Atomic revolutionizing part and mold making with AI and LS Mtron

A Michigan startup is leveraging AI-designed molds in a bid to “commoditize” tool building and optimize parts in the process.

Atomic Industries, based in Warren, Michigan, already has more than a dozen customers who are embracing Atomic’s mission to use cutting-edge digital manufacturing tools to make the best molds possible — faster and more inexpensively.

That value proposition is, of course, highly attractive to Atomic customers in the automotive, medical, electronics and packaging industries.

It starts with AI-designed molds with features optimized for each part. To achieve this, Atomic has partnered with LS Mtron, which has outfitted the injection molding machines (IMM) Atomic uses with 46 I/O ports to capture and leverage a wealth of process data.

“Our long-term the vision is to use this technology to change the way parts are made – because ultimately the most important part of widget production is the mold,” asserted Atomic co-founder Lou Young. “Our goal is to commoditize the mold-building process, so when we quote a project we’ll only be quoting a part price – the cost of the mold will be rolled into that cost.”

Proving the concept

Atomic will go a step farther than optimizing mold making by showing how the rubber hits the road – how those purpose-built tools produce better parts.

“The only way to get an industry to shift is to show them that it's shifting,” Young asserted. “It's going to be important for us to show how this technology is impacting production of plastic parts. In what we call our test-bed facility, we're cranking out injection tools, training our software and building molds that are being designed by our software. We'll probably have another test bed facility that will show real-world production programs running AI so we can measure the impact that the tools that we built had on production ­– and measuring that we're winning business with that model.”

The paradigm shift for the automotive industry will be especially notable, Young added.

“In the industry now, when an automaker is kicking off an A pillar, they have 20 or 30 people around the room going, ‘Here's where we want the gates’ for one little plastic part. And the car has thousands of plastic parts in it. The AI-designed injection mold we’re building is going to have the best gate location possible for that part, the best waterline design. You won’t need 30 people sitting around a table to make sure it runs right. It's just going to run right. That mindset will start to shift.”

So fully is Atomic embracing the AI future that it recently expanded its scope to provide finished parts and is already seeking additional production space.

Partnership with LS Mtron

Joining Atomic in its quest is Korea’s leading injection molding supplier, LS Mtron, which is rapidly expanding its footprint in the United States. Because of its cutting-edge machinery, LS Mtron is the perfect partner, said Peter Gardner, president of LS Mtron Injection Molding Machine USA.

Atomic has purchased four LS Mtron machines to date: 240- and 500-ton all-electric IMMS, as well as 240- and 1,000-ton machines.

“Atomic has required all new machine tools and IMMs for mold testing,” Gardner explained, “and they were quite excited when one of their consultants said they had never heard of a molding machine with more than 16 inputs and output for the machine to give and take information. The machine Atomic bought from us came with 46 I/Os — which provides tremendous opportunities to monitor our machine and gather the data they require to optimize the performance of their molds. They’re really taking this to the next level, from building the mold to running it.”

The I/Os “are working great and providing the data our software engineers need,” Young attested.

LS Mtron has “given us all the technology possible. We need a work cell to drive the cost of tooling to where it's like a commodity. We're driving the pain and heartache out of the whole process so you don't even think about it anymore – you just order the widget.”

Real-time feedback for better parts

The array of I/Os on LS Mtron’s presses feed data back through Atomic’s molds as the presses run. That data confirms the tools were made correctly – or sparks a change in the design algorithm.

Real-time inputs quickly convey issues, like “we thought this ejector pin was going to be pushing this hard but it didn't push anything,” Young explained, “or we thought the cooling of the part in this area would be affected more by this waterline than it was. As that data comes in, our software team will tweak the models.”

Other process indicators, such as how a part warped, “helps us just get more insight into how much the water and the gate location and fiber orientation affected outcomes so we can make better design decisions in that injection.”

That information can add further value to customers by informing better part design, Young continued.

“The ultimate mold for that particular part file might not be as great as everyone thinks because there are problems with the part design. It's going to be warped, and it's still going to be a minute and a half cycle time; that is as good as it's going to get with that part design. So you need to go back and change the part – because even with the best-designed mold, you're still outside spec. Getting that data and that information back is super valuable.”

World of possibilities

AI can gather knowledge from reams of moldmakers’ insights, combing the internet for data on best practices, explained Paul Caprio, president of sales for LS Mtron Injection Molding Machine USA.

“Atomic is a tech company that intends to turn the moldmaking industry on its ear,” Caprio enthused. “They employ lots of software engineers to realize their three main objectives — which many would say is impossible.”

He illustrated just one of many ways Atomic and the AI revolution will change the molding industry.

“A mold shop engineer will look at a part design today and say, ‘I know where the water line should be because of my experience.’ Atomic is going to the cloud, where countless mold makers have documented where the water line should be — and that’s a much better, faster way of determining the best water line location.”

That’s why globally recognized brands are turning to Atomic — and why Atomic is relying on the reliability and repeatability of LS Mtron IMMs.

“They’ve got companies saying, ‘We want you to build our molds’ — and they have to be the best quality, with the best delivery and the lowest price.”

LS Mtron and Atomic are tentatively planning a “Tech Days Event” in early 2025 to showcase their partnership and how it’s bringing Atomic’s game-changing, AI-fueled approach to injection molding.

About LS Mtron Injection Molding Machines

LS Mtron is part of the LS Group, a South Korean-based conglomerate with over 25,000 employees, annual revenues of over $30 billion and profit of approximately $1 billion. LS Mtron Injection Molding Machines (LS IMM), a division of LS Mtron, was started in 1969 by South Korean tech giant LG Corporation, one of the world’s largest plastic molders. Founded initially to satisfy their own production needs for injection molded components used in their world-famous TVs, appliances, electronics, and other products, today LS IMM produces around 3,000 machines per year, not only for use by our network of LS-related and LG-founded companies but also for thousands of molders around the world.

Beginning with the development of Korea’s first injection molding machines, LS IMM prides itself on quality, service and fast deliveries. The combined strength of the LS family of companies allows us to solve many of the world’s supply-chain challenges.

Because of this, LS IMM can provide new custom molding machines to our customers in North America in just 100 days from casting to cargo, or even faster from our stocked inventory.