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Rapid Tooling Services

HordRT delivers high-quality rapid tooling for prototypes and short production runs, achieving up to 95% of the precision, quality, and stability of traditional molds. Using pre-hardened steel, our tooling allows for cost-effective engineering changes during development, with the only difference being a shorter tooling lifespan.

1 off Aluminum Prototype

1000+ extreme standardization of molds

50,000+ cycles standard lifespan

How Make Rapid Tooling in HordRT

1.  DfM provided within 24h after customer confirms the order.
2. Tooling design and cutting main steel at the same time after DfM approval.
3. CNC machining cavity and core inserts; matched MUD will be checked out and send to tooling assembly workshop.
4. Auxiliary tooling components machined out and send to tooling assembly workshop.
5. Tooling fitting and polishing.
6. Tooling inspected by master and send to injection molding workshop to test.
7. Initial samples after engineers checked and send to .dimensions inspect

Quality Control for Rapid Tooling

HordRT offers high-quality rapid tooling services backed by industry experience, skilled engineers, and strict quality control. We deliver reliable solutions that ensure successful product development.

Defects in Rapid Tooling Be Minimized

  • Optimizing Process Parameters:Adjust temperature, pressure, and cooling times to ensure consistent quality.
  • Routine Maintenance: Conduct regular inspections and maintenance of equipment to prevent wear and defects.
  • Advanced Simulation Tools: Use simulation software to predict and address potential issues during the design phase.

Predictive Maintenance

Predictive maintenance monitors tooling equipment to anticipate failures, reducing downtime and costs. By using sensors and data analytics, it schedules maintenance based on real-time conditions, enabling early detection of issues and ensuring consistent production quality.

Calibration in Maintaining Rapid Tooling Equipment

Regular calibration of rapid tooling equipment is essential to maintain accuracy and consistency. It ensures machines stay within set tolerances, avoiding defects. A strict calibration routine improves part quality and extends equipment lifespan.
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Production Workshop

Why Choose HordRT for Rapid Tooling

Fast Delivery & Non Min

In Hord, there are hundreds of shared mold base and a number of precision machines which allow us making your rapid parts in a short time. Most significantly, we can ship to anywhere in this world.

Best Quality and Competitive Price

Hord has acquired an extensive tooling capability and is supported by a team of people who have skills and technical knowledge you can rely on. We can find the best way for your project to save the cost and keep high-quality parts. Generally, we use the shared mold base system so the tooling cost can be 30-50% lower than that of tradition production tooling.

Rapid Tooling Expert

HordRT, a rapid tooling expert, selects cost-effective materials like P20 steel to solve product development challenges. Known for its durability and corrosion resistance, P20 ensures high performance and a superior glossy finish, ideal for engineering-grade plastic molds.

Common Applications 

Using rapid tooling, designers can make multiple prototypes in a fraction of the time it would take to make them using conventional tooling methods. For many entrepreneurs, inventors, and businesses, this method truly is one of the best ways to develop a new product from scratch. Hord assists your product ideal a reality!

Medical devices and Dental

Automotive

Aerospace

Electronics

Consumer Products

Energy

What is Rapid Tooling

Rapid tooling making is a fast, convenient and cost-effective technology, which is  characterized by a short molding cycle, simple process, easy promotion, low molding cost, accuracy, and longer tooling life that can meet functional needs. It is especially suitable for the development and trial production of new products, process verification, and functional verification, as well as multi-variety and low-volume production. With our rich knowledge and customized manufacturing experience, we can help you accelerate the product to market.

Rapid tooling(RT) refers to the process of quickly creating molds or tools using advanced manufacturing technologies, such as CNC machining or 3D printing , to reduce lead times and costs in product development. It allows for faster production of prototypes or limited production runs.

Rapid Tooling is more and more popular in these years, which greatly reduces the time needed for mold-forming process and therefore increases the speed of production. Most traditional manufacturing process requires custom tooling to create end-use parts. However, tooling comes with high upfront costs and weeks or month-long lead times from services providers. 

This in turn reduces the time to market allowing companies to increase profits. RT also allows the ease of product customization due to its flexibility in tool design, ability to adapt to customers’ specifications, and most importantly, does not require high volume to break even. Conceptual designs can be further improved without incurring high costs compared to conventional manufacturing processes. These factors in RT attribute to high performance manufacturing and high quality products.

In Hord, we generally use shared mold base system to make rapid tooling. Therefore, the tooling cost is lower than traditional manufacturing process, and it is especially suitable for on-demand production and low-volume production.

Recommended Bolg: the significance of rapid tooling.

