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00 00 00 Great Tips from This Issue 5 TRICKS OF THE TRADE CONTENTS May 2017 Volume 20 / Number 5 4 MoldMaking Technology —— MAY 2017 Features 12 Mold Material Defining Mold Steel Toughness Consider grades that have undergone the electroslag remelting process. 16 Software Stepping Up to the Challenge A new roughing strategy helps maximize metal removal rates and reduce roughing cycle times. 20 Inspection/Measurement Data-Driven Quality Control Enhanced metrology technologies can help streamline mold scanning and inspection. 26 EDM An Added Layer of EDM Knowledge Understanding electrode material selection and the relationship among the electrode, workpiece material and machine parameters can improve EDM efficiency. 30 Workforce Development Women Impacting Moldmaking Honoring female makers, innovators and leaders who are influencing our industry's future. ON THE COVER Image courtesy of Böhler Uddeholm Corp. This month's cover shows a still-glowing, newly solidified electroslag remelted (ESR) ingot being trans- ported within one of Böhler's state-of-the-art tool steel mills. The ESR pro- cess helps remove undesirable elements which may lead to the formation of non-metallic inclusions. These brittle particles within the mold steel's matrix will degrade polishability and act as initiation sites for cracking. Therefore, this additional refining procedure helps increase toughness and overall mold steel performance. Further processing will include re-heating the ingot and mechanically working it by means of forging and/or rolling to further homogenize the material and bring it to its final dimension. See related story on page 12. Images above courtesy of (left to right) CGS North America, Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence and Poco Graphite. 1. Time to Clean Up The slag bath of electro- slag remelting will extract tramp elements such as sulfur from the melt as each molten droplet of steel passes through it, reducing sulfur levels to 0.003 percent or lower. PG. 12. 2. Step It Up Use a surface-based CAD/ CAM to maintain an even stepover and maximum tool engagement through- out the whole tool path. PG. 16. 3. Off-the- Shelf Solution An emerging trend in the metrology world is the entry of automated, commercial off-the-shelf systems that integrate 3D measurement technologies with sensors, software and robotics. PG. 20. 4. Just Around the Corner In EDM corner wear is the most critical wear issue because the contours of a final cut are determined by the electrode's ability to resist the erosion of its corners and edges. PG. 26. 5. Feeding Information Software that networks CNC machines, robots, PLCs and part markers, while managing CNC programs, offsets and parameters, enables drip- feeding, or spoon-feeding, large programs. PG. 72. 26 20 16 VIDEO ACCESS Departments 6 From the Editor: Putting it All Out There 8 2 017 Editorial Advisory Board: T im Krieger, Krieger Craftsmen 10 Profile: Prodigy Mold & Tool 38 C ase Study: Mold Maintenance/Repair 44 International Perspective: Think Global, Act Local, and Cooperate 46 Skills C enter: Precision Inspection and Measurement 48 The Bottom Line: New IRS Audit Strategy 50 Leadtime Keader Q&A;: Krieger Craftsmen and MSI Mold Builders 52 Gardner Business Index: MoldMaking 54 End Market Report: Automotive and Packaging 56 Product Focus: Amerimold Exhibitor Product Showcase 71 MoldMaking Marketplace 71 Ad Index 72 TIP: Machining/Software