Tool production via fused deposition modeling and electroplating

Reducing the time to produce prototypes is a key to speed up the development of new products. One big goal is to produce prototype series which are not only out of the same material but also produced with a comparable manufacturing process as the real product. Today small batch series are produced by vacuum casting using the prototype as a master model. Another possibility is to manufacture prototype moulds directly but this need is not satisfied by commercially available RP systems. The production of prototype moulds using Fused Deposition Modeling and electroplating leads to tools which allow to produce parts by injection moulding as in the series production. In the paper the entire process chain is explained and examples are shown