Pipette tip mould tool manufacturing is difficult and can be time-consuming. Used extensively in the medical (diagnostics), food and chemical industries, it is experiencing 7-8% annual growth and, currently, over 30 billion tips are produced each year. To manufacture this volume of tips it is estimated that 5,000 mould tools, equating to 100,000 hours of manufacturing time, are currently being used by manufacturers located in Europe, the USA and the Far East.

But, with shortages being experienced around the world – it is reported that this is still not enough to meet future demand — it is anticipated that over 500 new mould tools, not including repairs to existing tools, will need to be manufactured every year. It is against this backdrop that GF Machining Solutions (GFMS), the EDM, milling, laser and additive manufacturing (AM) machine tool specialist, and automation and tooling system solutions’ provider can, with its advanced EDM die-sink machines, provide a solution.

The company has a long and rich pedigree in providing high-end machining solutions to manufacturers and works in close collaboration with medical device manufacturers in designing and developing high-productivity turnkey and process improvement solutions for customers. With regard to pipette mould tool manufacturing, the company’s recent technological advances made to its die-sink machines – most notably its iGAP and digital generator technology – provide a way forward.

iGap technology, an innovative feature in GF Machining Solutions’ advanced FORM-series of die-sink machines, is an embedded auto-adaptive system that can, by responding to changing machining conditions, alter the discharge current and pulse duration in real time, elevating cutting speeds and reducing electrode wear during roughing and finishing operations.

The system is most effective when using copper or graphite electrodes to machine mould tools with deep multi-cavities, using a spark gap of less than 0.2mm, to deliver smooth, homogenous and repeatable surface finishes (VDI 0), reducing/eliminating the need for hand polishing. The virtual elimination of secondary finishing operations enables pipette tip mould tools to be manufactured more quickly and efficiently than before with fewer electrodes and, as a consequence, reduced costs.

It is interesting to note that hand polishing just 1mm² of the interior of a cavity can take up to 30min. With deep cavities the time required for hand polishing each one could be as much as 20hr; and for multi-cavities hundreds of hours could be required to achieve the desired “polished’ finish. iGAP technology could therefore be a real asset for pipette tip mould tool manufacturers, boosting productivity, ensuring high and consistent surface finishes and reducing overall costs.