How is Low Volume Production (LVP) tooling different from development or production tooling?
Prototype or development tooling is all about speed and how quickly moulded parts can be made available. In this scenario the toolmaker may employ a number of time saving options, for example the use of standardised bolsters, minimal cooling, or loose inserts. Textures may well be omitted, blanket tolerances applied, part marking ignored, recycling codes omitted etc etc. Whilst this may sound drastic, remember these are prototype parts and as such may have a short life.
Production tooling on the other hand is designed from the outset with a different driver, low cycle time. Here it is all about producing as many parts in the shortest mould press cycle as possible, as press time reflects on piece part price and hence final product price. All marking will have to conform to various standards, inserts will be considered from a wear and damage perspective and cooling from a stability/cycle time perspective. Parts will be moulded in 10's, if not 100's, of thousands.
Low Volume Production (LVP) tooling is a hybrid of both techniques. Frequently, production quantities will be between hundreds and low thousands per annum, and thus cycle time optimisation is far less of a concern. However, the effect of tool price is significant when amortised into these smaller quantities, hence much effort goes into matching the requirement to the tool design. Standard bolsters are seldom used (as tool ownership is important), part marking is present and aesthetics and textures clearly need to be included. The result is a mould tool that reflects the requirement and opens up an exciting option to produce high quality, yet low volume components.