, automotive reservoirs, insulated products, and yard furniture with urethanes. PRM technology can also produce hollow parts such as bottles, containers, toolboxes, and marine accessories for the blow molding industry.

MTT Technologies Group—Booth #122
MTT Technologies (mtt-group.com) specializes in the rapid prototyping and manufacturing of vacuum casting, SLM, rapid tooling, and injection mold products. MTT will display sample products from all of their systems.

Objet Geometries, Ltd.—Booth #313
Objet Geometries (objet.com) develops and manufactures ultra-thin-layer, high-resolution 3D printing systems for rapid prototyping and rapid manufacturing. Objet will showcase three of its 3D printers: The Eden 3D printing system and the Alaris30 Desktop 3D printer are based on Objet’s patented PolyJet technology, and the Connex 3D printing system uses a PolyJet Matrix technology and is claimed to be the world’s only multi-material 3D printing system available on the market.

Proto Labs, Inc.—Booth #137
Proto Labs (protolabs.com) provides exceedingly fast turnaround of custom CNC machined and injection molded parts. Its First Cut process uses resins and aluminum to produce prototypes, and its Protomold service produces plastic injection molded parts. Proto Labs will showcase examples of parts they’ve produced from prototypes to low-volume parts.

PTI Engineered Plastics—Booth #119
PTI Engineered Plastics (teampti.com) specializes in custom and complex injection molded parts for tight-tolerance part geometries, detailed tools, multi-
surface large parts, and high-repeatability molding processes. Their services include production prototype and low-to-high volume injection-molded tools, as
well as molding and engineering capabilities.

Quickparts, Inc.—Booth #441
Quickparts (quickparts.com) provides manufacturing services for plastic and metal parts. Its services include rapid prototyping (SLA, SLS, FDM, Polyjet), machined plastic prototypes, cast urethane parts, injection molding (tooling and parts), sheet metal parts, CNC machined parts, and plaster and metal casting. Quickparts will display different prototyping and cast urethane materials and examples of its work.

Romer div. of Hexagon Metrology—Booth #232
Romer (romer.com), a division of Hexagon Metrology, is a pioneer in the portable coordinate measuring machine (CMM) field. It will be exhibiting its CMMs that can be used for applications including inspection, measurement, and reverse engineering on the shop floor or metrology lab, as well as associated tools and software.

SensAble Technologies—Booth #130
SensAble Technologies (sensable.com) provides 3D touch-enabled technology that allows users to “feel” virtual objects during product development. SensAble will preview its FreeForm 3D modeling software that allows users to design complex organic shapes and textures, as well as combine multiple geometry types, including surfaces, solids, meshes, and voxels. Its prep-for-manufacturing capabilities include draft analysis and repair tools.

Stratasys, Inc.—Booth #218
Stratasys (stratasys.com) provides a range of additive fabrication systems using its patented fused deposition modeling (FDM) technology. Among its offerings are Dimension 3D printers that enable users to turn CAD files and design ideas into durable ABSplus plastic right from their desktop. Also, Fortus 3D production systems are used for direct digital manufacturing and precision rapid prototyping.

Wisconsin Precision Casting Corporation—Booth #126
Wisconsin Precision Casting (wisconsinprecision.com) specializes in using investment casting to produce parts from 150 ferrous and non-ferrous alloys, including brass, bronze, copper, aluminum, nickel, and cobalt. It also provides tooling and machining capabilities, such as turret lathes and four head drill presses, to accurately meet customer requirements.

Xcentric Mold & Engineering, Inc.—
Booth #116
Xcentric Mold & Engineering (xcentricmold.com) produces plastic injection molding products—both short- and long-run—for the medical, defense/aerospace, automotive, and consumer industries. It also provides molds and tooling for injection molders, and can turn around molds within 20 days. Its in-house services also include rapid prototyping, design and engineering.

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MOLDMAKING & TOOLING

Acel Precision Plastics—Booth #542
Acel Precision Plastics provides full-service plastics design, engineering, tooling, and molding, with precision parts ranging in size from 0.25 grams to large complex shapes. Acel will display its array of sample components and subassemblies it has developed for customers.

ALBA Enterprises, Inc.—Booth #848
ALBA Enterprises (albaent.com), a leading supplier of hot runner systems, will feature Babyplast, which is said to be the world’s smallest, fully hydraulic bench top injection molding machine, available in horizontal and vertical models. Babyplast is designed to produce micro-sized parts with processes including liquid silicon rubber (LSR) injection; parts with an injection volume as small as 4 cc can be produced. ALBA offerings also include Thermoplay hot runner systems, Vega hydraulic cylinders, and Strack mold components.

