Proto Labs introduces a complex-featured injection moulded demo piece

Made up of three separate sections that fit together to form a doughnut, each one has several unique features to illustrate some of the more complex geometries achievable with injection-moulding in a part's design. Section A, for example, shows a bayonet mount, text on a rib and several types of spring-clip; section B shows a gear, a 'bumpoff' and two types of bosses; and section C shows a clip, a clip dimple, text on a side and an energy director on a pocket. The Protomold Torus comes with a fully illustrated booklet explaining how the different features are created and an indication of relative cost of including them in a design. "Not only is it a small but useful tool that can be kept on a desk, the Protomold Torus has been designed to show designers and engineers that we support complex features and they can use our rapid capabilities for complex parts," says Proto Labs' commercial manager, Damian Hennessey. "And what makes the Torus stand out from the usual clutter on desks is that it illustrates the relative complexity of part features and how they affect the overall cost of a part. So when they get their ProtoQuote they understand how to manipulate the cost through part design."