Breaking the Mold: How 3D-Printed Tooling Is Revolutionizing Plastic Prototyping

Welcome to episode 273 of the China Manufacturing Decoded podcast. Imagine validating your injection-molded parts using production-grade materials, without waiting weeks or spending tens of thousands. Adrian and Paul unpack the game-changing hybrid tooling process that combines 3D-printed soluble resin inserts with steel molds to accelerate development and reduce risk.

 

Show Sections

• 00:00 – Welcome & Context
• 01:00 – Hybrid Tooling Explained
• 02:22 – What Is Fast Iterative Tooling?
• 04:00 – Why Traditional Tooling Slows You Down
• 05:38 – Strategic Use of Soluble Resin Inserts
• 07:35 – Closing the Prototyping–Production Gap
• 09:54 – Soluble Inserts Inside Steel Tools
• 13:01 – Iterate Daily: A New Speed Standard
• 15:04 – Hybrid Tooling for Bridge Production
• 20:24 – Case Study: Medical Device Validation in One Week
• 27:04 – The True Impact: Risk and Cost Reduction
• 30:01 – Sustainability, Freedom to Fail, and Final Thoughts

 

Related content...

• Get help from us to power up your validation using this technology: Freeform Injection Molding Service Bureau in China
• Fast Iterative Tooling at Agilian plastic & Molds
• Do A Bridge Production Rather Than Rushing Into Mass Production

 

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Get in touch with us

• • Connect with us on LinkedIn
  • Contact us via Sofeast's contact page
  • Subscribe to our YouTube channel
  • Prefer Facebook? Check us out on FB