Tooling - Ducommun Structures Solutions

Tooling
Structural Systems

Our experience in tool fabrication covers all facets of the trade. Our capabilities include computer aided design (CAD) of simple to complex jigs, fixtures and dies. Ducommun is one of the pioneers in the development of soft tooling, utilizing layers of fiberglass and synthetic resins. We have the ability to achieve the contour and configuration of a component either from a customer furnished master pattern or computer generated loft data (CATIA). Ducommun is known throughout the industry for producing some of the largest ceramic and fiberglass dies. Some of these are in excess of thirty feet long and twelve feet wide.

The success of any production program depends on the quality of the tooling. Our engineering expertise and versatility allow us to successfully transform extremely complex tasks into reality.

Ducommun’s engineering team employs a modern CAD/CAM system that includes an NCL work station, a Gerber Autograph controlled by an HP 1000 computer and two HP plotters with Kennedy 9000 magnetic tape drive for mechanical design and drafting tasks. This system uses IGES (International Graphics Exchange Specification) and has APT (Automated Program Tools) capability. Loft data, contour data, spline and mesh surfaces, or ABC Data Points of XYZ, IJK points are expeditiously converted to graphics.