Engineering Standard V3.2

Design For
Manufacturing.

SODA leverages proprietary Sacrificial Tooling technology. This allows for geometries impossible with traditional steel molds. While we encourage optimized designs for cost efficiency, our process is flexible enough to handle complex features with engineering review.

01. Optimization Guidelines

Instant Quote (Optimized)

Designs that follow these standards can be processed by our automated engine instantly. These parts are typically cheaper as they utilize standard reusable mold geometries.

  • POSITIVE DRAFT (1-2°)
  • LINE OF DRAW (No Trapped Volumes)
  • OPEN GEOMETRY

Engineering Review (Complex)

We can manufacture parts with negative drafts or undercuts by utilizing sacrificial (break-away) tooling. These designs simply require a manual review to ensure the tooling strategy is viable.

  • ZERO OR NEGATIVE DRAFT
  • UNDERCUTS / OVERHANGS
  • CLOSED TUBING

Draft Angle

EJECTION

While we can handle 0° or negative drafts via sacrificial tooling, a positive draft is always preferred for surface finish quality.

Ideal 1.0° - 2.0°
Supported Any (w/ Review)

Undercuts

GEOMETRY

Deep recesses or overhangs are possible. Our tooling can be destroyed after molding to release trapped features.

Standard Line of Draw
Complex Supported*
*May incur higher tooling costs

Thickness

STRUCTURE

Design walls appropriate for your chosen aesthetic. Weaves are layered; Forged is volumetric.

Weaves Layer-Based
Forged Variable

02. Hollow Structures

Recommended Architecture

For enclosed volumes (tubes, tanks, frames), we strongly recommend a **Split-Mold Strategy**.

By designing your part as two separate shells (A-Side and B-Side), we can mold them rapidly and bond them with structural adhesive. This is often faster and more precise than bladder molding.

Design Tip: Lap Joints

Avoid butt joints. Design an overlapping flange (Joggle) where one shell nests inside the other. This increases bond surface area and ensures perfect alignment during assembly.

   CROSS-SECTION VIEW (Split Shell)
   
      SHELL A (TOP)
   __________________
  /                  \
 |                    |
 |___              ___|
     |   BOND     |
     |   AREA     |     <-- Overlapping Flange
   __|__      ____|__
  |                  |
  |                  |
  \__________________/
  
     SHELL B (BOTTOM)
SODA COMPOSITES

Schiff On-Demand Accelerated Composites.
Precision manufacturing for the modern age.

Contact

4400 Log Cabin Ln
Cookeville, TN 38506
Support@SodaComposites.com
(931) 284-8454

Hours

Mon - Fri: 8 AM - 5 PM
Sat - Sun: Closed

Information

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