Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT
Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT

Producing molds and dies for plastic optics

Tool and mold construction with the most exacting tolerances and optical surface quality with roughness values in the sub-micrometer range.

Producing molds and dies for life sciences and medical engineering

High-precision tool construction for filigree mold geometries such as micro-structures - for manufacturing micro-fluidic systems via injection molding, for example.

Producing tools and molds for high-precision injection molding

Development, design and precision manufacture

Each injection molding tool is a one-off – making customized tool design a necessity. The Fraunhofer IPT has been working to further develop and refine precision machining for over 20 years and produces high-precision plastic components with very tight tolerances for industrial application. Our focus is on injection molding tools for optical applications and medical engineering products such as Lab-on-a-Chip systems.

We have adapted our product development to hone in on the use of plastic as an engineering material. We accompany our customers from prototype production until the product is ready for mass production: In addition to our in-house tool making facility and our high-precision mold insert manufacture, we are on hand to support you through out the design, optimization and analysis of your product. Our expertise extends far beyond conventional injection molding to include micro-injection molding, injection-compression molding and over-molding. We work closely with our partners to ensure that we can continue to create solutions for our clients even when a cross-disciplinary approach may be required.

Our services

  • Analyzing products and optimizing the design of articles
  • Feasibility studies conducted using Autodesk Moldflow injection molding software
  • 3D-design and related drawings in SolidWorks
  • Tool construction and high-precision mold insert production with tolerances < 0.01 mm
  • Optical surface quality for mold inserts with roughness values < 10 nm
  • Product development from prototype through to readiness for serial production
  • Mold making for conventional injection molding, micro-injection molding, injection compression molding and over-molding

Micromilling of tool and mold inserts for injection molding

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Using high-precision milling processes, we manufacture molding tools for microfluidic systems. Such so-called lab-on-a-disc systems are portable mini-laboratories with which blood or water analyses can be carried out at the point of use. The core component of the microfluidic system is a plastic disc with fine microchannels that ensure targeted substance transport and enable biological or chemical reactions.

Our machinery

3-axis and 5-axis machining

  • DMG Mori HSC 55 linear
    Linear-direct drive 3-axis milling machine for high-speed milling
  • ALZMETALL GS1500 machining center for 5-axis components

Micro-Milling

  • KERN PYRAMID NANO precision milling machine for 3-axis machining of micro-milled structures with a secondary air-bearing spindle for free form geometries with optical quality

© Fraunhofer IPT

Ultra-precision and free-form machining

  • Precitech Nanoform 250 Ultra-Precision Lathe for prototypes and mold inserts with optional slow-tool machining for non-rotationally symmetrical components
  • Moore Nanotech 350 FG Ultra-Precision Lathe for prototypes and mold inserts with the option of slow tool and planning for a diverse range of applications