Tool and die making: the foundation of all industry...including model cars

[Ace-Garageguy]

Although much of this work is now accomplished by CAD and CNC machining (and most of that has been "offshored"), without a pool of very highly skilled people who can do this stuff, "bringing manufacturing back to America" verges on being nothing but a pipedream.

 

[89AKurt]

It's very specialized who is doing machining and tool making now, on shore, firearms for instance, but yes CAD is it.  Thanks for the blast from the past.

[Bugatti Fan]

America's vast industrial might contributed largely to the outcome of WW2.

WW3 anyone?

[stavanzer]

My Father was a Machinist and dabbled in Tool & Die Making after he got out of the Navy in 1962. He liked it well enough but eventually decide to become a Shop Teacher instead. I know he missed doing intricate machine work.

[bobss396]

I am an NTMA alumnus, I took a PAID course with them in 1981, 5 months full time. I was one if the few grads that stuck with it through a full 4 year apprenticeship. 

I had always liked making things, it was a calling for me.

I find it mind blowing on the amount of detail kits had prior to NC and CNC machining.

Older kits, look at the parts trees closely. You can see where parts were added or deleted, where a mold was repaired. Mold repair is another facet of die work. I knew a Hells Angel that made a living at it.

More on the new kits, I saw the re-pop of the AWB Chevelle, just from the layout of the trees I can tell that this was designed via CAD.