Purpose Rapid tooling (RT) integrated with additive manufacturing technologies have been implemented in various sectors of the RT industry in recent years with various kinds of prototype applications, especially in the development of new products. The purpose of this study is to analyze the current application trends of RT techniques in producing hybrid mold inserts. Design/methodology/approach The direct and indirect RT techniques discussed in this paper are aimed at developing a hybrid mold insert using metal epoxy composite (MEC) in increasing the speed of tooling development and performance. An extensive review of the suitable development approach of hybrid mold inserts, material preparation and filler effect on physical and mechanical properties has been conducted. Findings Latest research studies indicate that it is possible to develop a hybrid material through the combination of different shapes/sizes of filler particles and it is expected to improve the compressive strength, thermal conductivity and consequently increasing the hybrid mold performance (cooling time and a number of molding cycles). Research limitations/implications The number of research studies on RT for hybrid mold inserts is still lacking as compared to research studies on conventional manufacturing technology. One of the significant limitations is on the ways to improve physical and mechanical properties due to the limited type, size and shape of materials that are currently available. Originality/value This review presents the related information and highlights the current gaps related to this field of study. In addition, it appraises the new formulation of MEC materials for the hybrid mold inserts in injection molding application and RT for non-metal products.

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Purpose This study aims to make foamed polylactic acid (PLA) structures with different densities by varying deposition temperatures using the material extrusion (MEX) additive manufacturing process. Design/methodology/approach The extrusion multiplier (EM) was calibrated for each deposition temperature to control foaming expansion. Material density was determined using extruded cubes with the optimal EM value for each deposition temperature. The influence of deposition temperature on the tensile, compression and flexure characteristics of the foamable filament was studied experimentally. Findings The foaming expansion ratio, the consistency of the raster width and the raster gap significantly affect the surface roughness of the printed samples. Regardless of the loading conditions, the maximum stiffness and yield strength were achieved at a deposition temperature of 200°C when the PLA specimens had no foam. When the maximum foaming occurred (220°C deposition temperature), the stiffness and yield strength of the PLA specimens were significantly reduced. Practical implications The obvious benefit of using foamed materials is that they are lighter and consume less material than bulky polymers. Injection or compression moulding is the most commonly used method for creating foamed products. However, these technologies require tooling to fabricate complicated parts, which may be costly and time-consuming. Conversely, the MEX process can produce extremely complex parts with less tooling expense, reduction in energy use and optimised material consumption. Originality/value This study investigates the possibility of stiff, lightweight structures with low fractions of interconnected porosity using foamable filament.

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Design of a new gear pump requires many considerations to get good pump efficiency. In order to achieve optimal results, all parameters must be optimized from the design stage. In this study, ANSYS CFX was used to make parametric analysis in order to optimize a new design of gear pump. Two parameters which are inlet diameter and rotation speed are considered. The response surface method gives an optimum design point for inlet diameter of 15mm and rotation speed of 3500 rev/min. Twin vortices are created in the inlet and the outlet of pump, which strangle the flow. In order to reduce their negative effects on the flow, fillets are created at the inlet and the outlet of the pump.