Die-Cast Mold Conformal Cooling Achieved Through Hybrid Multi-Material 3D Printer

DMG MORI’s Lasertec 65 DED hybrid machine, which combines additive manufacturing (AM) with milling capabilities, provides many opportunities for mold and die repair, as well as the manufacture of new molds.

The Lasertec 65 DED hybrid features a five-axis controlled laser deposition welding in machining centers, with an X-, Y- and Z-axis travel of 28.9", 25.6" and 22", respectively. It provides closed-loop process monitoring and adaptive process control. The system also offers user-friendly and specifically developed software with operator-orientated user interface and CELOS integration.

DMG MORI demonstrates its capabilities in mold and die with multi-material mold applications (photo), manufactured with conformal cooling channels in a single operation. Due to the system’s hybrid capabilities, DMG MORI notes that conformal cooling without any straight drilling and sealing points can be achieved. The powder material is switched in each layer to coat the copper core with tool steel. The result is a die-cast mold with the same tool life as the original part and significantly improved tool performance and quality.

Moreover, the resulting part is said to feature higher quality with less pores, resulting in better mechanical properties and higher pressure tightness, without any need to modify the die-cast process.