Nonmetallic tooling capabilities and economics

Nonmetallic materials are both useful and economical for many manufacturing tools and encapsulation molds. The RTV silicon-rubber molds cast from machined metal mold masters are capable of reproducing complex shapes and intricate detail. Microballoon-filled epoxy molds can maintain closer tolerances on the molded parts, but are prone to break when removing the parts from the molds. High-impact polycarbonate assembly fixtures provide all of the functions required for most cable-assembly operations at less cost and procurement time. Nonmetallic molds and fixtures are particularly attractive for prototypes and small-quantity manufacturing, but also are economical for many normal production applications. Nylon potting shells for rack-and-panel connectors provide potential cost savings over conventional metal molds.