Injection Molding

Prototype Development

Tooling, Parts and Engineering

Precision CNC Machining

Est. 1994

Mark Reynaert , President

733 W. Beamish
P.O. Box 407
Sanford, MI 48657

phone (989) 687-9786
fax (989) 687-9786

e-mail MrMold@aol.com

Services Available

Mold Making, Injection Mold, Thermoform Mold, Rubber Mold, shuttle mold, Compression Mold

Mold Design, 3D CAD,3-D CAM, Rapid Prototype Model, Solid Model, Surfacing

Mold Repair, Engineering Changes, Reverse Engineering, Bridge Tooling, Mold Inserts

Prototype Plastic Product Development, Inventor Resources and Inventing Help, Product Evaluation

Custom Precision CNC Machining, Full Machine shop, EDM, Precision Milling, Grinding, Lathe

Custom Plastic Injection Molding, Short Run Production, Insert molding, Production Molding

Checking Fixtures, Assembly Fixtures, Machining Fixtures, Gages, Special Machines

Assembly, Packing, Shipping, Secondary Operations, Contract Manufacturing, Packaging

Inventors

Frequently Inventors come to us with questions. This website will attempt to answer many of the common questions posed and provide links and information for inventors and the inventing process. For INVENTOR Resources follow the link to our page.

Feel free to contact us with your questions. I will personally guide you through the process. From the patent process, provisional patents and nondisclosure agreements to napkin sketches and modern CAD (Computer Aided Design), Prototype Product Development techniques, Rapid Prototyping, and the Mold Making process. He will also advise you on the inventing processes. The ones you might be able to skip and those that inventors should never pass over. Why you should never use one of those “invention submission companies” you see on TV and in magazine ads. This advice could save you tens of thousands of dollars and is provided free for the asking.

If your in the Mid Michigan area and would like to meet with the owner or tour our facility. Feel free to give us a call and make an appointment. Many of our customers are outside of the Midland, Michigan area and because of today’s modern technology have never been to our plant. This allows us to conduct business with customers from across the US and abroad. We can provide virtual prototypes and design via the web. Conduct e-mail and web meetings. We ship plastic molded products , prototypes and tooling throughout the United States, Asia, Canada and Mexico.

Prototypes

Prototypes can be manufactured in a wide variety of methods. The job of the prototype is many fold. The prototype can perform important tasks such as form, fit and function. It can be an important sales and marketing tool or provide proof of an idea or concept.

Common methods of prototyping include.

· Modifying or assembling common off the self items- Many times a new product idea is a variation of an existing product or idea and can be constructed from common household or hardware items. These are generally quite inexpensive to produce in limited quantities.

· Handmade prototype- We see many hand carved wooden and plastic prototypes. These are inexpensive to manufacture and provide much information to the inventor, marketer or manufacturer.

· Virtual Prototype- This is usually a 3D CAD model or 3-D Solid Model part. This part only exists on your computer in the form of math data. Modern technology has advanced tremendously in recent history. Photo realistic parts and assemblies can be constructed in much the way the movie industry can now create scenes and characters on some of the most famous movies. These parts can be rotated in space and viewed from any angle, almost as if you had the part in your hand.

· Machined Prototype- Parts can be manufactured from solid blocks, sheets or rods of metal or plastic. The advantage is there is virtually no tooling cost to produce these prototypes. They can be produced in limited fashion. The virtual prototype model can be used to produce machine code for CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machining centers. Other machine shop processes such as milling, turning, grinding may be used.

· Rapid Prototype Models- Many advances and techniques have evolved in the past years. The virtual prototype model is used to manufacture in very limited quantities parts from a wide range of materials. Some of these methods are 3D printers (Polyjet), SLA (Stereolithography). FDM (Fused Deposition modeling),SLS (Selective Laser Sintering).

