Denmark's Adapa is reshaping the mold business — quite literally.
The company claims to be able to replace numerous forms using an adaptive process with one computer-navigated machine that can be reused to create curved parts for buildings, boats, and even planes.
A video clip highlighting the tech touts reduced time, costs, and material waste as big wins for manufacturers.
"The adaptive mold enables production companies to fabricate curved surfaces cost-effectively and allows them to scale production rapidly," per the clip's narrator.
Operators load specs into a computer, which controls the wall-sized contraption. Numerous pistons extend and retract vertically to shape subtle to extreme curves in the material being molded. Ship or plane hulls are good examples of the type of curves the unit can handle. Concrete, thermoplastics, fiberglass, and other composites can also be used, as noted in the clip.
From computer-aided design "to production in no time," the narrator said, adding that a shape can be made in about five minutes. The pistons then recline, ready for the next work order.
"You do not need to wait days or weeks for mold manufacturing," according to the clip.
Waste reduction might be the biggest achievement for sustainability, though the video also notes the shaping of "environmentally friendly materials."
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Since the machine can be reused for thousands of castings, the pile of one-off molds that are typically scrapped can be eliminated for good.
While much attention is given to tech that modernizes our homes and transportation, Adapa's innovation shows how a slick invention can transform a seemingly mundane process. Since the molds can be used repeatedly for many products and parts, the innovation's potential impact spans industries.
"Our engineers will present you with the best solution based on your requirements, any alterations, and final approval," the Adapa team states on the company website.
Adapa was founded in 2010, experiencing leadership changes, gaining certifications, and delivering products along the way. The more recent news on the company-provided timeline includes the acquisition of new dealers in the Americas.
In perhaps the most unique example of the tech's ability, Adapa created 230 internal facade panels inscribed with calligraphy for Dubai's Museum of the Future. The museum is a theater of curved surfaces, a perfect showcase for Adapa.
"Without Adapa, it might have taken a couple of more years to complete the job," Dubai's Advanced Fiberglass Industries, a partner on the project, noted in a testimonial on the mold-maker's website.
Reducing waste is a concept easily applied outside of the production floor. It can start at home by reusing seemingly throwaway objects like glass jars and other containers.
Recycling what you don't need prevents more stuff from piling up in our bulging landfills. In some states, you can even get paid to recycle bottles.
If Adapa's process expands, more of the everyday items we use could one day be made by reusable molds, preventing production waste.
"That has all sorts of potential!" an Instagram user commented on a Freethink video clip of Adapa's machine at work.
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