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Patterns & FixturesCustom Dies, Pressure Boxes & PlugsView Examples Of Our WorkVacuum Form Mold for Car Front BumperMold Manufacturing of In-Line Vacuum Mold, Die, Box for Lids & TubsVacuum Form Mold & Fixtures for Acrylic/ABS CoversPressure Form Mold for Refrigerator Liners
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Vacuum Form Mold for Car Front Bumper

  Cast Aluminum End PieceCast Aluminum End View Loose Piece
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Cast Aluminum End View Loose Piece
   Cast Aluminum BumperCast Aluminum behind Loose Piece
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Cast Aluminum behind Loose Piece
   Sand Blast FinishSandblast Finish for TPO Material
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Sandblast Finish for TPO Material
 
Click Here to View Additional Vacuum Form Mold For Car Bumper Snapshots

The job they gave us wasn't one for the non-professionals. A South America-based automotive client tasked Borke Mold Specialists with designing, casting, CNC machining, and then vacuum forming a critical component for a car, an automotive front bumper cover. All of this was to be performed and executed within the next eight weeks. Building game-changer custom frames on an innovative deadline is one of our specialties here at Borke Mold Specialists. Not only did our company rise to the occasion, we won an SPE "Part of the Year" award because of our hard work.

Using a traditional injection mold CAD model as our basis, we first created a wood pattern to better determine our aluminum casting. The wood pattern allowed us to understand how best to apply the composite mold in terms of exact dimensions. Then, programming a Milltronics BR-50 Bridge CNC machine with MasterCAM software, we were able to craft aluminum molding with a dimensional length of 41", a width of 25", and a height of 22". The cast aluminum itself came out with a wall thickness of ½" with a vacuum hole-size #72.

With tightest tolerances of ±.005" on CNC machined components and ±1/32" on the main body (tolerances that still provided for a .006"in shrinkage allowance), we then milled and mounted brass guides, employing components including 3/8" in outside diameter copper tubing, a 1 ½" in outside diameter bore rotating air cylinder, ½" thick brass rods, and stainless steel lines that would provide a cooling cast into the back of the mold. After forming the mold itself, we capped it off by performing a light sandblast grit finish and testing the mold at a local vacuum former. With an estimated weight part of 600 lbs., our mold was geared and ready to be manufactured to the tune of 2,500 parts per year.

Finally, we shipped it off to our client in South America. After all that, all that was left for us to do was to win our SPE award of the year. For more information about Borke Mold Specialists our projects, please consult the chart below, or contact us today.

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Mold Manufacturing of Bumper Vacuum Form Mold Project Highlights

Product Description We created a vacuum forming mold for an automotive bumper cover to replace a typical injection molded bumper. This component won a parts competition, SPE part of the year.
Capabilities Applied/Processes Engineering
  • Convert Injection Mold CAD Model to Vacuum Form part
Aluminum Casting
  • Create Wood Pattern To Create Aluminum Casting
CNC Machining
  • Programming done Through MasterCAM software
  • Milling of Mounting and Brass Guides
Machine Cast Aluminum to Match Main Body
Vacuum Forming
  • Tested the Mold at a Local Vacuum Former Before Shipping to South America
Equipment Used to Manufacture Bumper Vacuum Form Milltronics BR-50 Bridge type CNC machine
Overall Bumper Vacuum Dimensions Bumper:
Length: 41"
Width: 25"
Height: 22"
Mold:
Wall Thickness: ½"
Vacuum Hole Size: #72
Tightest Tolerances ±.005" On CNC Machined Components
±1/32" On Main Body
.006" In Shrinkage Allowance
Temperature Range 150° Operating Temperature on Mold
Materials Used Aluminum
Brass
Bronze
Copper
Stainless Steel
Surface Finish (Mold) Light Sandblast Grit Finish
Components Used Cast Aluminum Mold
Ø3/8" Copper Tubing
Ø1 ½" Bore Rotating Air Cylinder
1/8" Thick Bronze Plate
½" Thick Brass Rods
Thermocouples
½" Rubber Hose and Clamps
Features Air Cylinders & Locking Mechanism
  • Hold Loose Piece in Place During Forming
Pulley System
  • Plastic part will pull the Loose Piece Out of The Way
  • The pulley system Reduced 20lb piece to 3lbs
Brass Components
  • Serve as Guide Rods
Stainless Steel Lines
  • Provides Cooling cast into the back of the mold

Mold Manufactured to Produce 2,500 Parts Per Year
In process testing/inspection performed CNC templates of the some sections and set them on the mold. Also used a CNC with adaptive CMM head to check 20 locations on the mold
Estimated Part Weight (Mold) 600 lbs
Industry for Use Automotive
Turn Around Time 8 Weeks
Delivery Location South America
Standards Met Customer supplied print, 3D CAD Drawing of an Injection mold
Product Name Front Bumper Vacuum Form Mold
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