Axis Prototypes, Inc.—Booth #540
Axis Prototypes (axisproto.com) specializes in turning digital designs into prototypes, molds, and finished products. Axis offers fabrication of 3D prototypes using SLA, SLS, Objet, FDM and 3D Printing. Axis will feature two rapid prototyping innovations: Tetrashell software, that helps develop bulky prototypes, and DMX-SL100 stereolithography resin, which provides toughness and stiffness.

Bales Mold Service, Inc.—Booth #826
Bales Mold Service (balesmold.com) specializes in polishing and plating for plastic injection molds. Bales is a supplier of engineered coatings and finishes including electroless nickel, hard chrome, diamond chrome, nicklon, NiBore, diamond polishing, micro TIG welding, and stainless steel passivation.

Beaumont Technologies, Inc.—Booth #724
Beaumont Technologies (beaumontinc.com) will present its line of adjustable In-Mold Rheological Control Mold Inserts. These inserts provide the ability to control plastic flow throughout the mold and into cavities to optimize fill patterns, weld-line strength, and cosmetics–all without taking the mold out of the machine. It will also present product development services such as mold filling simulations, optimization services, and consulting.

BIG Kaiser Precision Tooling, Inc.—Booth #737
BIG Kaiser Precision Tooling, Inc. (bigkaiser.com) specializes in development and manufacture of high-precision boring tools and tool holders, modular tooling, drills, and end mills. BIG Kaiser will present some of its latest advancements in dual-contact tool holding technologies, including the BIG-PLUS Dual Contact Spindle System, which improves rigidity and efficiency while being interchangeable with existing systems.

BORIDE Engineered Abrasives—Booth #631
BORIDE Engineered Abrasives (borideabrasives.com) is a manufacturer of bonded abrasive products including mold and diemaker polishing stones, diamond compound, mounted points, and industrial sharpening stones. Boride will feature the versatile RASP, which is made from aluminum oxide grain and can be used to cut and finish tool steels, aluminum, and EDMed surfaces; it can be used by hand or in a profiler.
 

Brush Wellman, Inc.—Booth #825
Brush Wellman (brushwellman.com) is a producer and supplier of high-performance engineered beryllium, beryllium-containing alloys, and beryllia ceramic. It will feature the MoldMAX V copper nickel silicon chrome alloy for making molds. MoldMAX V has a hardness of 28 HRC and a thermal conductivity that is four to five times higher than P20 tool steel for improved molding operations.

Buchem Chemie/ Technik GmbH & Co. KG—Booth #648
Buchem Chemie/Technik GmbH & Co. KG (buchem.de) produces chemicals for plastic injection molding, EDM (electric discharge machining), and tool making, with a focus on protecting and maintaining workpieces, tools, and production machines. Buchem also provides know-how through consultation to optimize the production process.

CAE Services Corporation—Booth #723
CAE Services (caeservices.com) is a provider of Moldflow engineering services. It evaluates material selection, gate size and location, cooling-related issues, and warpage concerns to eliminate trial-and-error in the molding process. CAE Services will demonstrate its analysis capabilities and Mold-Vac system, which is designed to eliminate problems caused by air and gas entrapment during molding.

CG Tech—Booth #625
CG Tech (cgtech.com) will exhibit its VERICUT 7 CNC machine stimulation and optimization software that reduces an engineer’s time spent on development, analysis, inspection, and documentation while detecting errors or inefficiencies in NC programming. By simulating the operation, the program can be optimized and verified.

Clinton Aluminum & Stainless Steel—Booth #837
Clinton Aluminum & Stainless Steel (clintalum.com) is a metal service and distribution center. The company features an inventory of raw materials–including aluminum alloys, aluminum cast plates, and stainless steel. It offers precision cut processing, same-day quotes, and next-day delivery.

Cold Jet—Booth #839
Cold Jet (coldjet.com) specializes in non-abrasive dry ice blasting technology. It will exhibit its compact i3MicroClean blast cleaning system, which is designed to clean cavities and molds. It can also be used for deflashing surfaces and parting line vents and gloss leveling. The single-hose, low-pressure electric system has a blast pressure up to 140 psi.

