Abstract
For the machining of elastomers, the mold tool is usually employed. However, fabrication of the mold tool is expensive and time-consuming process. So, the method is unsuitable for small lot production. Elastomer machining by endmilling can be an effective approach because of its flexibility. The objective of the research is to realize a high-precision elastomer machining in small lot production. At the milling of elastomer, it is very important to control the deformation of to workpiece. Dedicated supporttools for each machining step can help to control the deformation. Rapid prototyping technology enablesto realize the fabrication of dedicated support tools. Experimental results of elastomer machining are described in this paper. The results show the proposed method is a promising approach.
