CommunicationShipping & Tariff CostConfidentiality & ITARQualification All in One Place
Four Advantages Of Utilizing A Domestic Tooling Source:
Elite Mold & Engineering – Domestic Tooling Experts
Recent Posts
Addressing the Common Design Issues in Injection Molding Plastics
At Elite Mold & Engineering, we try to ensure the success of every injection molding project by addressing any design issues well before production is underway. Our integrated prototyping and product development services bring any potential issues to light, while...
Rapid Injection Molding: An Increasingly Crucial Service for Supply Chain Sustainability
Rapid injection molding is one of the key ways that American manufacturers have risen to the challenges of today’s global supply chain. It’s no secret that most plastic products are made in China. Traditionally, when customers thought of molded plastics, Chinese...
A Guide to STL Files for 3D Printing Projects: STL vs. CAD Models and Other Critical Info
Creating a custom STL file for your parts is one of the crucial early steps in the 3D printing process. Essentially, an STL file is a 3D model that precisely describes the surface geometry of your part as a complex structure built up from interlinked triangles. We’ll...
Rapid Prototyping Techniques Compared: Injection Molding, 3D Printing, and CNC Machined Prototypes
Elite Mold & Engineering specializes in three of the most flexible high-speed prototyping services on the market: rapid injection molding (RIM), 3D printing, and low-volume CNC machining solutions. Each of the three processes comes with its own set of unique...
One of the latest, most innovative 3D printing materials engineered by Carbon is EPU 46 – the company’s premier energy-return elastomer. Manufactured from 40% bio-based materials, EPU 46 is both a high-performance and sustainable solution. It also offers highly tunable stiffness and fully customizable colors.
Due to their unique, responsive mechanical properties, energy-return materials are quickly gaining popularity for 3D printed athletic products, sporting goods, and various ergonomic accessories – from grips and handles to shoes and saddles.
A Durable, Tunable Resin Suitable for High-Performance 3D Printed Products
Modern 3D printed products often demand extensive material customization options – especially when it comes to material stiffness and color. Perhaps more than any other property, those two traits will determine the look and feel of your end product, so it’s important to get them perfect.
Stiff and Lightweight for Lower-Density Lattices
EPU 46 is 100% stiffer than Carbon’s widely popular EPU 41 material for 3D printers. Crucially, the increased stiffness facilitates lightweight parts through the use of lower-density lattices. The result is better optimization in part design, helping you achieve better, stronger 3D printed products at a lower cost.
Highly Tunable Stiffness
Of course, maximum stiffness and rigidity isn’t always desired. That’s where EPU 46’s tunability comes into play. The material stiffness can be customized from Shore 78A to 56A, making it suitable and truly optimizable for a much wider range of end products.
Fully Customizable Colors
EPU 46 is offered in a black base for many basic products, as well as a color base for direct custom colorization. From highly translucent to opaque, the resin comes in virtually all common colors without affecting its mechanical properties or printability.
40% Bio-Based for Better Sustainability
Manufacturers today are aiming for the best sustainability possible. Biocompatibility is also a key consideration for many modern 3D printing projects. The EPU 46 resin is 40% bio-based, making it more sustainable and renewable than many traditional additive manufacturing materials. It is also engineered for solvent-free cleaning and resin reclaim to further reduce waste and your overall carbon footprint. Its unique 40% bio-based formulation also helps EPU 46 achieve bio-compatibility, meeting requirements for ISO 10993-5, ISO 10993-10, and ISO 10993-23 bio-compatibility testing.
Michigan’s Leading Additive Manufacturing Specialist
Elite Mold & Engineering is proud to be one of the Michigan region’s leading injection molding companies offering 3D printing services for prototyping projects and beyond. Get in touch to discover all of the innovative plastic materials we offer to manufacture your unique products.
Communication
By utilizing domestic tooling, you can benefit from improved communication with your tooling vendor. No more late-night meetings or waiting days for a response from an overseas vendor. Instead, with both parties in the same or similar time zone, you can ensure timely communication that aligns with your schedule. Moreover, this approach allows you to save valuable time and money on travel expenses for potential tryouts.
Confidentiality & ITAR
When working on a highly confidential or new design, where getting to the market first is crucial, confidentiality becomes an absolute necessity. By partnering with a domestic U.S. supplier that possesses complete in-house mold construction capabilities, you can have greater confidence in the security of your data, knowing that it will not be shared without your knowledge. This is particularly essential for government projects that require ITAR data protection, making the utilization of a domestic tooling vendor a mandatory requirement.
No Additional International Shipping or Tariff Cost
With a domestic tooling supplier, you can avoid additional charges such as international freight, customs, and tariffs. The savings on shipping costs can help offset the price differences between low-cost country tooling and domestically built options. Furthermore, by choosing domestic suppliers, you can avoid delays caused by mold transportation via ocean freight or costly airfreight shipments. Saving both time and money is made possible with a domestic tooling supplier.
Qualification All In One Place
When constructing and qualifying a mold, it is essential to possess prior knowledge of any modifications or tuning that have already been undertaken. By opting for domestic mold construction, your chosen provider can ensure that they possess a comprehensive understanding and documentation of all prior work completed on the mold. This facilitates a more efficient problem-solving process and enables effective troubleshooting of potential flaws.
Let Elite Become Your Preffered Domestic Tooling Partner
Elite Mold & Engineering has been crafting top-notch plastic injection molds domestically in the United States for nearly four decades. Our talented team of experienced designers and skilled professionals in the Tooling Department are dedicated to constructing robust, high-quality, and efficient molds tailored to meet your specific project requirements.
Discover the multitude of benefits when you choose a domestic tooling source. With our expertise, experience, and commitment to quality, we provide a multitude of key advantages that will streamline your operations. Our local presence ensures seamless communication, offering you the convenience of direct and efficient collaboration. Elite’s stringent quality control measures guarantee precision and reliability, delivering top-notch tooling solutions tailored to your specific needs. Also, by choosing a domestic source, you support local businesses and contribute to the growth of your community. Our quick turnaround times ensure that you stay ahead of the competition, enabling you to meet even the tightest project deadlines. Embrace the numerous advantages of a domestic tooling source and watch your productivity soar.