Customer Requirements
What the customer needed
The customer produces:Automotive interior trim partsConsumer electronics housingsMedical device shellsHigh-gloss plastic productsAnnual production:
Case Study
Mold & Die Case Study 05 / 15Mold Cavity Machining Case Study
The mold cavity is the most visually critical part of any injection mold.
mold cavity machining case studymold die cnc machiningcnc machine for mold manufacturing
Project Overview
Standard case data fields.
Industry Mold & Die / Precision Tooling
Product Mold Cavity
Material P20 / H13 / NAK80 / S136 / 1.2344
Process CNC Milling + EDM + Polishing + Grinding
Machine Model HYR VMC850 / VMC1060 / VMC1165
Tolerance +/-0.003-0.005 mm
Surface Finish Ra0.2-0.8 (Mirror Level)
Application Automotive / Electronics / Medical / Consumer Products
Challenges
Machining difficulty
Mold cavity machining is one of the most difficult CNC tasks.It requires:High Precision+Perfect Surface Finish+Complex Geometry+Zero Defect Requirement
HYR CNC Solution
Machine configuration
Machine: HYR VMC or gantry CNC system selected according to mold size, steel hardness and accuracy target
Process: Rough machining, stress relief, semi-finishing, EDM support, polishing preparation and inspection
Accuracy Control: Thermal stability, fixture rigidity, finishing allowance control and CMM inspection
Cost Method: Published with existing website assets first to keep implementation cost low
Machining Process
Timeline from raw material to inspection.
01 Material preparation
02 Rough machining
03 Stress relief
04 Finish machining
05 Inspection
Full Case Article
Machining background, difficulty and solution logic.
Quick Facts
Item
Details
Industry Mold & Die / Precision Tooling Product Mold Cavity Materials P20 / H13 / NAK80 / S136 / 1.2344 Process CNC Milling + EDM + Polishing + Grinding Machine HYR VMC850 / VMC1060 / VMC1165 Tolerance +/-0.003-0.005 mm Surface Finish Ra0.2-0.8 (Mirror Level) Application Automotive / Electronics / Medical / Consumer Products
Introduction
The mold cavity is the most visually critical part of any injection mold.
But the cavity side is usually the "appearance face" of the product.
It defines: External Product ShapeSurface AppearanceFinal Customer Experience In injection molding: Mold Cavity + Mold CoreComplete Plastic Product
What Is A Mold Cavity?
A mold cavity is the external forming surface of a mold that defines the outer geometry of the final molded product.
Basic structure: Mold Cavity -> Outer ShapeMold Core -> Inner Shape During injection: Plastic Flow Fills CavityCoolingSurface ReplicationFinal Appearance Formed
Customer Background
The customer produces: Automotive interior trim parts Consumer electronics housings Medical device shells High-gloss plastic products Annual production: 800+ mold cavity sets Key requirements: High gloss surface quality Zero machining marks High dimensional consistency Multi-cavity uniformity Fast delivery cycle
Why Mold Cavity Machining Is Extremely Demanding
Mold cavity machining is one of the most difficult CNC tasks.
It requires: High Precision+Perfect Surface Finish+Complex Geometry+Zero Defect Requirement
Challenge 1
Cavity surface is directly transferred to plastic product.
Surface Quality Requirement Any defect becomes: Visible scratch Flow mark Surface distortion
Challenge 2
Mirror Finish Requirement Some products require: SPI-A1 Level Mirror Surface This means: No tool marks No vibration marks No EDM trace visible
Challenge 3
Complex Freeform Geometry Modern products include: Curved surfaces Organic shapes Thin-wall structures Machining requires: 5-Axis Precision Toolpath
Challenge 4
This affects final accuracy.