Deburring Technologies—Booth #1026
Deburring Technologies (deburringtechnologies.com) offers products by XEBEC, which utilize ceramic fiber stones and brushes for deburring in different materials. Xebec products include cutting fiber brushes for CNC deburring of surfaces, cross hole deburring tools with ceramic stones and alumina fiber rods for simultaneous deburring and inner-wall polishing, and ceramic and diamond stones for die and mold polishing.

Delcam—Booth #623
Delcam (delcam.com) will launch its Delcam Toolmaker tooling design software. This new system permits overcoming problems that can be found when translating low precision and incomplete data, including gaps and overlaps between surfaces, or duplicated and missing surfaces, and generate a valid, high-precision CAD model. It also includes analysis tools to check design manufacturability. Its Power Features technology allows components to automatically react when placed within a tool assembly, adding all the necessary fit features to connecting components. The company says that the time needed to produce a complete set of drawings for a complex mold is no longer than a day—down from two to three weeks when traditional drawing methods are used.

DME Company—Booth #831
DME (dme.net) provides hot runner systems, cold runner systems for elastomers, control systems, and mold bases and components. Through a partnership with ELMET Elastomere Produktions und Dienstleistungs GmbH (elmet.com), DME will exhibit a cold runner system with gating capability, optimum material protection, and short cycle times.

DMS—Booth #718
DMS (dmscomponents.com) is a supplier of standard and innovative mold supply products for use in injection molding and die casting industries. DMS will feature the REDE (retrieve electronic data easily) VAULT, a data management and storage solution used to manage mold data, manuals, repair logs, schedules, and drawings. DMS will also showcase graphic mold plaques and part identification magnets.

Dytron Corporation—Booth #840
Dytron (microweldingproducts.com), a provider of equipment and supplies to the mold industry, will exhibit the Microton 1A turnkey welding system. The 19-lb. Microtron 1A combines portability with low amperages for precision micro TIG welding on tools, dies, and molds. Dytron also provides micro-size welding wires and accessories for repairing steel molds.

ECM Technologies—Booth #843
ECM Technologies (electrochemicalmachining.com) specializes in electrochemical machining (ECM)—from research through application. ECM is a metal machining technology based on electrolysis wherein the metal workpiece is dissolved locally through electricity and chemistry until it reaches the required complex 3D end shape. ECM Technologies will demonstrate the technology by presenting an animation of the ECM process and products.

Emuge Corporation—Booth #727
Emuge (emuge.com) manufactures taps, end mills, thread mills, holders, and attachments in addition to providing technical support. It will exhibit its MULTI-CUT solid carbide roughing end mills, which are engineered for optimum performance in cast iron, titanium, and steels up to 44Rc hardness. Three configurations (a short design and two long designs) are available in 4- to 20-mm and 1/8- to 1-in. diameter sizes.

ESPRIT by DP Technology—Booth #722
DP Technology (dptechnology.com; Camarillo, CA) offers ESPRIT 2010 computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) software for milling, turning, wire EDM, and multitasking machine tools. Its capabilities include programming for any CNC machine tool, machining any part geometry, universal post processing, and solid simulation and verification. This new release has enhanced its support of multi-tasking machines through increased flexibility in cutting tool configurations and orientations; for wire EDM, it includes support for machine with rotary axes.

Extreme Tool and Engineering, Inc.—Booth #613
Extreme Tool and Engineering (extremetool.com) provides mold design, engineering, and manufacturing services. It will feature examples of completed programs in the medical, packaging, automotive, electronics, and consumer goods industries. It will also feature tools and methods used in its manufacturing environment.

FASTech, Inc.—Booth #1018
FASTech (fastechinc.net) is a CAM software supplier and seller of Robotmaster and Verisurf software. FASTech will present computer demonstrations of Mastercam, Robotmaster and Verisurf software.

Fisa North America—Booth #931
Fisa Ultrasonic Cleaning (fisa.com) specializes in the design and manufacture of ultrasonic cleaning machines for mold and die maintenance, optics, automobile, aeronautics, electronics, and medical industries. Fisa’s ultrasonic technology combines water-based detergents with ecological processes to provide a non-abrasive cleaning method that protects mold-sealing surfaces, knockouts, and cores.

Graphic Products North America, Inc.—Booth #720
Graphic Products North America (GPNA; camtool.com) a provider of CAD/CAM software for the mold and die industries, will feature its NeoSolid mold and die development software. The SolidWorks-based software aims to minimize design time and bring the build project to an earlier delivery. GPNA will also present its CAM-TOOL Version 6.0, with its advanced surface modeling and NC programming techniques.

