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moldmakingtechnology.com 11 Talk about metrology and quality at Prodigy. What are your capabilities and how does it affect the way you build molds for gears and gear housings? Prodigy: Gearing is very demanding because of the need for consistent operation for safety and the need to operate very quietly. This requires getting into tenths of thousandths in toler- ances, and making unsymmetrical gear shapes to compensate for the warpage/shrinkage factor is common. Again, this is because when a part shrinks or warps, it may look like more like a football but it needs to be a basketball. I'm exaggerating, of course, to make the point. To resolve this issue, we must reverse-engineer the geometry to compensate. We manufac- ture in a climate-controlled environment with very good equipment, including two Okuma M560V high-speed mills, two Röders RFM 600 vertical machin- ing centers and various Charmilles EDM machines. We also use metrology equipment, including a Sheffield Cordax CMM with PC-DMIS software from Hexagon, a Vision Engineering measure- ment system, as well as traditional tenth indicators. In the end, until a tool is molding parts in the press it will be mak- ing production in, you never know what you're going to get. Prodigy also supplies the automotive industry with quality tooling to produce various parts related to safety restraint. These molds get to be very involved with multiple complex actions as well as the need to produce parts that are visually appealing. Have you invested in any new equipment to advance your mold- building processes? Prodigy: We've recently purchased an Okuma Multus 300B five-axis mill-turn center with a 60-position toolchanger. We're now using the Multus to manu- facture prototype gears from raw plastic stock instead of prototype molds to save on time and money for customers who may just need a few parts to prove out a concept. We're also using it to manufacture mold components, small production jobs and thermoforming components. We try to use it for any project that has both turn and mill/drill requirements in a size that is feasible for this machine. It's been a great time-saver. We use Esprit CAD/CAM for the Multus and Cimatron 13 for all our other CAD/CAM needs. In the end, until a tool is molding parts in the press it will be making production in, you never know what you're going to get. We've "Got the Muscle" to Complete Your Toughest Job. POCO EDM graphites have the strength to stand up to your most critical requirements – whether it be extreme detailed electrodes, super fine finishes, improved wear resistance, or fast metal removal rates. Need more than just an electrode material? In addition to the highest performing electrode materials, with POCO you also get the added support of knowledgeable applications specialists, a comprehensive EDM technology interactive manual, articles and literature, practical EDM training, and shop floor technical assistance. Everyday you face the competition, let us be there to give you the win. What's your toughest job? sales@poco.com www.poco.com ISO 9001:2008 & AS9100:2009 POCO® is a registered trademark of Poco Graphite, Inc. ©2017 Poco Graphite, Inc., All rights reserved. Direct: +1-940-393-4302 US Toll Free: 1-877-762-6336 x 4302 Follow us on LinkedIn Visit us at Eastec Booth 1037