Rapid US-Based
See Summit Plastics & Tooling Capabilities and Resources
Phone: 815-385-7500 1207 Adams Drive, McHenry IL, 60051
Who is Fathom Digital Manufacturing? One of the largest on-demand digital manufacturing platforms in North America.
Domestic Injection Molding
US-based prototype mold and production injection molding experts.
Injection Molding Prototypes
We are specialists in rapid injection molding prototypes.
Rapid Mold Changes
With quick-change tooling method, Summit has become very efficient at making mold changes.
Short-Run Molding
By using special molding procedures, we optimize every aspect of short run work.
Summit Plastic & Tooling
Precision Prototypes and Production Injection Molds
Summit Tooling utilizes state-of-the-art mold making technologies to provide high-quality plastic injection mold design, precision mold making and close-tolerance injection molding services for small–to–medium prototype injection molds projects. Summit works with clients in the medical, packaging, consumer technology, automotive and electrical industries that require optimized productivity and overall lowest manufacturing cost.
As a recognized leader in the R&D, design and manufacture of precision prototypes and production injection molds, Summit Tooling by Fathom works with clients that require optimized productivity and overall lowest manufacturing costs. Summit has a diverse customer base services the medical disposable/pharmaceutical, packaging/closure, consumer and technology markets, automotive, and electrical industries.
Our Specialties
Summit Tooling provides high-quality plastic injection mold design, precision mold making, and close-tolerance injection molding services for a complete custom manufacturing experience. Primarily specializing in small to medium prototype injection molds while utilizing state-of-the-art mold making technologies.
- Prototypes
- Prototype Molds
- Prototype Injection Molds
- Production Injection Molds
- Plastic Injection & Plastic Injection Molds.
Summit Tooling has a proven ability for “innovation outside the box” to provide unique solutions to customers’ manufacturing challenges. We have wide-ranging experience with a variety of mold technologies, meeting your requirements through innovative and creative thinking. Whether you need a single-cavity prototype to multi-cavity production molds our expertise can provide the technology suitable for your application.
Testimonials
- “I have worked with Summit Tooling and Summit Plastics on a variety of projects. Summit brings an open mind to each project with a positive attitude to tailor their processes to meet my needs from part design to mold build and molding. They work hard to make sure my needs are met with a professional attitude, expertise, on time delivery and competitive pricing.” – Bob Rohr, RDR Design and Development LLC
- “Summit is an invaluable resource for bringing products to the market. From prototype to production, their customer friendly staff always seems to find ways to economically expedite the project.” – Jim Winje, Sr. Principal Engineer, Baxter Healthcare Corporation
- “Having worked with Summit Tool for over 12 years, I have never been disappointed with their service. Whether getting information that I need from them, or the results of the tooling built and samples that have been run by Summit, they always have met or exceeded my expectations. This is truly an organization that looks to be on the leading edge of technology in reducing lead time and cost by utilizing not only the latest technology of equipment available to them, but also in constantly reviewing their internal procedures to reduce time, reduce manufacturing costs and improve the quality of the tools being delivered to the customer. The entire team at Summit is truly a pleasure to work with.” – Dieter Lay, Arrow Development Group, LLC, Dousman, WI
- “From the entire team at Medical Murray, we want to thank you for your support and knowledge. Our business is developing ways to mold things that most molders say cannot be done. With your company’s tool building knowledge and dedication to quality, you have helped make our company successful. It is a pleasure to work with a company whose personnel are willing and able to think out of their box. With your commitment to staying on the cutting edge of technology, you are able to supply tooling to us that is right, on time and works first shot.” – Norman R Akens, Manager, Molding
- “We were examining the high quality of the underside of the new samples, the finish and smoothness are first rate, and it really shows what a team of talented people such as yourselves can accomplish. When they refer to “first rate” and “team of talented people,” I think it is the Summit Team that really made it happen. Thank you for helping make us all look good.” – Name withheld by request
- “Our customer was impressed with the quality and speed of the first samples, and also the way it fits on the bottle prototype.” – Name withheld by request
- “There are times within a course of a project you may see a person or persons that exhibit, go above and beyond a typical days work. I would like to highlight the contributions of Dan Martin and Summit Tooling on this project. On Monday, Dan Martin and Summit Tooling were faced with a challenge of changing the seal bead on the Multi-shot injection mold, in a very short time frame, due to the fact that these parts needed to be in assembly today. I was expecting that these revised parts would be delivered late next week. INSTEAD Dan Martin and Summit Tooling worked on this problem with diligence and determination and expedited these changes on a (MULTI-SHOT) mold within 48 hours of detail change request keeping us on schedule to deliver parts to Germany. I feel honored to work with people like Dan Martin and his team at Summit Tooling; when the going gets tough you can count on these people to give R&D support at the highest level.” – Name withheld by request
- “First let me thank you again for the wonderful job your company has done on this project. After having prototyped several things in China, it is refreshing to work with a group that takes pride in doing things right and being on time. I look forward to working together more in the future.” – Jason Hatton
Project Examples
Single Cavity Prototype Unit Tool
- Example of a single cavity prototype unit tool.
