This book itself is a dictionary for manufacturing processes. I am not going to copy every single detail, but taking down the information that I feel important.
Upon finishing this book, I appreciate the content as well as the layout of the book. It is an encyclopedia about manufacturing and providing very detail information. I put most attention in forming technology and the introduction is educational and informational. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in crafting and technology.
pdf with my annotation is here.
Part 1 Forming Technology
Plastics
| Technology Name | Compatible Raw Material Form |
Typical Application |
|---|---|---|
| Blow molding | thermoplastics | plastic bottle |
| Thermoforming | Sheet | bathtub |
| Rotation molding | Powder | hollow toy |
| Vacuum casting | Liquid PUR | prototyping, tv housing |
| Compression molding | a pile of thermosetting rubber / plastics |
phone botton |
| Injection molding | thermoplastics, some thermosetting |
paddle |
| Reaction injection ~ | liquid isocyanate + liquid polyyol |
chair |
| Dip molding | liquid PVC | bellow |
Sub-category of blow molding: extrusion ~, injection ~, injection stretch ~
Sub-category of thermoforming: vacuum (most widely used) , pressure, plug assisted, twin sheet
Sub-category of injection molding: Gas-assisted ~, multishot ~, in-mold decoration
Compared with extrusion, injection requires higher back pressure and temperature, also being more accurate. Injection provide molding in 3 dimensions in batch process, while extrusion is continuous and in 2 dimensional design.
Compression and reaction injection is less expensive than injection. Main concern for injection comes from economics - expensive for complex shape. Injection is almost fastest.
Moldflow analysis can be done for injection molding.
Dip molding - very low cost. accuracy of outside difficult to maintain
Metal
| Technology Name | Compatible Raw Material Form |
Typical Application |
|---|---|---|
| Panel beating | sheet metal | automobile |
| Metal spinning | metal blank | lampshade |
| Metal stamping | cold sheet metal | trays |
| Deep drawing | cold metal blank | cans, kitchen sink |
| Superforming | hot sheet metal (Al, Mg, Ti) | aerospace, automotive |
| Tube and section bending | tube/extrusion | architecture |
| Swaging (expending/ reducing diameter) |
tube | connectors, joints |
| Roll forming | cold sheet/strip metal | |
| Forging | hot billet | |
| Sand casting | molten metal | one-off, low volume |
| Die casting | non Fe metal | |
| Investment casting | hot Carbon, low alloy steels | |
| Metal injection molding | Metal Powder | Small parts |
| Electroforming | On non-conductive or non-adherent metal surface |
biomedical equipment |
| Centrifugal Casting | PUR/Metal | Prototyping |
| Press Braking | Sheet |
Raw material: metal blank is thicker than sheet material
Skills used within Panel beating: dishing into a sandbag, jig chasing, wheel forming, planishing (very high flexibility)
Metal stamping: first and secondary pressing. high tooling cost
Deep drawing produces item with depth of draw grater than diameter.
Metal stamping and Deep drawing both involve die and punch. (matched die tooling)
Superforming includes cavity forming, bubble ~, back pressure ~, diaphragm (隔膜)~.
Bending includes Mandrel bending and Non-mandrel (eg ring rolling).
Swaging includes rotary(hammering) and hydraulic swaging(pressing).
Roll forming usually involves a series of roller.
Forging includes drop forging (open / closed die) and roll forging.
Die casting includes high pressure ~ (for finer parts), low pressure ~ (both inject from below and fill upward) and gravity ~, high in tooling costs.
Investment casting: Elements: Expendable pattern (wax), Non-permanent ceramic mold and Metal casting. Wax mold -> Assembled onto a tree -> assembly dipped and make Ceramic mold -> Wax melt and pour out -> Metal filled -> Ceramic broken and Metal separated from the tree. Very high labor cost
Electroforming takes place in solution, building up metal layer on mandrel.
Centrifugal casting is cheap, including single cavity tool, multicavity tool and open tool.
Glass end Ceramics
| Technology Name | Compatible Raw Material Form |
|---|---|
| Glass blowing | soda lime glass* |
| Lampworking | borosilicate / soda lime |
| Clay throwing | earthenware, stoneware, porcelain |
| Ceramic slip casting | earthenware, terracotta赤陶, creamware, stoneware |
| Press molding ceramics | earthenware, stoneware, porcelain |
Glass blowing includes Studio ~ (600℃, low cost but slow) and Machine ~ (1100 ~ 1500 ℃, higher tooling cost but fast，including press+blow/blow+blow)
*soda lime glass = silica sand + soda ash + limestone + other additives
Lamp working / Flameworking: glass in formed into hollow shapes. Borosilicate glass 800 ~ 1200 ℃
Clay throwing / turning
Ceramic slip casting: clay forms a layer of shell on mold unsolidified part poured out. Forming hollow shape with identical thickness. (need manual labor)
Press molding ceramics, which includes jiggering process (with blade) and ram press process (with pile of clay), usually made vitreous by glazing (bcs pottery brittle and porous)
Wood and Paper
| Technology Name | Compatible Material |
|---|---|
| CNC machining | Any material |
| Wood laminating | wood + adhesive |
| Steam bending | hardwood |
| Paper pulp molding | waste material |
| Composite laminating | Carbon fibers + plastics |
| Compression molding DMC & SMC Processes |
thermosetting material |
| Filament winding | Carbon fiber |
| 3D thermal laminating | Fiber + PET |
| Rapid prototyping | Resin etc |
CNC (Computer numerical control) includes 3-axis / 5-axis etc. CAD data transferred onto workpiece
For adhesive, urea-formaldehyde for indoor and phenol-formaldehyde for exterior
Main product/application of paper pulp molding: egg boxes, fruit packaging …
Composite laminating produces light and robust products, including wet lay-up, pre-impregnated and resin transfer molding (RTM, also known as resin infusion)
Wet Lay-up Process Introduction https://youtu.be/6j2ErRs6LCM
How to Make Prepreg Carbon Fibre Parts (XPREG® XC110) https://youtu.be/HfrFaKDsJxc
Resin Transfer Moulding https://youtu.be/1u-2GvhghQA https://youtu.be/NzpHCjL_AnE
DMC = dough molding compound (also known as bulk ~, BMC), SMC = sheet ~. These processes bridge the gap between composite laminating and injection molding.
