GF Machining Solutions

EDM I Milling I Laser Texturing I Tooling & Automation I Customer Service

Seamless Process Creates The Impossible Cooling Channel

When it comes to injection and blow mold tooling, the cooler the better, and cooling channels are what keep tooling temperatures in check. Optimized cooling channels improve mold product quality, extend mold tooling life and increase the efficiency of the overall molding process.

However, there are mold shapes that can make ma-chining optimized tool cooling channels impossible. A perfect example would be the cylindrical shaped molds used to produce golf balls. Optimal cooling channels in tooling for these molds would be ones that would mirror or conform to the cylindrical shape of the mold cavity.

Conventional machining methods would come up short for producing such a cooling channel pattern – angled holes would basically be the only option. But thanks to a multiple-machine mold tooling manufac-turing process that combines Direct Metal Laser Sin-

In the multiple machine process chain, the DMLS sys-tem creates the steel mold complete with conformal cooling channels and the fixturing needed for all suc-cessive stages of machining. This mold then moves through the secondary portion of the process chain that involves the high-speed milling machine and the EDM processes, both die-sinking and wire types.

A significant advantage of DMLS is that it produces a near-net part, in one operation, that is ready for sec-ondary finishing. Single fixturing systems are then used for all secondary operations to reduce manual benchworking and ensure surface finishes are accu-rate to within 3 to 5 microns. The process minimizes scrap by eliminating many of the progressive opera-tions involved in subtractive toolmaking processes that start with a block of raw material.

For refining the DMLS part surface finish, the mold transfers to the high-speed milling machine that cuts the mold’s parting line for a flash-free (no leakage) surface and finish cuts other molding surface areas. Then the mold transfers, using the same fixturing as used by the high-speed mill, to a die sinking EDM that finish cuts inside mold cavities. A wire EDM cuts off the mold fixturing, and the mold is ready for produc-tion use.

All the operations – DMLS, high-speed milling, and EDM – within the mold manufacturing process run simultaneously. And, the incorporation of pallet work holding plays a key role in helping to reduce overall

tering (DMLS), high-speed five-axis machining, and Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM), producing con-formal-cooled molds has become a practically seam-less automatic process.

This manufacturing process chain is one that runs virtually unbroken from design to finished product. Machines used in the process are networked together and operate from the same 3D CAD model data from start-to-finish to increase accuracy and reduce set-up times. Moldmakers can basically work from a 3D model and build a mold insert around it with perfectly located conformed cooling channels.

Conformal-cooled molds are already well established and have enabled many high-end manufacturers to reduce part-production cycle times by as much as 20 percent. Such DMLS-manufactured molds improve product quality and promote longer tool life, and the optimized cooling increases the efficiency of the whole molding process as well. For large-volume pro-duction, the resulting time and cost savings—as well as carbon footprint reduction—are considerable.

There are many documented success stories from moldmakers benefitting by using DMLS to create molds that employ conformal cooling channels. But partnered with high-speed milling and EDM within one manufacturing chain, allows DMLS to be more easily implemented, especially by those manufacturers run-ning high-volume injection and blow molding opera-tions.

process time.

Instead of manually mounting parts, the DMLS ma-chine builds “pallets” out of steel powder as part of the mold insert. By doing so, parts are positioned ac-curately as they effortlessly transfer from the high-speed milling machine to the EDMs. After use as work holding, these pallets are simply cut off at the end of the process

About GF Machining SolutionsGF Machining Solutions is the North American lead-ing supplier of laser ablation centers, wire EDM, CNC and manual diesinking systems and high speed/per-formance and 5-axis CNC milling machines. For more information on the company’s products and services, contact Gisbert Ledvon, GF Machining Solutions, 560 Bond St., Lincolnshire, IL 60069-4224, Tel: 1-800-CTC-1EDM. Gisbert.Ledvon@georgfischer.com, Fax: 847-913-5340, or visit http://www.gfms.com/us.

About EOSEOS was founded in 1989 and is today the world-lead-ing manufacturer of laser-sintering systems. La-ser-sintering is the key technology for e-Manufactur-ing, the fast, flexible and cost-effective production of products, patterns and tools. The technology man-ufactures parts for every phase of the product life cycle, directly from electronic data. Laser-sintering accelerates product development and optimizes pro-duction processes. EOS completed its business year 2008/2009 with revenues of 60 million Euros. The company employs 300 people worldwide, 250 of them in Krailling near Munich, Germany. For more informa-tion visit www.eos.info.

Example of conformal cooling chanels in a mold

GF Machining Solutions

Your Contact

GF Machining Solutions560 Bond St.Lincolnshire, IL 60069USA

Website: www.gfms.com/usPhone: 847.913.5300Email: info.gfms.us@georgfischer.com

Facebook: facebook.com/gfmachiningsolutionsTwitter: twitter.com/gfms_usYoutube: youtube.com/agiecharmilles