- This tool offers optimum cooling, valve gated, replicating the production cycle, at a minimal cost.
- Typical delivery time on this type of tool will be 5-6 weeks.
Single Cavity Prototype Tool to Replicate Over Molding of Another Component
- Example of a single cavity prototype tool to replicate over molding of another component.
- An existing sub-straight component is loaded in this prototype tool and over molded to prove out production tooling.
- There are minimal costs in this type of tooling, with a fast delivery. This is called a proof of concept tool.
Example of a 16 Cavity Class 102 Production Tool
- Example of a 16 cavity Class 102 production tool.
- This tool will be used for medium to high production in upwards of one million parts.
- Typical delivery time on this type of tool will be 7-8 weeks.
Example of an 8 Cavity Class 101 Hot Runner Production Tool
- Example of an 8 cavity Class 101 hot runner production tool.
- This tool utilizes optimum cooling, hot runner, and runs extremely fast cycles.
- Typical delivery time on this type of tool will be 7-8 weeks.
Services
Part and Mold Design
CAD / CAM Software Platforms
Part designs can be received in a wide variety of 2D/3D formats (see below). Once geometry is received, Summit imports them into SolidWorks to design a 3D models of the necessary tooling (CAD) and utilizes MasterCam to generate all of the tool paths for machining.
| (CAM) Native Programs\Formats: | |
|---|---|
| SolidWorks | (.sldprt, .slddrw, .sldasm) |
| Acis | (.sat) |
| Catia Graphics | (.cgr) |
| Inventor | (.ipr, .iam) |
| SolidEdge | (.par, .psm) |
| CadKey | (.pst, .ckd) |
| AutoCad | (.dwg, .dxf) |
| Rhino | (.3dm) |
| MasterCam | (.mcx) |
| Unigraghic | (.prt) |
| Pro/Engineer | (.prt, .asm) |
| Other Supported Formats: | |
|---|---|
| Parsolid | (.x_t) |
| Step | (.stp, .step) |
| Iges | (.igs, .iges) |
| STL | (.stl) |
Prototype Tooling
In our prototype tooling, our experts bring state-of-the-art technology together with traditional mold making techniques. We offer complete prototype part designs from concept to finished injection molded prototypes. Summit Tooling by Fathom offers a variety of techniques to accomplish this, dependent upon each customer needs, desires, and budgets.
The focus in today’s prototype world has been to create prototypes which mimic the production component, in the areas of precision, part weight, cycle times, and tooling costs. Our goal is to ensure that we meet and exceed our customers’ expectations with prototypes that are delivered quickly, accurately.
Our process begins with meeting and discussing the goals of the customer prototype component and deciding as to the type of prototype tooling that fits their needs. We offer low volume tooling – aluminum molds, hand molds, MUD molds, and Unit Molds. In some extreme cases, higher volumes are required for prototypes and we may suggest a Bridge tool, where we would completely build out (1) cavity within a multi-cavity production tool. This will allow the customer to test out the prototype component and make changes, if necessary. The balance of the cavities can then be created to the exact specifications of this original cavity. This is a major costs savings going from the prototype process to production.
