ASK:
All: In need of testing a bunch of different materials in two actual molded parts. One testing translucency, another testing TPEs. Want a quickturn tool. Simple parts, no actions, size of a sunglasses case.
Already talking to protolabs, fictiv, model solutions.
Interested in anyone you may have used that can work with us as we adjust the material/dial it in, for a later production tool.
RESPONSES:
| Company | Website | Recommender | Notes1 | Notes2 | Notes3 |
| Quicksilver | https://www.quicksilver-mfg.com/ | Brian Rulifson <rulifsonb@asme.org> | NC based HQ, MFG in Shenzhen (3 years ago). They did a bunch of TiO2 loading cascades on another part to figure out opacity. They are capable for doing your descriptions, presumably. |
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| suNPe | https://www.sunpe.com/ | Mason Curry <mason1@gmail.com> | We’ve also used SunPe for quick molding and reasonable results. | Carl Bettag <carl@carlbettag.com> Alloy has used SunPe for a wide variety of parts and they've done great work. IMPORTANT NOTE: we have NOT used them for injection molded parts that I know of |
Brogan Miller brogan@alumni.stanford.edu We just awarded business to a company in GD called SuNPe for an RFQ with laser cut, stamped, and 5-axis parts. They have 22 injection molders (and 200 CNCs :). They also came in at 1/3 the cost of any local shops with a very reasonable door to door 23 day L/T on a complicated order, and a 7 day L/T on a simple one. Can't speak to the quality of their work yet, but my remote "DD" has revealed no reason for too much concern. I've really enjoyed my sales rep. Ivy Zheng sale_16@sunpe.com |
| Addifab | https://www.addifab.com/ | Mason Curry <mason1@gmail.com> | A new option that’s just out is FIM (freeborn injection molding) with Addifab. I’ve copied Carsten Jarfelt on this email for you to continue the conversation. Spanner is partnering with them and plans to have this set up locally, but covid has put that plan on pause for now but they have it operational in Denmark. | FIM uses a proprietary high res 3D print technology to make a mold for real injection molding. Then the mold can be removed conventionally or dissolved away, allowing geometry that we think of non-moldable. So it allows turnaround time of days for completely revised and retooled parts, and for molded parts before spending time on DFM. It’s really exciting for the options it opens up. | |
| Dual Sonic | www.dual-sonic.com/ | Charles Alexander charlesa1105@gmail.com | I've used these 2 for plastic soft tooling with success. | Dual Sonic http://www.dual-sonic.com/ Michael michaelc@dual-sonic.com Machine shop CNC in Santa Clara and Asia for tooling etc. |
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| Aark | www.arrk.com | Charles Alexander charlesa1105@gmail.com | I've used these 2 for plastic soft tooling with success. | AARK https://www.arrk.com Nathaniel Arnaldo <narnaldo@arrk.com> Asia for tooling |
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| ProtoCafe | www.protocafe.com | Mario Madrigal <mmadrigal21@gmail.com> | If you're open to urethane casting that shouldn't be a problem for ProtoCafe (info@protocafe.com) to help you out with. Testing varying translucency is difficult with urethanes since you'd need to manually adjust the amount of pigment so it's best when you have a physical chip you'd like to match to, but the varying TPEs (I'm assuming for durometer tests) are no problem for the range from ~15 Shore A to low Shore D. | ||
| Phoenix Deventures | www.phoenixdeventures.com | Marlo <marlod@gmail.com> | Art, not sure if they're working right now, but check out Phoenix DeVentures in Morgan Hill. https://phoenixdeventures.com/ Their primary business is medical, but they do most tool-making in house, and they do a lot of off-beat things. |
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| Proto Quick | www.proto-quick.com | tom@tga-ipd.com | ProtoQuick, Inc. 1775 Timothy Drive San Leandro, CA 94577 Ken Staal ken@proto-quick.com https://proto-quick.com/ (510) 264-0101 |
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| Model Solutions | https://www.model-solution.com/en/main | artsinbox@gmail.com | |||
| Fictiv | https://www.fictiv.com/ | artsinbox@gmail.com | |||
| Fathom | https://studiofathom.com/ | artsinbox@gmail.com | |||
| Protolabs | www.protolabs.com | artsinbox@gmail.com | |||
| Baro | jh@baro-studio.com | artsinbox@gmail.com | new studio spinoff from model solutions in Korea claiming 8 day injection molding tooling. website WIP. |