Ten Tips for Tooling with Precision Board

With its roots in Aerospace, Precision Board Tooling Board is specifically engineered to meet the demands of a broad range of tooling and tool making applications. Both PBLT Tooling Board (for low temperature applications up to 200 F) and PBHT Tooling Board (for high temperature applications up to 300 F), possess excellent machining characteristics and dimensional stability for tool making. To help maximize your use of Precision Board, here are ten tips for tooling.

1. Using the correct speed and feed settings for the density of Precision Board you will be machining is crucial. This will allow you to achieve optimum chip load. Having the proper chip load allows the cutting tool to move in and out of the material quicker, which will prolong the tool life and leave a smooth edge. Read our updated speeds and feeds blog for the latest information. Be sure to also check out the excellent database LMT Onsrud has for choosing the right bit for the right material.

2. If using Precision Board in an oven or autoclave, ensure that temperature ramp up does not exceed 1˚F per minute. This will allow the temperature to be evenly absorbed during heat expansion, which will reduce the possibility of internal stress and warping.

3. When ramping down the temperature after autoclave or oven curing, temperature ramp down should not exceed 2˚F per minute. This will allow the tool temperature to drop slowly so contraction does not cause internal stress and cracking in the thinner sections of the tool. In thick tools with thin webs or sections, cool down should be even slower. Prior testing is always recommended before heat cycling on actual tool.

4. Instead of laminating thinner sheets together to form a large block, consider using a custom block. By providing a drawing to Coastal Enterprises, a custom-sized block will be made in the rough shape and size of your tool. This will allow you to purchase less material, eliminate assembly and reduce machining time. You can get more details in our recent custom bonded blocks blog post.

5. Precision Board does not outgas. When a typical polyurethane tooling board is heated, it outgases, which releases byproducts that keep the composite laminate adhesive from curing. This will ruin the composite laminate and can damage the urethane tool.

6. For higher temperature applications, Coastal Enterprises offers Precision Board High Temp PBHT. PBHT is a “closed cell” rigid polyurethane tooling board made specifically for applications of up to 300˚F continuous exposure. PBHT is available in a wide range of sheet sizes up to 5′ x 10′ (and thicknesses up to 24″) and several densities. It can be cut or bonded into a variety of shapes for final machining or shaping.

7. Make a master tool with Precision Board for Production Tools. For production runs it is better to use the Precision Board tool as a “master tool” to reproduce “production” tooling. This method allows for multiple production tools to be made from one Precision Board master. This is a very effective way to make lower cost, faster completion, production tooling.

8. Use high strength EP-76 Epoxy to bond Precision Board sheets to make larger sections. Precision Board can be easily bonded with high quality epoxy adhesives. Coastal Enterprises makes a very easy to use, machinable grade, high-strength epoxy called EP-76. It machines, sands and carves very smoothly. The durometer hardness and machinability of EP-76 can be adjusted and closely matched to the Precision Board densities by adding PB Granules as outlined in the PB EP-76 HDU Adhesive Product Data Sheet. Contact Coastal Enterprises for more information and helpful bonding tips.

9. Use a mold release that is compatible with your resin system to ensure neither the mold or the tool are damaged. Mold releases are designed to be used against all tooling surfaces so that after cure cycle, the composite part can be released and removed from the layup tool without damaging the tool or the part. Care must be taken when choosing a release agent to be sure it will not outgas during the composite heat curing cycle and affect resin cure. Always test a sample part to verify mold release compatibility with your chosen prepreg or composite laminate.

10. Hold down (or “dog”) Precision Board to the vacuum table or oven support fixture during heating & cooling. Due to the internal stresses that are occurring in the tool during the heating and cooling part of the cure cycle it is important to hold the Precision Board tool flat. However, due to the differential of expansion and contraction between the Precision Board lay up tool and the support structure it is crucial that they be allowed to move independent of each other. It is always a good idea to securely, not excessively, hold PBLT and PBHT tooling to the machining table to support the piece during ramp up and ramp down. Dogs, or equivalent, every 2′ +/- is adequate. Remember not to over tighten which will restrict horizontal expansion and contraction and possibly damage tool and composite laminate.

