Industries
Automation & Robotics
With the rapid development of the world economy, electronics & electric products have been widely used. With the improvement of people’s living standards, high-end electronic accessories and electric products have become an indispensable part.
TDL: Professinal supplier of Automation & Robotics Parts
Embrace the future of manufacturing with TDL PLASTIC MOULD CO., LTD, your trusted partner in the robotics and automation industry. As automation demands rise, we’re at the forefront, leveraging advanced CNC machining, 3D printing, and rapid prototyping to deliver high-quality, custom-made plastic and metal components.
Our approach is tailored to your needs. We meticulously analyze the functional requirements of each part, determining the most suitable manufacturing technology. Whether it’s CNC milling, CNC turning, prototyping, 3D printing, die casting, or metal injection molding, we create efficiencies in the manufacturing process, ensuring the accuracy and quality of your parts.
Quality is at the heart of what we do. Our engineering team has established a robust quality control management system for CNC machining manufacturing. For CNC machined parts, we implement a production part approval process (PPAP) for robotics and automation applications, and a CPK test for medical plastic parts production, all under the ISO9001 management.
We offer a diverse range of materials, from traditional metals to additive plastics. Our library includes engineering grade resins, glass, tungsten, carbon, and iron-filled materials, suitable for robotics and automation, automotive, aerospace, electronic, marine, medical, and telecom applications. These high-tech materials open new opportunities for lightweighting and part consolidation in robotics and automation part production.
Products
Common Automation & Robotics Applications
Robotics & Automation OEM manufacturers are always looking for ways to innovate, create more efficiency, and improve their products. TDLmold is a premier CNC machining & plastic tool supplier for exceptional quality consistency and innovation.
Here’s how we can help you:
Industrial Automation
Fixture Design
Automation Electronic
Machined Mechanical
Robot Manufacturing
Advantages
What are our advantages in the Automation & Robotics industry?
20 + Years Experience
TDL mould has been manufacturing plastic tools for automotive, medical device, and electronics for over 20 years.
Advanced Equipment
TDL factory is equipped with advanced mold manufacturing equipment and precision measuring instruments CMM.
On-Time Delivery
TDL schedule every mold projects manufacturing process very well, can guarantee on-time delivery for each production.
Professional Team
TDL mold design & engineering team has 34 skilled engineers to provide technical support for plastic mold making and plastic processing.
One-Stop Solution
TDL offers a one stop solution to meet customers all demands about plastic mould and customized plastic products manufacturing.
Good After-sales Service
TDL is responsible for quality of each mold, will sign mold quality warranty with customers for every tools.
Choose us for injection molding and get up to 100% mould cost refund!
What other services do we offer for the Automation & Robotics industry?
Product Design
Our comprehensive product design services ensure that we work with our clients from the beginning stages to make improvements on all technical drawings, including 2D and 3D files, to ensure the best possible outcome for each project.
Mold Design
Our expert team utilizes state-of-the-art technology and innovative strategies to deliver top-quality mold designs that are optimized for efficient and effective production.
Rapid Prototyping
TDL utilizes rapid prototyping technologies such as 3D printing and CNC machining to create fast and accurate concept models, functional prototypes, and production-ready parts. Our team can work with a range of CAD files and produce parts in a variety of materials to suit your project needs.
3D Printing
TDL uses cutting-edge 3D printing technologies to create high-quality, low-volume plastic parts for prototyping and production. Our printers can produce complex geometries, intricate details, and custom textures and finishes. We can work with a variety of 3D file formats and offer a range of materials to choose from.
How do we control the quality of mold manufacturing
Quality is important to TDL mold manufacturing, it is also non-negotiable for clients.
TDL relies on high-quality plastic molds and injection molding products to obtain a very good reputation, trust and long-term cooperation with clients.
Incoming Material Inspection
All raw materials are verified for conformity upon receipt. Our Quality Control team inspect dimensions, hardness to ensure molds’ long service life.
Manufacturing Inspection
In the manufacturing process, measurement of each mold parts and the electrodes is essential. Only when the dimension of each part is confirmed will it enter the next step. The advantage of doing this is to spot any possible errors in advance, avoiding waste of time and money.
Finished Products and Shipment Inspection
Finished parts undergo final inspection by our Quality System Manager or shipping personnel prior to any shipment. All parts are visually inspected and are carefully packaged and compactly packaged to ensure their safe arrival to our customers at minimum cost.
Customer Complain Handling
Once our sales reps receive your complaints, our team of engineers will conduct a meeting for a solution within 48 hours.