Thermal and Stress Deformation After machining: Material Stress ReleaseShape Deviation
Automotive Interior Cavity
Used for: Dashboard panels Door trims Central consoles Requirements: Texture finish High dimensional consistency
Consumer Electronics Cavity
Used for: Phone shells Laptop housings Device enclosures Requirements: Mirror finish Perfect surface quality
Medical Product Cavity
Used for: Diagnostic shells Disposable components Requirements: Ultra-clean surface No contamination risk
Optical Cavity
Used for: Lens housings Light guide plates Requirements: Optical Grade Surface (Ra0.2 or better)
P20 Steel
Advantages: Good MachinabilityStable Performance Applications: General cavities
NAK80
Advantages: Excellent Polishing PerformanceHigh Gloss Capability Applications: Consumer electronics
S136
Advantages: Corrosion ResistanceMirror Finish Capability Applications: Medical and optical cavities
H13
Advantages: High StrengthThermal Resistance Applications: High-pressure molds Die casting cavities
HYR VMC850
Best for: Small precision cavities Electrode machining High-gloss parts
HYR VMC1060
Best for: Automotive cavities Medium-size molds
HYR VMC1165
Best for: Large cavities Multi-cavity molds EV structural molds
Step 1
Material Preparation Forged steel blocks Pre-hardened materials
Step 2
Rough Machining Remove: 70-85% Material
Step 3
Stress Relief Reduce: Internal StressDeformation Risk
Step 4
Semi-Finishing Shape cavity geometry Prepare surface regions
Step 5
Heat Treatment Improve: Hardness Wear resistance
Step 6
Finish CNC Machining Requirement: +/-0.003-0.005 mmRa0.4
Step 7
EDM Processing Used for: Deep ribs Sharp corners Complex structures
Step 8
Polishing Levels: Fine polishing Mirror polishing Optical polishing
CMM Inspection
Checks: Full cavity geometry Surface alignment Symmetry
Surface Roughness Testing
Ensures: Ra compliance (0.2-0.8)
Mold Trial
Validates: Product appearance Shrinkage behavior Surface replication
Results
Item
After HYR CNC optimization: Before After Accuracy +/-0.012 mm +/-0.005 mm Surface Finish Ra1.6 Ra0.4 Mirror Quality Inconsistent Stable Scrap Rate 2.3% 0.2% Delivery Time 100% -28%
Impact On Manufacturing
Mold cavity quality directly determines: Product appearance Brand perception Market acceptance Especially in: Automotive interiors Electronics Medical devices
HYR VMC850
Precision cavity inserts
HYR VMC1060
Automotive mold cavities
HYR VMC1165
Large and multi-cavity systems
Related Articles
Injection Mold Machining Case Study Automotive Mold Machining Case Study Die Casting Mold Machining Case Study Mold Core Machining Case Study Mold Base Machining Case Study
What is a mold cavity?
It is the external forming surface that defines the outer shape of a molded product.
Why is cavity machining critical?
Because it directly determines product appearance quality.
What materials are used?
P20, NAK80, S136, H13.
What surface finish is required?
From Ra0.8 to Ra0.2 depending on application.
What is the main challenge?
Achieving perfect surface finish without machining marks.
Conclusion
Mold cavities are the most visually critical components in mold manufacturing.
They require extreme precision, perfect surface quality, and stable machining processes.
With advanced CNC capability and mold expertise, HYR CNC delivers high-quality mold cavity machining solutions for global manufacturing industries.
很好，现在我们开始从"塑料模具系统"切换到第二大高价值领域： Injection Mold System(已完成)Die Casting System(已完成)Stamping Die System(现在开始) 这一类内容的特点是： 汽车结构件大量使用 钣金 / 冲压件全球采购量巨大 搜索量非常稳定 很容易带来设备级询盘(不是零件询盘，是整机询盘)
Results
Before and after machining improvement.
| Item | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Result 1 | Before optimization | After HYR CNC optimization: |
| Result 2 | Before optimization | Accuracy |
| Result 3 | Before optimization | +/-0.012 mm |
FAQ
Common buyer questions for this case.
What is this mold case about?
This page covers mold cavity requirements, machining difficulty, process planning and machine selection.
Which machines are recommended?
HYR VMC850, VMC1060, VMC1165 and gantry CNC systems are selected according to mold size and machining difficulty.
Can HYR-CNC support similar mold projects?
Yes. Send drawings, mold steel, tolerance, surface finish and mold size for a suitable machining proposal.
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