Rapid Tooling Materials

Steel Mold Tooling

In Hord, we only utilize the superior quality material for rapid tooling. E.g. the steel P20. When refers to steel, it is widely known for its unique characteristics, and is a popular and widely used material. Steel is a solid, sturdy and high-quality tooling material, which can also be used to produce wear-resistant and corrosion resistant engineering grade plastic molds.The main reason for using this tooling material is that it contributes to a better glossy surface finish.

Types of Rapid Tooling

Direct Rapid Tooling

1. Create a 3D CAD model of a mold or tool.

2. Send the file to a machine to make the actual mold or tool that will be used for producing prototypes.

3. The tool or mold produced can then be used directly to make prototypes—typically a very small number of them.

Indirect Rapid Tooling

1. Create a 3D CAD model of the master mold or tool.

2. Send the file to a machine to create a master mold or tool, also known as a pattern. This master pattern is typically very durable.

3. Make more molds or tools based on the master pattern. The new molds or tools can be made from different types of materials with different properties.

A single master pattern can produce many different tools or molds in large or small quantities, which in turn can produce many more prototypes

Direct Rapid Tooling
Indirect Rapid Tooling
Pros
· Faster production and shortened lead times
· Can produce multiple prototypes from a single mold or tool
·Allowing to make multiple molds quickly as your design changes
· The master pattern is very durable and rarely gets damaged during the prototyping process
· Can make either hard or soft tools based on customer's needs. Hard tools are ideal for complex designs,while soft tools can be used for simple designs or cost-effective prototype testing.
· Ideal for experimenting with different materials
Cons
· May not be appropriate for highly complex designs or materials that require a durable mold or tool to produce intricate details
· Could result in higher product development costs if create multiple moldsfor each new design iteration
· Longer production time and Higher cost
· Not always a good option if the design will change significantly during the prototyping stage
· May require higher quality materials to make a robust master pattern
Pros
Direct Rapid Tooling
· Faster production and shortened lead times
· Can produce multiple prototypes from a single mold or tool
·Allowing to make multiple molds quickly as your design changes
Indirect Rapid Tooling
· The master pattern is very durable and rarely gets damaged during the prototyping process
· Can make either hard or soft tools based on customer's needs. Hard tools are ideal for complex designs,while soft tools can be used for simple designs or cost-effective prototype testing.
· Ideal for experimenting with different materials
Cons
Direct Rapid Tooling
· May not be appropriate for highly complex designs or materials that require a durable mold or tool to produce intricate details
· Could result in higher product development costs if create multiple moldsfor each new design iteration
Indirect Rapid Tooling
· Longer production time and Higher cost
· Not always a good option if the design will change significantly during the prototyping stage
· May require higher quality materials to make a robust master pattern
If you have an idea for a design and simply want to test its feasibility as fast as possible, then direct rapid tooling may be a good option.
Direct rapid tooling is a flexible method that gives you the freedom to experiment with different dimensions.
Indirect rapid tooling is the preferred option for product designers that are ready to thoroughly test their prototypes and select materials or finishes for their end products.

WHY CHOOSE US

INSTANT QUOTING

Timely reply and provide the quote within 24 hours

NO MOQ REQUIRED

Hord does not have minimum order quantity

HIGH QUALITY

ISO 9001 & IATF 16949 certificated and inspect every step

COST-EFFICIENT

+30% cost lower than western competitors

QUICK TUAROUND

Parts make in 7 days and delivery on time

DFM ANALYSIS

Once receiving the inquiry, we will provide you with a preliminary DFM report

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

More than 20 years of rapid tooling making

GOOD RAPUTATION FROM CUSTOMERS

Customers are satisfied with our services, products quality and delivery time.

Rapid Tooling FAQs

Rapid tooling is ideal when you need to bridge the gap between prototyping and full production. Unlike rapid prototyping, which focuses solely on creating design models or functional prototypes, rapid tooling delivers high-quality, durable molds that can be used to produce limited quantities of end-use parts. This method is more efficient for testing product performance with real materials and processes, offers better precision, and is cost-effective for short production runs or pre-production testing. If you're aiming for production-quality parts in small quantities, rapid tooling is the better choice.

If you want to get the product to market quickly, rapid tooling is the best choice to prototype and test your design. Which can make a part in a very short time. The process of rapid tooling can not only save time, but also save money for you.

It depends on the material, size and the geometry of the part. Generally, the tooling can be completed within 3 weeks. Some simple parts can be done within 3-7 days.

Hord offers a wide range of materials for rapid tooling. Clients can choose the suitable material for the project.

The cost depends on many factors, including the volume, quantity, size, material and surface finishing of the parts.

Cases of Rapid Tooling Making

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