GUNTHER Hot Runner Systems, Inc.—Booth #834
GUNTHER Hot Runner Systems (gunther-usa.com) provides hot runner systems and nozzles for the plastics industry. GUNTHER will exhibit CADHOC V2, an online hot runner design tool for the quick and easy design of hot runner systems. CADHOC V2 features include optimized nozzle size calculations, plastic selection, and two different configuration methods.

Haimer USA—Booth #818
Haimer USA (haimer-usa.com) produces balancing machines, shrink-fit machines, and 3D edge finders. It will present its Power Mini Shrink chucks that have reinforced bases and feature load vibration dampening technology with a three-degree draft-angled shrink fit nose. The mini chucks are based off of Haimer’s Power Shrink Chucks and are designed to provide extra stability and better finishes.

HASCO America, Inc.—Booth #740
HASCO America (hasco.com) specializes in standard mold units, hot runner solutions, special designs, and technical consulting. It will showcase two new items: the Z9675 and Z9676 diverting plugs. The Z9675 enables ejector or core pins to literally travel “through” the cooling system. This allows the cooling medium to flow around the pin. The Z9676 is a base version without the drilled core. This can be used to drill the core with a different diameter. The Z9676 can also be shortened to achieve the desired length, and three O-ring groove heights are provided for the supplied O-ring.

High Tech Laser & Polishing—Booth #739
High Tech Laser & Polishing (htlaser.com) provides laser engraving, mold polishing, and welding services for metal and plastic materials. Its laser services include micro and 3D, contoured surface, and sidewall engraving. It also specializes in CNC milling and turning, as well as mold repair through methods including micro TIG welding.

INCOE Corporation—Booth # 627
INCOE (incoe.com) designs and manufactures hot runner systems for the processing of all injection-moldable plastic materials. INCOE will display application-specific designs that aid in increasing productivity for users. The Direct-Flo GOLD systems can be used for technical molding applications, and the new Quick-Flo systems for high-cavitation molding of commodity resins.

Kefu Industries—Booth #930
Kefu Industries (kefuindustries.com) is a mold manufacturer for plastics and provides plastic injection molding services. Kefu also specializes in painting and printing for plastic goods, as well as plating and welding for metal materials. Kefu will showcase plastic injection molded parts used in the automotive, electronic, and medical industries.

MAG Industrial Automation Systems—Booth #822
MAG Industrial Automation Systems (mag-ias.com), a machine tool and systems company, offers a line of products and services including process development, automated assembly, turning, milling, automotive powertrain production, and composites processing. MAG will showcase the new NBV 400 vertical mill-turn center that includes 3- and 5-axis mill-turn capabilities for application in the mold and die, aerospace, medical, general machining, and contract machining industries. It will also exhibit its line of CYCLO CUT cutting tools and CYCLO COOL fluids.

Makino, Inc.—Booth #513
Makino (makino.com) will showcase its new F3 vertical machining center. It features a platform designed for extreme rigidity for long hours of continuous machining. The F3 worktable accommodates part sizes up to 33.5 × 19.7 × 17.7 in. and 1,432 lb. The machine’s X-,-Y, and Z- axis travels are 25.6, 19.7, and 17.7 in., respectively. Its 20,000-rpm, HSK-63A spindle incorporates Makino’s patented core-cooling, under-race, and jacket spindle temperature control system for rigid roughing operations and precision machining of small details.

Marposs Corporation—Booth #927
Marposs (marposs.com), a global supplier of precision metrology equipment and software, is offering its newly updated 3D Shape Inspector (3DSI) part-measurement and verification software that can be used for mold making machine tools with up to five axes. The software can be installed on a machine tool’s CNC or on a separate PC. The new Mida Laser 75P non-contact programmable tool setting system can gauge and update the cutting radius of mold making tools. Additionally, the new Mida WRS radio transmission touch probing system features a transmission frequency band of 2.4 GHz, allowing the system to be used in applications globally.

Mastip, Inc.—Booth #735
Mastip (mastip.com), a supplier of hot-runner systems, will feature the MJ-09 line of miniature nozzles. Developed for small part, high-cavitation molding and packaging applications, the nozzles are able to fit in a small gate for better use with small parts. The MJ-09 nozzle design provides improved cooling performance and gate strength and thermal stability for a wide molding window.