Our PBLT and PBHT lines of Precision Board are available in the widest range of densities and sheet sizes & thickness to match the performance requirements of the specific tool you’re building. Individual blocks can be easily and permanently bonded to create specific shapes and thicknesses, approximating the general shape of the tool. Coastal Enterprises offers a full line of companion products specifically designed for Precision Board Tooling Board to assist with your project. Check out our Adhesives and Primers & Fillers. Request a sample today!

AXYZ Open House This Week in Anaheim, CA

Coastal Enterprises in Orange, CA, was a must-stop location for Noel Archie with AXYZ International, Burlington, ON, Canada, when he came to town for their Open House. He needed some last minute training on PB Resin for his sign he’s making with Precision Board for their Anaheim location. They’ll be running different models and configurations of machines to show AXYZ various lines of machinery.

A catered lunch will be served along with two days of educational seminars focusing on sign production, plastic fabrication, aluminum composite processing, and phenolic based cladding fabrication. Stop by the open house on Wednesday 5/17 and Thursday 5/18- we’ll be there and we’d love to see you. RSVP at openhouse@axyz.com or call Nicole Silaphet at 800-361-3408 x286.

Check out our training videos for tips on using Coastal Enterprises’ companion products and get a taste of what Noel got a crash course in at our headquarters!

Coastal Enterprises Free Services: Let us help you create!

There are no natural limitations on creativity. Anyone with the inspiration to conceive something new should have the means to follow that spark through to its completion. At Coastal Enterprises, we are fully committed to helping your creativity flourish and take shape. One of our driving philosophies here at Coastal Enterprises is the concept of open-source knowledge: providing the materials and technical know-how so you can create something incredible. Precision Board Plus isn’t just for commercial tooling operations or professional signage contractors either; it’s for everyone with a bright new idea and the drive to make it a reality. We offer a range of free services to help individuals and businesses get the most out of their Precision Board, and to make something they can truly be proud of.

Technical Support: Coastal Enterprises is entirely unique in the way we operate and go about our business. We manufacture all of our material in the same facility that we sell and ship it from, something that no other high-density urethane company can claim. This makes us the absolute primary source of information about Precision Board, and it shows through our expert technical support team. We have a full staff of Precision Board experts available from 8AM-5PM PST, Monday through Friday to answer any questions you might have about our material and its applications. Even if we’re stumped by a question, we can literally walk out to the production floor, pick up a piece of material, and find out for ourselves. What other manufacturer can do that? It pays to go right to the source, and it doesn’t get any closer than Coastal.

Sample Program: There’s only one way to really understand how Precision Board can work for you, and that is to see it in person. You need to hold it in your hands, route it, carve it, run a lay up mold with it, heat test it, even smash it to bits. Those are the kind of in-depth tests that give you a total understand of the material. Lucky for you, it’s never been easier to get Precision Board for testing, and all for free. Just ask! Coastal has a robust sample program designed to put sample-sized material in your hands very quickly. We provide the Precision Board, we typically pay the shipping, and all you have to do is request the sample. What are you waiting for? Click here to request your free samples today!

Click here to visit our distributor listings!

Distributor Registry: Coastal has an expansive network of trusted distributors that stretches all across the US, Canada and areas of Asia, Australia, and the Middle East. Our distributors are an integral part of our mission at Coastal, and we work closely with them to ensure that our orders arrive on time, every time. This means that no matter where you are, you’re never far away from Precision Board. In addition, all of our distributors carry thousands of other products that can probably meet your needs in other areas. Each and every one is a versatile one-stop shop for both industrial and signage applications. Our detailed Trade Resources Directory can help you instantly locate your nearest distributor and source the material for your next project.

Custom Soft Tooling Blocks: Saving You Time, Money, & Material

Custom Precision Board Tooling Blocks: The Ultimate Soft Tooling Solution

“Some of the layup tools we made at Skunk Works were absolutely massive, which meant CNC time was a major factor when determining
project deadlines. Coastal’s custom bonded blocks saved us hours on the CNC and ensured we stayed on time and on budget- they are the true gold standard in tooling efficiency.”
– Jon Sharp, former Lockheed Martin composites engineer and air racing legend, on why his team at Lockheed’s Advanced Development Programs (Skunk Works) chose Precision Board custom-bonded blocks for large soft tooling jobs.