· Cast Urethane parts-By using a Stereolithography (SLA) prototype as the master pattern, an RTV (silicone rubber) tool is created. The SLA part is removed leaving the negative cavity in the RTV mold. Liquid urethane is then poured into the cavity of the tool to create multiple parts identical in shape but with production-like material properties. Since the tool is flexible, difficult geometries and undercuts are easily cast. RTV molding is ideal for marketing samples or where fewer than 100 plastic parts need to be created without the expense of an injection mold tool. These parts work well as sales tools and when a handful of parts are required for a trade show or to pass between several departments in a large organization.

· Prototype Plastic Injection molding- A 100 to 10,000 part can be produced using this method. These parts use the same molding material, processes and equipment as production injection molded parts. These differ from production injection molds in the cost and materials used to produce these molds. These typically can be produced in much shorter time. Prototype molds are commonly made from aluminum or mild steel. They may consist of only the cavity insert instead of a complete mold or mold base. These mold are typically single cavity or low cavity molds. They may be a family mold where a “family” of parts is produced in the same mold. They are some times produced in a MUD (Master Unit Die) insert. These inserts slide into the master unit frame for quick mold changing. This mold may be used as bridge tooling to bridge the gap before a production injection mold can be built. They can also be used a production tool until volumes require multi or high cavity mold be built. Since they use the same process as production molds, processing problems and information can be gathered before expensive tooling is built. Changes to the aluminum prototype mold are much easier and economical to make as opposed to making changes in a production mold. Many times the prototype mold can be used to supply limited production while a production mold is being repaired.

Production Molds

Production Plastic Injection molds are capable of making hundreds of thousands to millions of parts. Production Mold are made from the very best materials using US standards and components. There are many options to choose from, hot runner systems, guided and accelerated ejection systems, multiple side action types, automatic unscrewing just to name a few. We use only brand name components from suppliers such as DME, PCS, Hasco, Osco, and Mold-masters.

In House Injection Molding

We have a variety of injection molding machines in house for the sampling and tryouts of molds. Short and long run production capabilities are available in our plant. We can also source molds for you. Because we provide molds for several area molders, we are assured of getting the best price for your molding project. We will provide any preventative maintenance, storage or repair on tooling we build and run at no additional charge.

Global Sourcing and Logistics

We’ve teamed with a few select companies that have extensive knowledge of outsourcing mold tooling in China and other countries. Any tooling designed and manufactured by us for use in the United States, will be completely assembled, warranted and sampled in our Mid-Michigan Plant, prior to shipment to our customers. Most short run and prototype tooling is manufactured in our U.S. plant. This allows us to compete globally offer the most cost effective tooling for your project.

About the Owner

The owner is a Journeyman Toolmaker with over 20 years experience and a shop owner of 10 years. He has helped many inventors and company personnel with the plastic manufacturing process. His traditional training traceable to the Original Ford Trade School. Completely versed in today’s high technology manufacturing, he combines “Old world craftsmanship” with modern precision machining and design technology.

• Mold Shop Owner
• Mold Designer
• CAD/CAM Programmer
• Lead Mold maker
• Tool and Die Maker
• Employed with many of the top Tool and Die companies in the Detroit and Mid Michigan areas

See Resume

EQUIPMENT LIST Fairly current update of the tool shop and molding plant equipment.

TAKE THE TOUR Under construction online office tours only. Machine shop and Molding plant tours by appointment.

MAPS TO US Located in the Mid Michigan area, Tri-cities,(Midland, Bay city, Saginaw) within 2 hours of major industrial cities.(Detroit, Flint, Lansing, Grand Rapids, and Traverse City). Just off US-10 in Midland County near Sanford Lake.

TECHNICAL MATERIALS Many articles about plastic injection molding, and mold making. Glossary of plastic terminology and other links.

ADD YOUR URL You can also submit your links directly by e-mail MrMold@aol.com

LINKS TO OTHER SITES We’d be happy to link to your site. We ask for a link in return.

---

Send us E-Mail

This page last updated 11/13/2007

We are able to process major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard) over the phone or Web. We also accept Personal and Company checks, certified funds and PayPal for your convenience. Our standard terms are 50% deposit with order and balance due upon completion. Other terms may be available with established credit.