Proper design, tooling and molding practices need to be considered to truly reap the benefits of aluminum. Myths have always been around: the world is flat and the sun revolves around the earth - to name a few. The world of manufacturing is no different with its own false beliefs. Today we have the myth that aluminum tooling is "junk tooling or for prototypes only". This is a stereotype that has grown from earlier grades of aluminum - alloys that were gummy, difficult to cut and improperly used in a manufacturing environment. The development of aircraft grade 7075 aluminum brought forth a durable and quality product. In 1998 the SPE and Douglas Bryce wrote "Plastic Injection Molding: Mold Design and Construction Fundamentals" that discussed the quality of 7075 and the capacity to produce millions of parts. However, many manufacturers did not follow his recommendations. Instead, many chose the wrong aluminum alloy and did not follow good tooling practices. Unfortunately, the damage to aluminum's reputation had already been done.
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