SURVEYOR Laser Scanning System Helps Versatile Mold Speed Its EDM Process

To improve quality while also shortening the design and qualification cycle, Versatile Mold now uses a SURVEYOR 3D Laser Scanning System to verify that the electrodes are correct before beginning the EDM process

The quality team at Versatile Mold, led by Albert Whitaker, Director of Quality, and Trevor Martin, Quality Technician, were challenged to figure out how to distinguish Versatile Mold from its competitors. They felt there was no better way than to improve their quality while shortening the design and qualification cycle. Determining that detecting errors earlier in a project was the best way to achieve this goal led them to a very innovative process. They would verify the correctness of an injection molding tool BEFORE any steel was cut.

Versatile Mold uses a process known as EDM which very quickly burns into pre-hardened steel, allowing for very precise, difficult shapes to be cut into the core and cavity of a tool. If the carbon electrodes are correct, the tool will be correct. Verifying the electrodes are correct before wasting a $10,000 block of steel seemed to be a perfect method to guarantee quality before any chips flew.

Using a Laser Design SURVEYOR 3D Laser Scanning System (accurate to 0.011mm), each carbon electrode is scanned and compared with the perfect CAD model, complete with exacting burn allowance, draft and all features. The SURVEYOR also is ideal for First Article Inspections of parts from the tool, speeding up the time to market.

One advantage of using this process was to assure that in the case of multiple cavities, each set of electrodes matches. Martin simply scans each set and compares the two scans using Geomagic Control Inspection software. By using Geomagic Reverse Engineering software, changes in the tooling can also be done quickly, with a modified CAD model of the changed electrode complete and verified.

Versatile Mold, located in Rutledge, GA, between Augusta and Atlanta, is clearly a center of modern day 3D Imaging technology innovation. Using Laser Design 3D scanning systems, Martin and Whitaker were able to succeed in the challenge set before them of distinguishing the company from its competitors.

For more information, contact Laser Design Inc. - Ph: 952-884-9648, Email: [email protected] or visit http://www.laserdesign.com/


About Versatile Mold:
Versatile Mold is a full-service molding facility capable of providing support through all phases of the molding process, from design to mold sampling with expertise in engineering thermoset, thermoplastic injection, compression, injection-compression, and transfer, as well as general machining and refurbishment. http://www.versatilemd.com

About Laser Design Inc.:
Laser Design Inc. has been a leading supplier of high-accuracy 3D laser scanning systems since 1987. The company's 3D scanners are used by Fortune 500 companies and other leading manufacturers worldwide for Inspection and Reverse Engineering applications. http://www.laserdesign.com

NOTE: SURVEYOR is a registered trademark of Laser Design Inc.

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Tags: EDM, Laser Design, SURVEYOR, Versatile Mold


About Laser Design Inc.

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Mary Storms
Press Contact, Laser Design Inc.
Laser Design Inc.
9401 James Avenue, South; Ste. 132
Minneapolis, MN 55431
United States