UNIT -6UNIT -6

Rapid ToolingRapid Tooling

11

Copper polyamideCopper polyamide

Copper polyamide is a new Copper polyamide is a new metal plastic metal plastic compositecomposite designed for short run tooling designed for short run tooling applications (100 to 400 parts) from applications (100 to 400 parts) from common plastics.common plastics.

Tooling inserts are produced directly in Tooling inserts are produced directly in the the SLS machineSLS machine with a layer thickness with a layer thickness of 75 µm.of 75 µm.

22

Subsequent Subsequent finishing is necessaryfinishing is necessary before before their integration in the tool base.their integration in the tool base.

No furnace cycleNo furnace cycle is required and is required and unfinished tool insert can be produced in a unfinished tool insert can be produced in a dayday..

During the CAD stage, Copper polyamide During the CAD stage, Copper polyamide inserts a shelled and cooling lines, ejector inserts a shelled and cooling lines, ejector pin guides, gates and runners are included pin guides, gates and runners are included in the design and built directly during the in the design and built directly during the SLS process.SLS process.

33

Then the insert surface are Then the insert surface are sealed with sealed with epoxy epoxy and and finished with sand paper finished with sand paper and finally the shell inserts are and finally the shell inserts are packed packed up with a metal alloyup with a metal alloy..

44

AdvantagesAdvantages

Inserts produced from copper polyamide Inserts produced from copper polyamide are are easy to machine and finisheasy to machine and finish..

Heat resistantHeat resistant and and thermal thermal conductivity conductivity are better in most plastic are better in most plastic tooling materials.tooling materials.

The The cycle times of moulds cycle times of moulds employing employing copper polyamide inserts are similar to copper polyamide inserts are similar to those of metal tooling.those of metal tooling.

55

Direct Metal Laser Direct Metal Laser SinteringSintering

66

Working principle:Working principle:

Direct Metal Laser Sintering is an Direct Metal Laser Sintering is an additive manufacturing process that uses additive manufacturing process that uses a laser beam to fabricate metal parts by a laser beam to fabricate metal parts by sintering of metal powders smeared on a sintering of metal powders smeared on a substrate with recoater system.substrate with recoater system.

77

Salient features of Direct Metal Salient features of Direct Metal Laser Sintering Machine:Laser Sintering Machine:

Make and model:Make and model: EOSINT M250 x-tended rapid prototyping EOSINT M250 x-tended rapid prototyping

machine made in Germany.machine made in Germany. Laser used is carbon dioxide which is 240 Laser used is carbon dioxide which is 240

watts.watts. Build size is 250x250x150 mmBuild size is 250x250x150 mm33.. Metal Powder is steel , Bronze, Nickel, titanium.Metal Powder is steel , Bronze, Nickel, titanium. Surface roughness: 10 microns.Surface roughness: 10 microns.

88

Dimensional Accuracy : -+ 100 microns.Dimensional Accuracy : -+ 100 microns. Hardness is 40-45 HRC.Hardness is 40-45 HRC. Porosity less than 0.5%.Porosity less than 0.5%. Tooling for plastic moulds: Tool life upto 10 lakh Tooling for plastic moulds: Tool life upto 10 lakh

parts.parts. Tooling for die casting: tool life upto 5000 parts.Tooling for die casting: tool life upto 5000 parts. Layer Thickness is 0.1 mm.Layer Thickness is 0.1 mm. Laser Beam diameter is 0.4 mm.Laser Beam diameter is 0.4 mm. Layer thickness 20-40 microns.Layer thickness 20-40 microns.

99

Post Processing:Post Processing:

Short peening and polishing to improve Short peening and polishing to improve surface finish.surface finish.

Infiltration with high temperature epoxy Infiltration with high temperature epoxy resin to reduce porosity.resin to reduce porosity.

Conventional machining, threading, Conventional machining, threading, milling etc.milling etc.

1010

1111

DMLS APPLICATIONS

Metal Parts Dies and Moulds New Materials

Functional Testing

Form and Fit

Plastic Moulding Die Casting Investment

Casting Rubber Moulding Metal Stamping

Metal Matrix Alloys

LENS (Laser Engineering LENS (Laser Engineering Net Shaping) OR DMDNet Shaping) OR DMD

LENS is an LENS is an additive manufacturing additive manufacturing process process that uses the high power laser that uses the high power laser to fabricate fully dense parts by melting to fabricate fully dense parts by melting metal powders feed through the nozzles.metal powders feed through the nozzles.

1212

The LENS process is unique since it The LENS process is unique since it goes from goes from raw materials directly to raw materials directly to metal parts metal parts without any secondary without any secondary operations.operations.

