b'All images: MSI Mold BuildersMoldmakers tout benefitsand customers out there that recognize alumi-num as a great benefit, said Lammon, whose of aluminum moldsCentreville, Mich., shop has been machining for production work. aluminum molds since the 1980s. He added that sales of aluminum and steel molds have risen in the past year, in step with the broader By Greg Bartlett economy.Lammon conceded, however, that inquiries T he use of aluminum molds for productionabout aluminum remain mainly for prototype molding applications is the biggest trendmolds. Were always trying to educate our Im seeing in moldmaking, said a longtimecustomers on aluminum tooling, Lammon manufacturer of cutting tools. said, how you can use it for many things and Mike MacArthur, vice president of engi- dont necessarily need steel. On the produc-neering at RobbJack Corp., Lincoln, Calif., de- tion side, though, thats where we have the scribed interest in aluminum molds as hugebiggest challenge.in the past year. My sales leads have in- MSI Mold Builders, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, creased at least 10 times, and tool sales forand Greenville, S.C., designs and builds vari-aluminum moldmaking have increased six toous types of steel and aluminum molds for a eight times. range of molding processes: injection, struc-The president of Phoenix Proto Technolo- tural-foam and structural-web, rim, blow and gies LLC, Bob Lammon, echoed MacArthursgas-assist. Sales Manager Toby Bral said MSI assessment. There are a lot more suppliersalso attempts to educate customers about 42MARCH 2018Moldmaking.indd 42 2/16/18 9:01 AM'