Tool Design


The science of designing assemblies that helps manufacture components is called tool design. Depending upon the material of component they produce, they are classified as injection mould design, press tool design, die cast design, jigs and fixture design, gauge design amongst others.

Injection mould design is designing of tools to manufacture plastic parts. These moulds are put on injection moulding machines in which a thermoplastic or thermoset plastic material is fed into a heated barrel, mixed, and forced into the metal mould cavity where it cools and hardens before being removed.

Press tool design refers to design of tool for producing components made out of metal sheets. Metal sheets are primarily cut and bent to produce the required geometry.

Die casting is a metal casting process that is characterised by forcing molten metal under high pressure into a mould cavity. The mould cavity is created using two hardened tool steel dies which have been machined into shape and work similarly to an injection mould during the process.

A fixture holds the component/assembly to be worked in a fixed location. A device that holds the work and guides a tool is called a jig. A jig's primary purpose is to provide repeatabilityaccuracy, and interchangeability in the manufacturing of products.

gauge in science and engineering, is a device used to make measurements or in order to display certain information, like time. A popular example is go-no go gauge which refers to an inspection tool used to check a workpiece against its allowed tolerances. Its name is derived from two tests: the check involves the workpiece having to pass one test (go) and fail the other (no-go).