1-to-1 increases injection molding capacity with aluminum tools to over 100,000 parts

The Vorarlberg high-tech company 1zu1 has developed a plug-in module from prototype to series in injection molding with the Danish medical technology company BluSense Diagnostics and produced around 325,000 units in batch production. (Photo: Darko Todorovic)

1-to-1 project manager Dario Loss accompanied the project from the initial inquiry to the new record number of approximately 325,000 components. (Photo: Darko Todorovic)

For the production of the plug-in module in cleanroom quality, 1zu1 developed a three-and-a-half times harder aluminum tool through coating for the first time, optimized the manufacturing process, and tested the quality using computed tomography. (Photo: Darko Todorovic)

Optimized aluminum tools enable injection molding peak performance at lightning speed: 1to1 produces medium-sized series up to 100,000 units. By coating the in-house manufactured aluminum tools, batch sizes can be further increased. For example, 1to1 produced 325,000 pre-series parts in cleanroom quality for the Danish medical technology company BluSense Diagnostics. The high-tech company accompanied the project from the first prototype to the series-ready product. This allows 1to1 to offer its customers a seamless transition to mass production.

1to1 is expanding the production capacity of its injection molding department. Highest quality standards and optimized production processes now enable the production of medium-sized series up to 100,000 units with aluminum tools manufactured by 1to1 — and this in an express process. The capacity can also be further increased through chemical coating processes. "From the development of the pilot tool to the production tool to quality control using CT measurement, only a few weeks pass," reports Wolfgang Humml, Managing Director of 1to1.

Thus, the high-tech company ensures the rapid, cost-effective, and guaranteed implementation of series-ready plastic parts in original materials with sizes up to 250 millimeters, even in times of volatile supply chains. "Through rapid tooling, we enable our customers to have a seamless pre-series production with high quantities and thus gain a significant market advantage until the start of mass production," emphasizes Humml.

Reference project: Advantage through optimal development

Microfluidics, cleanroom quality, and more than a quarter of a million units in pre-series: In the realization of an injection molding plug-in module for the analysis of viral diseases, 1to1 and the Danish medical technology company BluSense Diagnostics achieved the perfect development process from prototype to series-ready product. After the successful pilot phase, a coated aluminum tool was produced for the first time in just six weeks for production.

Through a chemical coating process, the tool's service life was significantly increased, and the demolding of the components was improved. This results in higher productivity and lower scrap rates. Ideal conditions for manufacturing small and medium series of functional parts: "The coated tool is three and a half times harder than conventional aluminum tools and approaches the hardness of hardened steel tools," explains Bernd Patscheider, Manufacturing Manager Tooling at 1to1.

By exclusively using the injection molding machine in a cleanroom and designing the tool with hot runner and needle valve nozzle that requires no manual contact, 1to1 can guarantee the required series quality in ISO class 8. The quality of the parts is also checked in defined batches using state-of-the-art computed tomography measurement. "All this enables immediate reaction to any deviations caused by tool wear, minimal market introduction time, and guaranteed delivery dates," says Humml.