Since the topic is moving towards manufacturing I would like to add some of my experiences.
It's not easy....... Anyone can machine a split swaging die set with a decent VMC machine and good tools. I have experience of machining similar swaging dies for diabolo pellets. The issues are as follows
1. How do we measure?
When you say the diabolo profile on a split die, you have to have them exactly the same. Mirror image to be specific. Unlike aluminum casting molds where a small variance makes no big difference in swaging die you get a parting line or (angel pellets (
https://www.airgunnation.com/topic/jsb-qc-blunder/ )) if the pieces are not aligned. That's where the measuring part comes in. How do you measure the diabolo profile? Is the head oval or circular?
You cannot use vernier calipers, depth gauges, or any other measuring instrument. (we are talking about 0.01 mm ) We have to use CMM and its expensive. So that's the measuring complication, until you machine, swage the pellets, you won't know what diameter of pellet is, and by this time
there is no going back, you've machined 98% of the blocks.
2. How do we check for inconsistency?
The issue is the material. Ideally, tool steel is in the annealed form at hardness 16 to 20 HRC. Aluminum molding dies can be easily cut but
Tool steel... It's a different story. Steel provides resistance and the composition alloys erode the edges of the cutting tool, no matter how high end your end mill might be it won't last long. If the tool wears out prematurely you wont be able to see it but the variation it will create will be catastrophic. So its ideal to introduce a fresh cutting tool for each side (unless you run a separate finishing tool:
If you trust the zeroing method of your machine) That brings me to the third point. (Endmill is between 1 to 3 mm in diameter.)
3. Work holding
Ideally, each block is clamped to the machine bed. It is aligned individually and the zero is set individually (part location), The variables are huge, you cannot use a jig to do so, you will have to locate the part every time because we are talking of offsets no greater than 3 microns. So that's tedious, your block must be zero, your tool must be dialed in for run out and this is repeated every single time so 2x for each die set. That's where the error occurs. It takes hours to get one piece right. Because If something is off at this stage you may not be able to correct it later.
4. Other processes- Surface Grinding, Dowel guides, Hardening, etc, presents new challenges at every interval. Because if something goes wrong at any stage, there is no going back. Variables everywhere
Making these dies require a lot of devotion and time,
It's possible to do it but mass manufacturing....
That's not possible. It's not productive
Making something in the USA is great if it's efficient and productive. Let's say you have a small VMC machine named MAK, MAK uses the Carbide tool of 2mm diameter, MAK has 1 ft x 1 ft machine bed. You have 12 hours per day. you have 2 options either machine a swaging die set or make a Jig and machine casting molds. if you machine swaging dies you will barely make 3 sets in a day (if everything goes well), but with a jig, you can make over 30 sets of casting molds over the same period of time, and this is where everything makes sense. So the swaging tools are expensive (because of the losses involved) and casting molds are cheaper. So making a profit off them is not feasible in the long run. Manufacturers like JSB don't have to worry, they make 1 die set and run a batch of at least 1,00,000 pellets hence
its easy to get production of pellets from 1 die set but producing 1000's die-set's is not that great. And pellets are cheap, you get 1 free for buying 3 tins.
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