Filament winding provides continuous hollow profile by wind carbon fiber around a mandrel.
Rapid prototyping is a collection of prototyping skills, including stereolithography (SLA), Selective laser sintering (SLS) , Direct metal laser sintering (SMLS). very widely used as 3D printing technology, also unmentioned FDM. Also, this video (in Chinese) is very good review of FDM and SLA technology.
via 3D Printing Technology Comparison: FDM vs. SLA vs. SLS.
Part 2 Cutting Technology
| Technology Name | Typical Application | Costs |
|---|---|---|
| Photochemical Machining | metal + photosensitive resist film |
$ |
| Laser cutting [Thermal] | Timber, veneer, plastics | $ |
| Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) [Thermal] |
Metal | $$$ |
| Punching and Blanking [Mech] | Metal, mostly carbon steel | $ |
| Die Cutting [Mech] | Plastics | $ |
| Water Jet Cutting [ Mech] | Most Material | $s |
| Glass Scoring* [Mech] | Sheet Glass | $ |
EDM includes Die Sink EDM and Wire EDM.
Scoring means to make a cut or mark on a surface*
Part 3 Joining Technology
| Technology Name | Typical Application |
|---|---|
| Arc Welding [Thermal] | Metal |
| Electron beam welding (EBW Laser ~ (LBW) [Thermal] |
Metal |
| Friction Welding [Thermal] | Metal |
| Vibration Welding [Thermal] | Thermoplastics |
| Ultrasonic Welding [Thermal] | Thermoplastics |
| Resistance welding [Thermal] | Metal |
| Soldering and brazing [Thermal] | Metal and Ceramics |
| Staking [Thermal] | PP, PE, ABS, PMMA |
| Hot Plate Welding [Thermal] | Thermoplastics |
| Joinery [Mech] | - |
| Weaving [Mech] | - |
| Upholstery [Mech] | - |
| Timber Frame Structure [Mech] | Wood |
Arc Welding 焊接 includes manual metal arc (MMA), metal inert gas (MIG) and tungsten 钨 inert gas (TIG) , submerged arc welding (SAW) and plasma welding (PW). PW and SAW are mechanized and first three are operated manually. More videos about welding: 4 Types of Welding Explained: MIG vs TIG vs Stick vs Flux Core
Friction Welding includes rotary ~, linear ~， friction stir ~.
Resistance welding includes projection ~, spot ~ and seam ~.
Difference between welding and soldering: solder use a filler between adjacent parts, working at melting point of the filler material.
Staking process includes hot air staking, ultrasonic staking, alternative profiles.
Upholstery brings together the hard and soft components of a piece of furniture to form the finished article.
Timber Frame Structure includes strat nailing, skew nailing, nail plates, bolts, framing connectors.
Part 4 Finishing Technology
This part is universal for all material so only names are listed.
Spray coating,
Powder Coating (Electrostatic / Fluidized bed),
Anodizing (阳极电镀),
Electroplating (mostly for jewelry and silversmith),
Galvanizing,
Vacuum Metalizing / Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD)
Grinding, Sanding,Polishing
Electropolishing
Abrasive blasting
Photo Etching
CNC Engraving
Screen Printing
Pad Printing
Hydro Transfer Printing
Foil Blocking and Embossing
Part 5 Materials
Plastics
| Name | Examples |
|---|---|
| polyolefins | PE, PP, EVA, lonomer |
| Styrenes | PS, ABS, SAN, SBS, SEBS |
| Vinyls | PVC, PVOH |
| Acrylic | PMMA |
| Polycarbonate | PC |
| Thermalplastic | PUR/TPU, PET, PETG, PBT, PCT, LCP, TPC-ET |
| Polyamides | PA, Armatic ~ |
| Acetal | POM |
etc….
Wood and natural fiber
| Name | Examples |
|---|---|
| Softwood | Pine, spruce 云杉, cedar 雪松, larch 落叶松, donglas fir 冷杉 |
| Poplar 杨 | Poplar, Aspen |
| Birch 桦 | Birch |
| Beech 榉 | Beech |
others: Ash 梣/白蜡树, Hickory 山核桃, Elm 榆, Maple, Oak, Walnut, Balsa 白塞木, Fruitwood, Iroko 一种南美洲硬木, Cork 一种地中海软木, Bamboo, Rattan 藤