With the continuous development of intelligent driving and autonomous driving technology, automotive radar modules have become one of the indispensable safety system components of modern cars. Automotive radar modules are mainly used to sense and monitor the environment around the car, providing vehicle positioning, obstacle detection, collision warning and other functions. In this process, prototype molds play a vital role in the design, prototype testing and small-batch production of radar modules.
Radar modules usually contain multiple small and precise electronic components, such as sensors, signal processing units, radio frequency circuits, antennas, etc. These components need to be installed in an external protective shell to ensure the normal operation of the radar, and at the same time have anti-interference, anti-vibration and anti-climate change characteristics. Since radar modules have extremely high requirements for precision and durability, prototype molds play an important role in the development process.
Manufacturing requirements for automotive radar module prototype molds
a. High precision
The size and surface finish of the radar module shell are very high to ensure that the electronic components in the module can be accurately installed, and the shell design must ensure the optimal transmission of radar signals.
b. Material selection
The radar module shell material needs to have good electromagnetic wave transmittance, and also have the characteristics of high temperature resistance and corrosion resistance. Commonly used materials include polycarbonate (PC), ABS plastic, aluminum alloy, etc. The prototype mold needs to select the appropriate material for rapid prototyping according to the design requirements.
c. Rapid prototyping
During the manufacturing process of the prototype mold, the production cycle needs to be shortened as much as possible to support the rapid prototyping needs of automobile manufacturers. Common rapid prototyping technologies include 3D printing, CNC processing, vacuum casting, etc. These technologies can effectively shorten the mold manufacturing time and reduce development costs.
d. Anti-interference and environmental adaptability testing
The shell of the radar module not only needs good physical protection, but also has a certain electromagnetic shielding capability to prevent external electromagnetic waves from interfering with the radar signal. Therefore, the manufacturing process of the prototype mold also needs to take into account these special functional requirements to ensure the stable operation of the radar module in various extreme environments.
Advantages of prototype molds in radar module development
Shorten the development cycle: Through rapid prototyping, engineers can verify the design of the radar module in a short time, reducing the long waiting period that may exist in traditional development methods.
Reduce development costs: Prototype molds can test different design schemes without the need for large-scale production, help optimize the production process, and reduce development costs.
Support small batch production: For some special models or high-end models, the demand for radar modules may not be high. Prototype molds support small batch production and flexibly respond to market demand.
As the automotive industry's demand for autonomous driving and intelligent safety systems continues to grow, the technology of radar modules is also constantly improving. In the future, radar modules may be more integrated and multifunctional, and the requirements for hand-type molds will also be more refined. In this case, the prototype mold will need to support more complex designs, covering the packaging and protection of more electronic components.