FAQ's
Plastic molds are commonly used in the manufacturing of various robotic components due to their versatility, cost-effectiveness, and ability to produce complex shapes with high precision. Some types of robotic components that are often made using plastic molds include:
- Enclosures and Housings:
Plastic molds are used to create the outer shells and protective enclosures of robotic devices. These enclosures provide a barrier against environmental factors such as dust, moisture, and potential impacts. Plastic molds allow for intricate designs, enabling the integration of various features such as mounting points, openings for connectors, and access panels. These enclosures are particularly important for housing sensitive electronic components and protecting them from external elements.
- Grips and Manipulators:
Robotic hands, grippers, and manipulators require components with precise shapes and dimensions to effectively grasp and manipulate objects. Plastic molds enable the production of these components with features like flexible fingers, specialized grip patterns, and surfaces designed for optimal contact with objects. The molds allow for creating gripper parts with varying levels of stiffness or flexibility, depending on the robot's intended tasks.
- Wheels and Tracks:
Plastic molds are commonly used to manufacture wheels and tracks for mobile robots. These components need to be lightweight yet durable to ensure efficient locomotion. Plastic molds allow for the creation of intricate wheel designs with tread patterns for improved traction on different surfaces. The resulting wheels can be tailored to the specific requirements of the robot's mobility system, whether it's a wheeled, tracked, or other type of locomotion.
- Casing for Electronics:
Many robotic systems incorporate electronic components for control, communication, and sensing. Plastic molds are employed to create custom casings that protect these electronics from environmental factors. These casings can include features like integrated cable channels, snap-fit closures, and precise cutouts for connectors and sensors. The molds ensure that the casings have the necessary structural integrity while maintaining a lightweight profile.
- Sensor Mounts:
Sensors play a crucial role in robotic perception and interaction. Plastic molds can be used to manufacture sensor mounts that securely hold sensors in the right positions and orientations. These mounts are designed to minimize vibrations and ensure accurate data capture. Plastic molds enable the creation of complex shapes and geometries, ensuring that the mounts are both functional and aesthetically pleasing.
- Connectors and Cable Management:
Internal wiring and cable management are important aspects of robotic design. Plastic molds allow for the production of connectors and cable management components that keep the robot's internal wiring organized and protected. These components can include cable clips, strain relief features, and connectors with precise tolerances. Proper cable management enhances the reliability and longevity of the robot's electrical connections.
- Prototyping Components:
During the development phase of robotic systems, rapid prototyping is essential for testing and iterating on designs. Plastic molds enable the quick production of prototype components, allowing engineers to evaluate the functionality and ergonomics of different parts. This iterative process helps identify design improvements before committing to final production.
- Custom Parts:
Every robotic application has unique requirements, often necessitating custom-designed components. Plastic molds facilitate the creation of these tailored parts, ensuring that the robot's components fit seamlessly into its overall design. These custom components can include brackets, supports, mounts, and other parts specific to the robot's intended tasks.
In summary, plastic molds offer a versatile and cost-effective method for manufacturing a wide range of robotic components. The ability to create intricate designs, produce lightweight yet durable parts, and quickly iterate on prototypes makes plastic molding a valuable technique in the field of robotics.
The use of plastic molds is a critical factor in achieving lightweight design in robotics. Plastic molding techniques, such as injection molding, rotational molding, and thermoforming, offer a range of benefits that contribute to the creation of lightweight robotic components. Here's how plastic molds enable lightweighting in robotics:
- Material Selection and Characteristics:
Plastic molds allow for the use of a wide variety of lightweight yet durable polymers, each with specific properties suited to different applications. Engineers can choose from materials like polycarbonate, ABS, polypropylene, and more. These materials have favorable characteristics, including high strength-to-weight ratios, good impact resistance, and corrosion resistance, making them ideal for producing lightweight components that can withstand the rigors of robotic tasks.
- Complex Geometries and Lightweight Structures:
Plastic molding techniques excel at producing components with intricate and optimized geometries. These techniques can create complex shapes, thin walls, and hollow structures that contribute to lightweight designs. By carefully designing the geometry, engineers can distribute material where it's needed most for structural integrity while minimizing material usage in less critical areas, resulting in lightweight yet strong components.
- Part Consolidation and Integration:
Plastic molds enable the integration of multiple features into a single component. This reduces the need for additional parts, fasteners, and connectors, which in turn reduces the overall weight of the robotic system. For example, a single molded piece can combine structural support, mounting points, and cable management features, streamlining the design and assembly processes.
- Weight-Optimized Wall Thickness:
Plastic molding allows for the creation of components with varying wall thicknesses. In areas of lower stress, thinner walls can be used without compromising the part's overall strength. This approach minimizes weight while maintaining necessary structural integrity where it matters most.
- Material Efficiency:
Plastic molding techniques, especially injection molding, efficiently utilize materials by injecting them precisely into the mold cavities. This reduces waste and ensures that only the necessary amount of material is used, contributing to lightweight designs.
