Plastic Molded Parts

[[To...]]

I'd like to hear how some of you guy that deal with plastic molded parts. In particular, dealing with draft angles, which I understand is necessary for molding parts. For example, a cylindrical-ish part, on the X axis. The end face is a cone with a 178° included angle or 1° draft angle. This end face is Datum A for many of the GD&T Profile and True Position call outs on the part. If I extract the feature, it is a cone. In the Base Alignment or in the characteristics, do you guys use this cone as your spatial and X origin or Primary Datum, or do you create a plane and use it for for everything. I am considering using a 3d Best Fit Alignment for my Base Alignment.

There are several cavities on the part that are using Surface Profile to ABC. Do prefer to use FreeForm and scan all-over or do you just use Space Points and Space Point Distances. I would lean towards Space Points due to time. I am considering even using Free Form but using touch point strategies. That way I get the benefit of tolerancing multiple face profiles and the speed of touch points.

I'd really like hear what is "common" practice in the molding industry.

[[Da...]]

Tom, I can't get my head together to throw more info, but I want to warn you about using cone as primary in base alignment. It can/will cause trouble like turning things around occasionally.