Mazak Corporation—Booth #713
Mazak (mazakusa.com) will demonstrate its new vertical machining center that is designed to maximize efficiency in high-speed machining. The VCN 700D/40-II HS comes equipped with a standard 40-taper, 12,000-rpm, 25-hp spindle, or an optional 18,000-rpm, 50-hp spindle. The machine features a 68.5 × 27.6-in. table with a maximum part weight of 4,409 lb. It also features a tool-to-tool change time of 1.5 seconds and a 30-tool standard magazine.

Mold Base Industries, Inc.—Booth #726
Mold Base Industries (moldbase.com) manufactures plastic injection molding and die cast mold bases and plates, as well as self-lubricating components such as mold pins and bushings. It will display its various product lines and custom machining services, including parting line profiling and conventional machining.

Morris Technologies, Inc.—Booth #419
Morris Technologies (morristech.com) is a rapid prototyping, product development, and engineering firm. Its wide range of services include stereolithography, Objet 3D printing, Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS), CNC machining, EDM, injection molding, and advanced CAD and engineering services. MicroTek Finishing, a joint venture with Morris Technologies, provides surface finishing services using a Micro Machining Process (MMP).

Niagara Cutter, Inc.—Booth # 919
Niagara Cutter (niagaracutter.com) will showcase its Stabilizer end mills, CVD diamond-coated end mills and routers, and micro end mills as small as 0.005 in. In addition to its various tool geometries, Niagara also offers tool coatings including TiA1N, TiCN, TiN, and CVD diamond.

OPEN MIND Technologies—Booth #725
OPEN MIND Technologies (openmind-tech.com) will demonstrate hyperMILL 2009.2 CAD/CAM software that can handle programming for two- to five-axis machining. It includes advancements for production machining and newly enhanced transformation and mirror functions. This software is also compatible with hyperCAD, SolidWorks, and Autodesk Inventor. OPEN MIND will also present “Effective 5-Axis Machining.”

O.R. Lasertechnology, Inc.—Booth #543
O.R. Lasertechnology (orlaserwelding.com) is a manufacturer of laser welding systems for the aerospace, automotive, medical, dental, and jewelry industries. Its services include plastic injection mold repair and extrusion die repair. O.R. Laser will display its fully operational Class I and Class IV laser welding systems that range from 50 to 300 watts. The Class I lasers will be used for a live demonstration of laser welding a variety of alloys. Participants can also bring samples or production pieces for a fusion or deposit laser weld.

OSG Tap & Die, Inc.—Booth #936
OSG Tap & Die (osgtool.com) manufactures high-performance threading, drilling, and milling tools. OSG’s line of high-technology cutting tools include the EXOCARB WXS and WXL end mills, and the EXOCARB MAX-Oil and helio drills that are designed for performance and productivity in hardened steels. The EXOCARB WXS end mills have a patented nanotechnology coating and are used for hard milling at speeds of 54 HRC to 70 HRC.

PCS Company—Booth #719
PCS Company (pcs-company.com) is a supplier of high-quality pins and molding components, standard and special mold bases, hot runner systems, and nanotechnology products. Its products include the PCS hardened throughout pin, the Volastic hot runner systems, and PCS-integrated hot runner mold base systems. Its NanoMoldCoating HC and HCF are semi-permanent, single-application cure coatings designed to eliminate sticking. They’re non-toxic and can withstand temperatures up to 1,000°F. NanoMoldCoating can be used for any molded material and is resistant to most common cleaners and degreasers.

Progressive Components—Booth #413
Progressive Components (procomps.com) will display the new DT-series collapsible core. This mechanically actuated collapsible core has a patented quick-lock feature that allows removal of the core while the mold is still in the press. DT core’s compact design also allows for tighter cavity space, which enables the use of a smaller press or additional cavities.

SelfLube—Booth #637
SelfLube (selflube.com) is a manufacturer of precision mold components for molds, dies, and special machines. Its components include bushings, gibs, wear strips, parting line locks, and lifter slides. SelfLube will be showcasing its angled and adjustable lifter slides which are available in both inch and metric sizes. By combining the preset angle of the lifter slides with the trunnion action of the lifter rod, there is no longer a need for additional machining.

Shenzhen Creative & Bright Precision Plastic Mould Co., Ltd.—Booth #730
Shenzhen Creative & Bright Precision Plastic Mould (szc-b.com) is a manufacturer of high-precision tools and specializes in precision mold making for office appliances, automotive components, electronics, medical devices, and plastic gears. It has 65 injection molding machines ranging in capacity from 60 to 1,000 tons. Its secondary operations include hot stamping, sonic welding, pad printing, and assembly. Shenzhen will display sample parts including head light housings, paper tray mechanisms, and gears.