- Customization for Functionality:
Robots often have specific design requirements based on their intended tasks. Plastic molds enable engineers to create custom-designed components that are tailored to meet these functional requirements. By optimizing the component's shape and features for its intended task, unnecessary material can be eliminated, leading to lighter components.
- Iterative Design and Prototyping:
Plastic molds support rapid prototyping and iterative design processes. Engineers can create and test multiple design iterations quickly, refining the component's geometry and features to achieve the desired performance while minimizing weight. This iterative approach ensures that the final design is lightweight without sacrificing functionality.
- Optimized Material Selection:
With various plastic materials available, engineers can select the material that best suits the specific requirements of a component. This enables a balance between lightweighting and other performance criteria, such as heat resistance, chemical resistance, and electrical properties.
- Balancing Cost and Performance:
Plastic molding techniques are often cost-effective compared to other manufacturing methods. This makes it more viable to use lightweight plastics for a broader range of components in robotic systems. The ability to balance cost and performance encourages the adoption of lightweight designs without significantly increasing production expenses.
In conclusion, the use of plastic molds empowers engineers to create lightweight yet robust components for robotics. By leveraging the capabilities of plastic molding techniques, designers can optimize the shape, structure, and material selection of components to achieve the ideal balance between weight reduction and functional performance. This approach ultimately contributes to the overall efficiency, agility, and performance of robotic systems.
Plastic molds used for creating robotic components are typically made from certain types of plastics and other materials that offer durability, precision, and the ability to withstand the molding process. Here are some common materials used in plastic molds for robotic components:
- Polypropylene (PP):
This versatile and cost-effective thermoplastic boasts commendable resistance to chemicals, heat, and impact. Its mechanical resilience makes it a preferred choice for crafting structural elements and mechanical parts within the realm of robotics. From supporting frames to internal mechanisms, PP contributes to both strength and economy.
- Polyethylene (PE):
Particularly high-density polyethylene (HDPE) is celebrated for its toughness and robust resistance to chemicals and moisture. Within robotic molds, PE shines as a protector, often enveloping sensitive robotic mechanisms in protective covers and housing. This shielding capability ensures the longevity and operational integrity of the intricate robotic components it encapsulates.
- Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC):
PVC emerges as a material of dual virtues, showcasing both flame resistance and cost-effectiveness. In the realm of robotics, it steps into the limelight as a guardian of electrical components. Its insulating properties and low cost contribute to the safe encapsulation of wires and electronic circuitry, critical to the seamless function of robots.
- Polystyrene (PS):
With its rigidity and ease of molding, polystyrene occupies a place of significance in the world of plastic molds for robotics. It takes on roles ranging from casings to structural components, where its malleability during molding allows intricate detailing and precision, ultimately contributing to the efficiency and durability of robotic parts.
- Polyamide (PA or Nylon):
Nylon's commendable strength, heat resistance, and chemical resilience render it indispensable for crafting intricate robotic gears and mechanical parts. Whether it's transmitting motion or enduring stress, nylon holds its ground, ensuring robotic components function seamlessly in diverse operational scenarios.
- Polycarbonate (PC):
Transparency coupled with high impact strength defines polycarbonate's prowess. In robotic mold applications, it takes on the role of a guardian for sensors and transparent components. By offering an unobstructed view of the environment while providing robust protection, polycarbonate enhances the perceptual and functional capabilities of robots.
- Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS):
ABS's reputation for robust impact resistance and ease of molding has established it as a stalwart for structural components and casings in robotic systems. Its versatile nature allows it to support a spectrum of robotic functionalities while maintaining structural integrity under dynamic conditions.
- Polyether Ether Ketone (PEEK):
As a high-performance polymer, PEEK boasts an exceptional trifecta of strength, heat resistance, and chemical durability. Within robotic components, PEEK finds its niche in high-stress applications, where it reinforces critical parts, enabling robots to navigate and perform tasks with precision and reliability.
- Liquid Silicone Rubber (LSR):
LSR's unique properties make it ideal for molding flexible and soft robotic components. Its elasticity and pliability enable the creation of robotic parts with a tactile touch, suited for applications where dexterity and adaptability are paramount.
- Thermally Conductive Polymers:
Thermally conductive polymers find their footing in molds that necessitate efficient heat dissipation. By enabling proper temperature management during the molding process, these polymers contribute to consistent quality and dimensional accuracy of robotic components.
The selection of the appropriate material for a given robotic component mold hinges on a comprehensive evaluation of factors such as the component's intended function, operational environment, regulatory standards, and manufacturing process. Each material adds a distinct thread to the tapestry of robotic innovation, enhancing the capabilities and resilience of these mechanical marvels.