Production Tooling
We realize production cycle times are one of the most critical factors when considering piece part costs as it relates to the type of production tooling features. Production tools need to process, cool, and eject parts quickly. There are many factors to consider when trying to achieve optimum cycles and we offer many techniques, which we have learned, experimented with, and succeeded with, over our many years of experience and knowledge of doing prototype components. We offer small to medium size production tooling. Tooling capacity will vary dependent upon piece part size and we can accommodate cavitations ranging from 1 to 16 cavity. Mold base materials can also come in a variety depending on our customers’ needs, ranging from aluminum to stainless steel.
We do follow SPI Production Mold classifications standards. These are as follows:
INTRODUCTION
The following classifications are guidelines to be used in obtaining quotations and placing orders for uniform types of molds. It is our desire through these classifications to help eliminate confusion in the mold quote system and increase customer satisfaction. It is strongly recommended that mold drawings be obtained before construction is started on any injection mold. Even though parts may seem simple enough not to warrant a mold design, a drawing showing sizes and steel types will pay for itself in event of mold damage. These classifications are for mold specifications only and in no way guarantee workmanship. It is very important that purchasers deal with vendors whose workmanship standards and reliability are well proven. Mold life, because of variations in part design and mold conditions, cannot be guaranteed. This guide will attempt to give approximate cycles for each type of mold excluding wear caused by material abrasion, poor mold maintenance and improper molding technique. Maintenance is not the responsibility of the mold maker. Normal maintenance such as replacement of broken springs, broken ejector pins, worn rings, or the rework of nicks and scratches should be borne by the molder. Mold rework costs should be closely considered when deciding which classification of mold is required. This document does not constitute a warranty or guarantee by the Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc., or its members for the classifications or specifications set forth herein.
CLASSIFICATION OF INJECTION MOLDS UP TO 400 TONS
The following contains a brief synopsis of the various mold classifications and the detailed descriptions of each mold class. Again, it is our recommendation that a MOLD DATA SHEET (an example of which is in the back of the SPI manual) be included with each request for quotation.
GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS
- Customer to approve mold design prior to start of construction.
- All molds, with the exception of prototype, to have adequate channels for temperature control.
- Wherever feasible, all details should be marked with steel type and Rockwell hardness approximately .005 deep.
- Customer name, part number, and mold number should be steel stamped on mold.
- All molds should have eyebolt holes on the top side. There should be one above and one below the parting line to facilitate mold removal, if required, in halves.
CLASS 101 MOLD
Cycles: One million or more
Description: Built for extremely high production. This is the highest priced mold and is made with only the highest quality materials.
- Mold base to be minimum hardness of 28 R/C.
- Molding surfaces (cavities and cores) must be hardened to a minimum of 48 R/C range. All other details, such as sub-inserts, slides, heel blocks, gibs, wedge blocks, lifters, etc. should also be of hardened tool steels.
- Ejection should be guided.
- Slides must have wear plates.
- Temperature control provisions to be in cavities, cores and slide cores wherever possible.
- Over the life of a mold, corrosion in the cooling channels decreases cooling efficiency thus degrading part quality and increasing cycle time. It is therefore recommended that plates or inserts containing cooling channels be of a corrosive resistant material or treated to prevent corrosion.
- Parting line locks are required on all molds.
CLASS 102 MOLD
Cycles: Not exceeding one million
Description: Medium to high production mold, good for abrasive materials and/or parts requiring close tolerances. This is a high quality, fairly high priced mold.
- Detailed mold design required.
- Mold base to be minimum hardness of 28 R/C.
- Molding surfaces should be hardened to a 48 R/C range. All other functional details should be made and heat treated.
- Temperature control provisions to be directly in the cavities, cores, and slide cores wherever possible.
- Parting line locks are recommended for all molds.