Industrial tooling can be a delicate and difficult process. Keeping an important project on schedule and below budget requires assigning precise calculations to notoriously unpredictable variables. Designing the tool, acquiring substrate, developing routing paths, and machining the tool are all essential tasks that need to be performed sequentially, and all this before a single production part can be fabricated. It is the unknown factors in each step of production that end up setting a project back. If the substrate arrives late, if too much time is spent routing the tooling block, if there is a last-second design change in the part, if too much material is wasted by the tooling path; any of these events can turn a well-designed production run into a logistical nightmare. Thankfully, there is one sure-fire way to keep your project on schedule and under budget from conception to completion: Custom Precision Board tooling blocks from Coastal Enterprises.

In addition to manufacturing the largest and thickest sheets in the tooling industry, Coastal Enterprises will custom-bond sheets of our Precision Board in any configuration you require. With only a rough drawing of your finished part, we will fabricate a custom block that will significantly reduce waste, bonding time, and machining time. By creating a block that closely matches the specifications of your end design, we allow you to only machine away the excess material and leave the majority of the block intact.

Take a look at the step tool above. Just think of how long it would take to rout a solid block of substrate down to this shape! So much precious time is wasted on the CNC router, time that could be spent fabricating finished parts. Not to mention the wasted material. Buying an entire block and machining down to spec means you are paying more for material that you intend to dispose of! Simply put, there is no good reason to hamstring your project by sticking with an obsolete production model. Why not have Coastal do the busy work for you? We will deliver a custom-made tooling block to your door, ready to be machined immediately upon arrival. And with our super quick turn around time, you’re already closer to the production stage than ever before.

Coastal Enterprises does industrial soft tooling the smart way, and it’s high time you gave it a try. Get a quote on your custom bonded block today, and modernize your composite fabrication with Precision Board! Click here to request a free sample, and see for yourself why the material makes all the difference!

Shaping the New Year with Precision Board

In the composites community, no one ever stops moving. Even during the holidays, minds continued to churn with new ideas to shape the New Year. January has barely begun, and already events are set in motion that promise big changes within the composites industry for the coming year. Over the past few months, Boeing has been in the process of making history as they construct the most expansive autoclave facility in the world: the Composite Wing Center. This fabrication center will be used primarily in the production of the new Boeing 777X, which will be the largest twin-engine jet currently in use, and will employ composite materials extensively. The Composite Wing Center will make it all possible, allowing for the production of massive carbon fiber composite wings in its three specially built autoclaves. The three ASC Econoclave vessels, 121 feet long electric blue behemoths, will be the largest in the world when they are commissioned in the next few months. The 777X has been called the future of air travel, and we are inclined to believe it. Developments like this let us know that we’re on the right track, and that the entire industry is moving forward together.

ADM Works

We here at Coastal Enterprises believe that composites are the cornerstone on which we can build a better world. This is an exciting time to be alive, bursting with unprecedented possibilities; all we need to do is reach out and take the initiative. The biggest names in aerospace, manufacturing, and automotive design are choosing soft tooling for their composite fabrication when possible, and for good reason: No other process allows for such a high level of design flexibility at such a low cost. For the true innovators in the composites community, there is simply no substitute. Coastal has some big things planned for this New Year, and we invite you to join us as we make history alongside the rest of the community. There is no question that this is going to be a huge year for all of us- so where will you be? With our newly updated production process, Precision Board is up to the task for most industrial applications: lay up molds, vacuum forming, filament winding, prototyping, autoclave tooling, and much more. Whatever your business is, Precision Board can suit your needs as we head into new territory together. Don’t let inferior materials or outdated processes hold you back while the industry is moving forward. Walk confidently into the future with Precision Board. Let’s see what we can build together this year.

University of Kansas Formula SAE Combustion Car

Now is the time to get a head start on that next project. Get a free sample of Precision Board today and find out why Coastal Enterprises is the name you can trust with your tooling board needs.