Low Cost Digital Tooling

Precision Micro, the Birmingham based manufacturer of precision metal components has for many years been a pioneer of "alternative" manufacturing technologies… technologies that meet the ever more demanding miniaturisation requirements of modern design.

High precision components are manufactured using low cost digital and modular tooling. This gives the designer the flexibility to optimise his design throughout the prototype stage without incurring prohibitive cost penalties and also takes complexity out of the equation. The complexity of a component is not reflected in the cost of digital tooling whereas with hard press tooling the smaller and more complex the design, the higher the tooling cost.

A further great benefit of digital tooling is that it is virtually instant as opposed to conventional tooling which can take months to manufacture. In many instances, Precision Micro can manufacture a component in the time it takes to design a conventional tool.

The modular approach that the Company has adopted for 3-D press tooling involves breaking a forming process down into individual operations and producing an individual tool to suit each one. These small modular tools are very economical to make when compared to a complex, multi-functional or progressive press tool and are manufactured in-house.

Over the years, Precision Micro has amassed over 3000 of these modular tools, which are stored and catalogued for easy access and use on any job.

Mick Taylor, Market Development Manager explains. "With so many modular press tools we are finding that over 95% of our customers’ forming requirements can be met using standing tooling off our own shelf. This not only saves cost for the customer but also enables us to reduce our delivery times to a absolute minimum as we don’t have to wait for new tooling to be manufactured."