The following items may or may not be required depending on the ultimate production quantities anticipated. It is recommended that those items desired be made a firm requirement for quoting purposes:
- Guided Ejection
- Slide Wear Plates
- Corrosive Resistant Temperature Control Channels
- Plated Cavities
CLASS 103 MOLD
Cycles: Under 500,000
Description: Medium production mold. This is a very popular mold for low to medium production needs. Most common price range.
- Detailed mold design recommended.
- Mold base must be minimum hardness of 8 R/C.
- Cavity and cores must be 28 R/C or higher.
- All other extras are optional.
CLASS 104 MOLD
Cycles: Under 100,000
Description: Low production mold. Used only for limited production preferably with non-abrasive materials. Low to moderate price range.
- Mold design recommended.
- Mold base can be of mild steel or aluminum.
- Cavities can be of aluminum, mild steel or any other agreed upon metal.
CLASS 105 MOLD
Cycles: Not exceeding 500
Description: Prototype only. This mold will be constructed in the least expensive manner possible to produce a very limited quantity of prototype parts.
- May be constructed from cast metal or epoxy or any other material offering sufficient strength to produce minimum prototype pieces.
Production Molding
Summit Tooling by Fathom has a state-of-the-art molding facility utilizing 15 Injection Molding Presses ranging in size from 40 Ton to 350 tons. We have capability of processing multi-shot tooling, Bi-injected tooling, insert over molding, and most conventional molds.
We can accommodate many different types of colorant delivery systems from granular to liquid colorants. Other services we offer include Pad Printing, Hot Stamping, Ultrasonic Welding, Secondary Operations, and Light Assembly.
Location and Services
Summit Plastics & Tooling is located in McHenry, Illinois but services all the following local areas and more: Illinois – Chicago, Aurora, Naperville, Joliet, Rockford, Springfield, Elgin, Peoria, Champaign and Elk Grove; Indiana – Gary, South Bend, Fort Wayne and Indianapolis; Wisconsin – Madison, Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha; Iowa – Davenport, Iowa City and Cedar Rapids. Additional areas can receive drop shipped parts or be served by other Fathom facilities that span the entire United States across the areas of additive, CNC machining, injection molding, sheet metal fabrication and over 25 different manufacturing processes.
About Summit Tooling
Our Mission
The mission of Summit Tooling is to fully satisfy the expectations of our customers by producing the highest quality products, on time, through dedication to excellence in everything we do, to provide customer satisfaction, and to continuously make improvements. The combination of the latest equipment, our experienced technical staff, and our sincere commitment to quality will ensure the highest level of quality parts with on time deliveries. As part of the Fathom Manufacturing Platform, Summit Tooling has access to a robust nationwide network of comprehensive additive and advanced manufacturing capabilities.
What We Do
Summit Tooling can help you take your project from concept to design, prototyping to production. Some of the markets we serve include Healthcare, Consumer Products, Electronics, Automotive, and Packaging, just to name a few.
We offer conventional injection molding, 2-shot technologies, thin wall high speed molding, and insert molding. We utilize a wide variety of auxiliary equipment to support this as well. We process thermoplastic material from commodity resins to engineering thermoplastics.
Short Run Molding
By taking advantage of our quick change tooling method whenever possible, Summit has become very efficient at making mold changes. By using special molding procedures, we optimize every aspect of short run work. From purchasing and drying small lots, to scheduling and shop floor flow, we ensure superior value to our short run customers.
Summit Tooling in the Media
- Competitive Mold Maker – In this article we discuss how the automation of mills and EDMS reshapes over Summit Tooling’s mold making.
- EDM Today, Spring 2012, Volume 21/ Issue 2 – In this article we demonstrate and explain how some of the latest CNC EDM technology, accompanied with precision hole popping, can improve capabilities and deliveries.
Summit Tooling by Fathom Linecard / /
Contact Us
Summit Tooling by Fathom
1207 Adams Drive
McHenry IL, 60051
Phone: 815-385-7500
Email: sales.mchenry@fathommfg.com
Fax: 815-385-7520
