A leader in the field of water-measurement solutions, the Arad Group (Arad) designs, manufactures and sells cutting-edge water meters to residential, bulk, irrigation and water- management companies around the world. The company manufactures more than 500,000 units a year and operates an in-house manufacturing plant using a sophisticated testing and quality-control method.
To increase its competitive edge, Arad looked to PolyJet 3D printing to help develop smart water meters. Bringing the technology in-house means quickly 3D printing prototypes. More interestingly, it also enables Arad to 3D print injection molds for low-volume runs, which means functional testing can take place with the intended production material and process.
Instead, Arad now creates injection molds using its PolyJet 3D printer. The design includes a step joint for the welding process, which provides high strength and good aesthetics since the welding melt partially encapsulates the joint. The molds are 3D printed using Digital ABS material in four parts: the core, cavity, and two inserts to create the negative draft. The total printing time is just 10 hours.
After the injection molds are printed, the male and female parts are mounted on an injection molding machine and injected using two different materials for testing: Grilamid TR90 (amorphous nylon) and ABS 757. Once the parts are injected, they are welded together for a watertight fit with the electronic components inside.
