Laser Focused on Moldmakers

A new partnership between MC Machinery Systems Inc., wholly owned by Mitsubishi Corp and Matsuura Machinery Corporation of Fukui City, Japan, brings to North America the new LUMEX Avance-25 metal laser sintering hybrid milling machine, which can fabricate molds and dies with very complex geometries in one piece with high accuracy, shortening lead time and reducing manufacturing costs.

3D cooling channels can also be incorporated into molds in the single setup, thereby increasing cooling efficiency and enabling high-cycle injection molding with better than ever quality and precision, reducing costs and improving efficiency, according to the companies.

This machine relies on one-machine, one-process manufacturing of complex molds and parts by fusing metal laser sintering (3D SLS) technology with high-speed milling technology. It enables production of complicated parts through total manufacturing by digital engineering, using 3D data. According to the companies, the machine achieves the highest accuracy in part fabrication since metal powders are melted and sintered via laser, while surfaces are precisely milled at high speeds.

Metal laser sintering and milling technologies working in concert will allow engineers to think outside the box and create unique ideas, potentially triggering a departure from conventional manufacturing.

They report that sales are not limited to mold and die. This machine will serve medical, automotive, aerospace, tool/die and job shop industries.