THE CHALLENGE

Industrial Mold & Machine (IMM) requested that MAGNET reverse engineer their customer's prototype model called the “BONE-STER” (a Mini Creeper for working under a vehicle). The product had never been created in a computer-aided design program and all that existed was a hand-carved model. For smoother manufacturability, IMM needed the model to be duplicated in Pro/Engineer 2001, producing a part file and three-dimensional IGS format file needed to machine the necessary molds. Additionally, geometry was added to the CAD model to fulfill structural and manufacturing requirements.

THE APPROACH

A coordinate measurement machine was used to duplicate the curves and shape of the “Creeper” prototype, generating the outside profile of the part and cross-section profiles. Dial calipers also were used to produce any other geometry not generated by the CMM. MAGNET engineers used digital height gages to verify dimensions throughout the model and radius gages to verify radii in the model. In just a couple of months, this information had been translated into the dimensional IMM needed to make injection molds for the Creeper.

CUTSOMER QUOTE

“MAGNET allows Industrial Mold to offer our customers capabilities and services we are not able to do in-house.”
Tom Nahodil - President

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