Sequential laminated tooling, joined by brazing, for injection moulding

This paper outlines a method of sequentially joining steel laminations together using a high strength brazed joint to produce laminated tools. Individual joints were produced by using a heated platen rather than a furnace. Lap shear test samples were used to evaluate the tensile strengths of bonded laminates. Two laminate gauges were tested, 0.8mm and 1.6mm. Ranging trials were undertaken to determine optimum time to produce the joint. Constants for the trials were platen temperature, laminate material, braze material, joint area and joining pressure. At optimum conditions, that is the least time taken for highest tensile strength, the 0.8mm laminate averaged a strength of 4.7kN in 120 seconds’ heating time and the 1.6mm laminate averaged 9.3kN in 210 seconds.