DPM Benefits & Opportunities
There are numerous benefits to Differential Pressure Molding, such as:
LOW COST
- Compression molding capabilities at vacuum-forming prices;
- Low tooling costs;
- Significantly lower capital equipment costs;
- Much smaller manufacturing footprint;
- Ability to mold multiple parts (of different sizes and geometries) at the same time further reduce piece cost;
- One-stop shopping: single-source for both tooling and process equipment;
- Ideal for low-to-moderate volume production (<100,000 pieces annually);
- Typical DPM process savings vs. compression molding:
- Tooling costs are 50-75% lower,
- Tooling turnaround is 50% faster,
- Output per square foot is 2-4x higher, and
- Owing to lower scrap rates, materials savings of 10% or more can be seen.
HIGHLY VERSATILE
- Ability to mold both thermoplastic and thermoset sheetstock:
- Monolithic sheet or sandwich-panel composites,
- Reinforced or unreinforced materials,
- Ability to consolidate multiple layers of materials to optimize perforamance, aesthetics, and cost;
- Owing to minimal flow-forming of materials, able to co-mold / bond a decorative skin / covering in a single process step without tearing or distortion (reducing process steps and costs);
- Able to mold single large parts or numerous smaller parts (in a family tool);
- Press can be outfitted with several different molds and can process different materials and different part geometries at the same time;
- In-mold hand-placed slides allow demolding of parts with severe undercuts and better edge finishes,
- In-mold knife trimming eliminates the need for post-mold waterjet cutting, a large capital expense for low-volume production operations.
FAST-TO-MARKET PRODUCTION
- Rapid tool fabrication (2 hours to 2 weeks);
- Quick press build (6-12 weeks);
- Facilitates pre-market validation of high-speed compression tooling in low-cost composite tools;
- Ideal for rapid and low-cost concept proveout and design validation.
LOW ENERGY / GREEN MANUFACTURING
- Much lower facility and process energy requirements for low-carbon-footprint manufacturing;
- Excellent option for emerging markets and remote-site manufacturing;
- Ability to eliminate many post-mold secondary operations;
- Minimal post-mold trimming.
HIGH QUALITY, DEPENDABLE PROCESS
- Fast-cycling process (30-90 seconds) with excellent repeatability and reproducibility (R&R) values;
- Tooling changes can be made quickly and at low cost;
- Low molding pressures reduce residual stresses and post-mold warpage.
