Method of manufacturing a pressure intensifying tool and tool produced thereby

摘要

A tool used to direct the pressure applied to features of a plastic laminate part layup during co-curing or co-bonding is manufactured using direct digital manufacturing techniques. A CAD drawing representing the tool is generated and converted into digital data file suitable for controlling the operation of a rapid prototyping machine. The tool is formed in the rapid prototyping machine by additive layering of material until the features and dimensions of the layered material correspond to the CAD drawing. The resulting tool exhibits geometries and dimensions virtually identical to the theoretical dimensions of the CAD model of the tool.