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POM Introduces Technique That Slashes Product Design Cycle

28 July 2000

Creates Production Tooling Directly from Prototypes

    PLYMOUTH, Mich. - The POM Group, Inc., has introduced DirecTool, a new
manufacturing technique that slashes design cycle times by eliminating the need 
for "soft," or interim prototype tooling.  The DirecTool technique, which uses 
POM's revolutionary DMD process, can cut more than 75 percent from the product 
design cycle through its ability to produce fully dense, pure metal "hard" 
prototype tooling -- directly from a CAD file.

    DirecTool is a departure from traditional "rapid tooling" solutions in
that it does not rely on stereo lithography, selective laser sintering or
fused deposition modeling-produced prototype patterns.  These patterns are
typically used as "masters" from which a second-generation rapid tool is
fabricated.

    The DirecTool technique uses production-intent materials, like 100% tool
steel, to fabricate tooling directly from digital CAD files -- without any
intermediary steps.

    "We've taken the 'rapid tooling' concept and turned it into 'direct
tooling,'" said Dwight Morgan, president and chief operating officer of POM.
"Unlike current rapid tooling techniques, DirecTool creates a prototype tool
that evolves into the actual production tool -- without wasting valuable time
or materials."

    From 'Rapid Tooling' to 'Direct Tooling'

    DMD, the enabling technology for DirecTool, is an additive laser-based
fabrication process, which builds production or prototype tooling directly
from digital CAD files using production-intent materials in powder form.
Because of the additive nature of DMD, prototype tooling made using DirecTool
can be modified throughout the design cycle.  And, because the process
deposits pure metal, once the last iteration of the product design is
completed, the prototype tool can instantly be transformed into the actual
production tool.

    Morgan estimates that DirecTool can cut a typical 19-26 week tooling
design cycle to 4-8 weeks.  This, in turn, minimizes development costs and
lead-time to market for products.

    "Today's manufacturers face a seemingly never-ending battle to get new
products to market in record times," Morgan said.  "By reducing the number of
steps involved in the tooling production process, POM is giving companies a
critical 'leg up' in terms of getting to market first."

    How DirecTool works:

    The six-step process of creating tooling using DMD and the DirecTool
technique is:

    - Step 1: Concept designs for new products are envisioned;
    - Step 2: Designs for tooling systems are created using CAD systems;
    - Step 3: These digital CAD representations of the tooling are then
      automatically converted into buildable layers called "slices" using
      conventional CAM software;
    - Step 4: The build files are downloaded to a DMD machine, where an
      industrial laser is guided under CNC control along these build layers.
      The laser is used to create a melt pool and powdered metal is
      automatically injected into the melt pool.  This melt pool rapidly
      solidifies and directly forms the desired part to near net-shaped
      dimensions;
    - Step 5: The as-deposited part is final finished by high-speed CNC
      machining, EDM, or laser machining to achieve desired net shape and
      surface finish for the tool;
    - Step 6: The fully dense, "direct tool" is completed, without any
      reliance on a rapid prototype master or other indirect approaches.

    Design changes to the tooling follow the same process, but the metal
powder is deposited onto the active molding surface of the completed tool.

    "The time savings this technology provides is significant, but that's not
the only advantage of DirecTool," Morgan added.  "This process creates tools
with fine and consistent microstructures, which result in pure metal parts
with superior quality and strength."

    POM, based in Plymouth, Mich., is one of the world's first companies to
introduce a reliable, laser-based direct metal fabrication process capable of
producing prototype and production tooling associated with the plastic
injection molding and die casting markets.  A minority owned and operated
service bureau and OEM, POM provides DMD process equipment as well as finite
element analysis, CAD/CAM, fabrication and repair services.