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Rapid 3D Printed Tooling
RAPID 3D Printed Tooling. From Weeks to Days.
06
Core Markets
100+
Years Expertise
100%
Made in USA
Partner: Rubbercraft Corporation of California (RCC)
Project Type: Seal Engineering and Retrofit Solution
For a high-profile space application, the customer required several small, precision RTV silicone covers critical to protecting sensitive components. The parts demanded tight functional performance, dimensional accuracy, and material integrity consistent with aerospace standards.
However, the program faced constraints typical of advanced, low-volume space applications—where speed, risk reduction, and manufacturability are just as critical as performance.
Project Snapshot
Project Type
Rapid Tooling & RTV Molding Solution
Partner
Rubbercraft Corporation of California (RCC)
Market
Space
Application
Precision RTV Silicone Covers for Sensitive Component Protection
Key Outcomes
Weeks→Days
Tooling Lead Time
$0
Hard Tooling Investment
3D
Printed Patterns & Masters
↑
Part Confidence & Readiness
Challenge
Compounding Constraints Impacting Production Readiness
During engagement with the customer, RCC identified several compounding challenges impacting production readiness.
These constraints created a gap between design intent and a viable manufacturing solution.
Customer-supplied tooling had reached end-of-life and could no longer support reliable production.
Parts were being produced from non-conforming tools, introducing quality risk.
Low-to-mid production volumes did not justify the cost or lead time of traditional hard tooling.
Conventional tooling approaches would significantly delay the program and increase upfront investment.
Solution Development
An Agile, Risk-Reducing Alternative
Discovery and Collaboration
Understanding the Problem
RCC worked closely with the customer’s engineering team to understand both the functional requirements of the RTV cover and the limitations of the existing tooling approach.
Rather than defaulting to traditional methods, RCC identified an opportunity to apply a more agile, risk-reducing solution.
Hybrid Tooling Strategy
Finding the Cost-Effective Path
RCC proposed a hybrid manufacturing approach combining additive manufacturing with RTV molding:
This approach enabled fast iteration while maintaining alignment with aerospace performance standards and adhering to customer schedule.
Iteration & Validation
Parallel Development with Customer Feedback
RCC iterated tooling designs in parallel with customer feedback, allowing:
Results
Measurable Impact
Tooling Lead Time Reduced
From weeks to days, accelerating development timelines
Significant Cost Avoidance
By eliminating the need for hard tooling investment
Rapid Design Iteration
Enabled faster convergence to a production-ready configuration
Improved Part Confidence
Through early and repeatable validation
Value to Customer
What This Delivered
Accelerated transition from concept to manufacturable design.
Scalable solution tailored for low-rate production environments.
Reduced program risk through early-stage validation and iteration.
Increased confidence in both performance and production readiness.
Key Success Factors
Why It Worked
Early engagement with customer engineering to uncover tooling limitations.
Willingness to challenge traditional manufacturing approaches.
Strategic use of additive manufacturing to reduce time and cost barriers.
Agile iteration process aligned with real-world application needs.
