Case Study: Trinity Forge achieves faster, more accurate die and mold design with 3D Systems' Geomagic reverse-engineering and 3D inspection

Trinity Forge Improves Die and Mold Designs with Reverse Engineering and 3D Inspection

Trinity Forge, a precision-focused closed-die forge in Mansfield, Texas serving aerospace, military and industrial customers, needed faster, more accurate ways to reverse-engineer legacy patterns, inspect dies, and track die wear to support complex die and mold work. Manual trial‑and‑error setups, lengthy waits for material sizing and plaster casts, and difficulty validating worn dies were slowing production and risking die life and quality.

By adopting a FARO Laser ScanArm with Geomagic Design X and Geomagic Control, Trinity now scans dies and patterns to create precise CAD models, compare die‑to‑die wear, validate CNC machining against Creo models, and feed accurate geometry into forming simulations. The workflow cut weeks from material‑sizing lead times, saved roughly three hours per setup (about $5,000 in avoided tryouts), eliminated 4–8 hours of downtime per cast, enabled design changes based on wear data, and streamlined inspection and machining validation across the shop.

Trinity Forge

Todd Sheppard

Vice President Quality, and Engineering