ABSTRACT
The Rapid Tooling is a fast method to produce physical models or prototypes. These models could be made in the same material of the final production parts, and are used to perform functional tests, to improve the design and correct errors before the mass production. The CAD/CAE techniques are a predictive tool to prevent premature failure in the SL inserts for injection moulds. In this work commercial software that uses the Finite Element Method was used to predict the premature failure of SL moulding inserts. For the validation of the predictions an experimental work was done. Several mouldings were produced using an instrumented mould with thermocouples, to characterise the thermal behaviour of the inserts. The results obtained with the software gives important information of the thermal behaviour and help the mould designer to define more properly the cooling layout of SL inserts.