Sichuan Cosmos Mold & Die Co., Ltd.—Booth #652
Sichuan Cosmos Mold & Die (cosmos-gp.com) is a design and manufacturing company for precision mold and die parts. Sichuan Cosmos provides electronics, automotive, data storage, and wireless products and equipment. The company will be showcasing medical, connector, and automotive molds.

Smith Enterprises, Inc.—Booth #838
Smith Enterprises (smithpins.com) serves the medical, personal care, electronic, and automotive industries with precision custom and standard tooling components. It will showcase its Diamond Ground Finish, which is a grinding process of M-2 materials for custom core pins.

Sturdell Industries, Inc.—Booth #641
Sturdell Industries (sturdell.com) serves the mold plate and stamping die markets by providing custom mold plates, tool and mold steels, and vinyl tooling plates. Its services include gun-drilled waterlines, chamfers, lift holes, clamp slots, and rough pocketing. Sturdell will display steel plates machined with a variety of processes, including Blanchard and precision grinding, plate squaring, and profile roughing.

Tebis USA—Booth #830
Tebis USA (tebis.com) develops CAD/CAM software for tool, die, and mold manufacturing. Tebis CAD includes user-friendly functions for data cleanup, advanced die and mold design, and reverse engineering. Tebis CAM simulates and verifies all steps through the process chain, including 2.5D feature-based multi-axis applications, five-sided roughing, and re-machining and finishing. The newest release of Tebis V3.4 R4 software increases user friendliness with user-configurable toolbars and faster access to files.

Technoject Machinery Corporation—Booth #738
Technoject Machinery (technoject.com) offers hot runner products, temperature controllers, tandem mold systems, and cavity pressure transducers. Heitec, a sister company, has further developed its Star-Line nozzle into a two-piece design with a body and crown. This innovation allows the edge gate technology to be used with numerous materials, including difficult engineering resins. Maintenance on molds can be done in minutes without disassembling the tips or crown. Technoject will also display the CLS tandem locking technology.

The Ex One Company, LLC—Booth #435
The Ex One Company (exone.com) specializes in manufacturing process technologies for rapid and micro manufacturing. Its rapid manufacturing processes include direct metal printing, rapid casting technology, and voxeljet technology, while its micro manufacturing technology includes laser and ultrasonic systems. Ex One will display sample prototypes created from its various technologies, including Voxeljet technology and laser micro machining parts.

Thermal-Tech Systems—Booth #926
Thermal-Tech Systems (thermal-tech.com) provides plastic injection production, maintenance, and tooling for the plastics processing industry. Its Liquid Injection Honing process facilitates cleaning, polishing and contamination removal from plastic tooling. Thermal-Tech’s hot runner service includes a specialty cleaning, heating element, component, and sensor background for plastic leaks. It offers Slide Products aerosol cleaners, rust preventatives, purge compounds, and lubricants.

Vero USA, Inc.—Booth #633
Vero USA (veroint.com), which offers CAD/CAM/CAE software that aids in the design and manufacturing processes for mold and die production, will be demonstrating its VISI 17 product suite, which integrates VISI Flow technology to create a simulation software that allows mold makers to design, analyze, optimize, and machine an injection mold in one environment.

Vista Metals Corporation—Booth #734
Vista Metals (vistametals.com), an independent producer of specialty aluminum products, offers aluminum tooling and mold materials including cast and scalped forging ingot, hard and soft alloy extrusion billet, and rectangular slab/sheet ingot. Vista also offers Duramold-2 and Duramold-5, two grades of aluminum mold plate products specifically designed for dimensional stability, uniform machinability, and consistent hardness throughout, and weldability.

Yarde Metals—Booth #939
Yarde Metals (yarde.com), is a distributor of aluminum, stainless and carbon steel, brass, and copper molds and cast plates. The plate, rod and bar distributor’s products include M-1 and M-5 aluminum plates up to 30-in. thick.

Zoller Inc.—Booth #922
Zoller (zoller-usa.com) specializes in tool presetting, tool measuring and inspection, and tool management software. The Zoller Smile EDM measures cutting tools such as drills, milling cutters, and reamers as well as electrodes (parameters including offset angles, eccentricity, and length).