The evolution of molds in manufacturing: from rigid to flexible

Nowadays, dynamic products life cycles and increase in the number of product variants have led to reduction in demand per variant. This modern trend is in contrast with the high production volume of manufacturing processes such as injection molding, since they are commonly employed for mass production due to their long changeover time. Traditional rigid molds do not seem to be able to cope with the current industrial and market challenges. Flexible and reconfigurable molding processes, such as the discrete pin tooling systems and changeable molds, appear to be a promising choice for achieving manufacturing economic sustainability. They represent an effective way to save resources and reduce labor costs and setup times. This paper explores the evolution of molds used in manufacturing, from the old models to the current reconfigurable ones through a state-of-the-art analysis of academic research and solutions implemented by industry. Conclusions and insights are presented.