SMALL SERIES PA6 PARTS AT -50% COST AND +50% SPEED
rpm counts itself among the top innovators for PA6 casting of parts in small series. Since 2002, we have been casting series Polyamide materials for high-performance parts using our trademarked NylonMold™ process. rpm is a pioneer in using lost cores to produce parts with complex inner geometries. Depending on the final part count, silicone (soft tooling) or aluminum (metal tooling) is used to achieve the best combination of cost, speed and reproducibility.
PA6 CASTING FOR APPLICATIONS WITH HEAT AND CHEMICAL RESISTANCE
A key advantage of PA6 parts produced using NylonMold™ is access to end-use materials known from injection moulding. Common applications are pre-series functional product development for summer and winter tests as well as small series and exclusive series parts. The NylonMold™ process uses four series-ready materials, a standard PA6 and PA6 reinforced with glass fiber (PA6 GF30), carbon fiber (PA6 CF15) or glass balls (PA6 GB40).
Any technical applications that require a chemical resistance or a raised temperature environment tend to be the best use cases for NylonMold™. At rpm, we can provide a fully finished product including milling, joining and adhesive bonding, painting, pressure testing and 3D measurements.
Reduced Part Cost
Faster Delivery Time
PA6 Material Quality
TECHNICAL PROTOTYPES IN PA6, PA6 GF, PA6 CF AND PA6 GK
While additive manufacturing can quickly iterate part geometries and basic mechanical function, we began casting PA6 parts 5 years after our founding to provide our customers with tough functional prototype parts that can be placed into real-world applications and harsh test environments. Typical applications for our parts are reservoirs, engineering components and gas or fluid pipe systems that are exposed to technical media. This is particularly interesting when placed in vehicles or machines that reach higher operating temperatures.
PA6 CASTING IN SMALL SERIES FROM 20 – 200
Common batches for the NylonMold™ process are 20 – 200 parts. Our process begins with a high-quality master model produced using additive manufacturing, planning and followed by construction of silicone moulds. Each part is produced to high quality standards following ISO 9001:2015 here in our German facilities. Working with rpm includes access to an experienced team that draws on two decades of experience to provide advice on part design for PA casting, achieve the technical requirements and deliver in reliable cycles.
ALUMINUM TOOLING FOR SERIES PA6 CASTING
When we cast specialty series plastic parts for automotive, industrial and mobility applications, we often use aluminum tooling for our PA casting. rpm designs and builds this particular tooling system in-house and relies on the harder base material as compared to silicon tools, which experience a thermal degradation. This ensures part accuracy, longer tooling lifetimes and high repeatability. Aluminum moulds are suited for a part quantity of 100-2,500 parts.
USING LOST CORES TO PRODUCE COMPLEX INNER GEOMETRIES
rpm was an early innovator in working with lost cores to create inner geometries that would otherwise not be feasible to achieve. The result is accurate, functional test parts which continue to be a key step within product development. In the lost core process, intermediate inserts are placed into the internal geometry during casting and are removed later so that a hollow cavity remains. The most common parts for LostCore have internal chambers with small access points or piping, and are produced as one part without seams.
INSERTS, FINSHING AND ASSEMBLY PERFORMED IN-HOUSE
Plastic casting is the first step. rpm has a full floor of work stations to provide the technical finishing and refinement so that parts are customer-ready when they leave our doors. Most often that includes adding insets or adaptors, joining parts together, sealing edges or combining sourced components. Increasingly, rpm is being seen as a go-to partner for supplying small series and spare parts on demand.
FINISHING PA6 PARTS FOR TECHNICAL ACCURACY
For PA6 parts that require a high degree of technical accuracy for the resulting parts, rpm will take the cast parts through their milling department. Based on the technical drawings, the parts are milled to create flat areas on parts, accurate sealing surfaces, tight fit for mating parts and exact tolerances for holes and edges. Since all steps are completed at rpm, any challenges can be addressed in real-time to complete even complex projects on tight timelines.
RELIABILITY, QUALITY ASSURANCE, AND DOCUMENTATION
For over 12 years, rpm has been operating a ISO 9001:2015 approved manufacturing facility. We put a particular focus on quality assurance and on maintaining a high degree of technical accuracy. Each batch of parts is measured and validated after production with a full documentation. We also have state-of-the art in-house facilities to scan parts for dimensional accuracy, perform pressure and mechanical testing, and a variety of other methods to ensure quality plastic parts.
