Automotive molds are the cornerstone of vehicle design and production. These critical components shape the aesthetics, functionality, and safety of automobiles. Traditionally, mold manufacturing has been a complex, time-consuming process with a significant margin for error. The advent of advanced manufacturing technologies, however, is changing the landscape.
Scantech provides cutting-edge 3D scanning solutions that redefine the standards of precision and efficiency in automotive mold manufacturing. With our technology, manufacturers can rest assured that the molds they produce are of the highest fidelity, ensuring that the vehicles they help create meet the stringent demands of today’s market.
In this blog, you will learn how Scantech helped improve quality, lowering cost and increase efficiency of mold manufacturing.
About the Customer
One of Scantech’s most notable collaborations has been with a large Sino-Japanese joint venture, dedicated to the development and production of mid-to-high-end automotive molds and automotive door cover coverings.
Challenges in Traditional Mold Manufacturing
The customers entailed the meticulous inspection of their automotive stamping sheet metal molds. These intricate components required thorough analysis for geometric dimensions, surface flatness, and defect characterization. The inherent complexity of mold production processes, which involve precision cutting, forming, and punching, left no room for error. Traditional mold manufacturing faces several obstacles, such as handling large, cumbersome molds, intricate geometries, reflective surfaces, and the intrusive nature of measurement techniques. These challenges often lead to inaccuracies and inefficiencies in the production process.
Size and Mobility
The sheer size and weight of automotive molds render them hard to move. This poses a significant challenge as transporting these bulky objects to a dedicated measurement facility is impractical, if not impossible. Consequently, the measurement process must be brought to the mold, not the other way around.
Complex Geometries
Automotive molds feature an intricate amalgamation of surfaces, including undercuts, sharp edges, deep cavities, and fine details. Traditional measurement methods often fall short when dealing with such complexity, leading to incomplete data capture and subsequent inaccuracies.
Reflective Surfaces
The metallic composition of the molds introduces another hurdle. The reflective nature of these surfaces can lead to significant measurement noise, distorting the data collected and compromising the integrity of the measurement process.
Measurement Intrusiveness
Traditional methods often require the application of sprays or the attachment of physical markers on the mold surfaces. These procedures are not only time-consuming but may also interfere with the mold’s surface characteristics, leading to additional post-measurement cleanup and potential surface damage.
Scantech 3D Solution and Advantages
In response to these challenges, Scantech introduced the TrackScan-Sharp 3D scanner, aiming to deal with measurement tasks with ease and accuracy. This high-end equipment excels in analyzing complex shapes and structures, including irregular features like curves, holes, and rough or sharp edges, without the need for markers or powder spraying. Meanwhile, it could be deployed directly on the workshop floor, offering a non-intrusive, highly accurate scanning process.
On-Site Scanning Capability
The TrackScan-Sharp tracking 3D system could be easily brought to the manufacturing floor, offering the flexibility to scan large molds in-situ without the need for transportation or repositioning. It supports wired and wireless data transfer to cater to different industrial uses, making scanning even easier.
Advanced Surface Recognition
The scanner is equipped with sophisticated algorithms capable of interpreting complex geometries and reflective surfaces. This technology ensures comprehensive data capture, even in the presence of challenging surface characteristics.
Non-Intrusive Process
Our 3D scanning process eliminates the need for any physical contact with the mold surface. By doing away with powder spraying and marker placements, we preserved the integrity of the mold’s surface while significantly reducing the preparation and cleanup time.
Swift Data Acquisition
The TrackScan-Sharp’s optical tracking technology and rapid scanning abilities allowed for a complete scan within 40 minutes, ensuring that the manufacturing process could proceed with minimal interruption.
Detailed Analysis and Reporting
The captured point cloud data was meticulously processed, aligned, and registered to transform into a precise geometric model. This model was then compared against the standard CAD blueprint, allowing for an immediate and detailed assessment of any deviations.
Embracing the Future of Manufacturing
The automotive industry is evolving, and Scantech is at the helm, guiding it towards a future where precision is not a mere possibility but a guaranteed deliverable. Our 3D scanning technology is more than a tool; it is a promise—a promise of quality, reliability, and advancement.
Conclusion
By offering a combination of precision, speed, and ease of use, we enable manufacturers to uphold the highest standards of quality and efficiency. Our case study with the Sino-Japanese automotive joint venture is a testament to our commitment to innovation and our capability to meet the needs of the industry’s most challenging demands. Scantech’s advanced 3D scanning solutions are redefining what is possible in automotive mold manufacturing.
For more information about our technology or to explore how we can support your manufacturing process, visit our website or reach out to our team of experts. With Scantech, precision is just the beginning.