It can produce parts in a wide range of It can produce parts in a wide range of alloys, including titanium, stainless steel, alloys, including titanium, stainless steel, aluminum, Inconel.aluminum, Inconel.

1313

The LENS uses The LENS uses 4 nozzles to make 3 4 nozzles to make 3 dimensional, high densitydimensional, high density, parts and , parts and molds from the inside out.molds from the inside out.

The nozzles direct a The nozzles direct a stream of metal stream of metal powder in argon gaspowder in argon gas at a movable central at a movable central point while a point while a high-powered laserhigh-powered laser beam beam heats the point. heats the point.

Throughout the process, the substrate Throughout the process, the substrate continuously moves, guided by continuously moves, guided by datadata derived from a thin layer of derived from a thin layer of a CAD solid a CAD solid model.model.

1414

Layer by layer the nozzles and laser Layer by layer the nozzles and laser worked together to gradually build up the worked together to gradually build up the model.model.

1515

Features:Features:

Make and Model: DMD 1050 5 axis rapid Make and Model: DMD 1050 5 axis rapid prototyping machine POM Incorporations prototyping machine POM Incorporations USA.USA.

Laser type is diode with power of 1000WLaser type is diode with power of 1000W Build Size is 300x200x300 mm3.Build Size is 300x200x300 mm3. Metal Powder Stainless Steel, Metal Powder Stainless Steel,

titanium ,cermets ,ion, super alloys.titanium ,cermets ,ion, super alloys. 5 axis metal deposition capability.5 axis metal deposition capability.

1616

DMD cam software for 5 axis deposition power DMD cam software for 5 axis deposition power generation.generation.

Closed loop feedback system to monitor the layer Closed loop feedback system to monitor the layer thickness.thickness.

DMD vision system for image capturing and DMD vision system for image capturing and automatic NC tool path generation.automatic NC tool path generation.

Integrated DMD data base technology for process Integrated DMD data base technology for process parameters.parameters.

Pyrometer for melt cool temperature measurement.Pyrometer for melt cool temperature measurement.

1717

AdvantagesAdvantages

Good grain structure.Good grain structure. Good metallurgical properties at Good metallurgical properties at

reasonable speeds.reasonable speeds. Fully dense Parts are obtained.Fully dense Parts are obtained.

1818

DMD APPLICATIONSDMD APPLICATIONS Conformal coolingConformal cooling

Die CastingDie Casting Plastic Injection MouldsPlastic Injection Moulds

1919

Hard Facing /CoatingHard Facing /Coating Oil IndustriesOil Industries Wood IndustriesWood Industries StampingStamping TrimmingTrimming ForgingForging

2020

RemanufacturingRemanufacturing Turbine ComponentsTurbine Components Large Components with large lead timeLarge Components with large lead time Expensive ComponentsExpensive Components

Special Applications Special Applications Lattice StructuresLattice Structures Valve Seat CladdingValve Seat Cladding

2121

PROMETAL SYSTEMSPROMETAL SYSTEMS

Prometal systems are directed towards Prometal systems are directed towards building building injection tools and dies injection tools and dies as the as the powder used is steel based which is powder used is steel based which is durable enough to durable enough to withstand high withstand high pressure and temperaturepressure and temperature. The model . The model is built from bottom to top with layers is built from bottom to top with layers printed in the shape of crossection of printed in the shape of crossection of parts. parts.

2222

The resulting green model is then The resulting green model is then sintered and infiltrated sintered and infiltrated with bronze to with bronze to give the part dexterity and full density. give the part dexterity and full density. The pro metal systems is one of the few The pro metal systems is one of the few rapid prototyping techniques to have rapid prototyping techniques to have metal material capability of 3D printing metal material capability of 3D printing process incorporated in the pro metal process incorporated in the pro metal system.system.

2323

Prometal system hardware:Prometal system hardware: Build and feed piston Build and feed piston These pistons provide build area and These pistons provide build area and

supply material for constructing parts. The supply material for constructing parts. The build piston lowers as part layers are build piston lowers as part layers are printed while the feed piston raises to printed while the feed piston raises to provide a layer by layer supply of new provide a layer by layer supply of new materials. This provides z-motion of the part materials. This provides z-motion of the part build.build.

2424

Print GantryPrint Gantry The printed gantry provide x,y motion of part The printed gantry provide x,y motion of part

building process. It houses print head wiper for building process. It houses print head wiper for powder landscaping and the layer drying unit.powder landscaping and the layer drying unit.

Powder overflow systemPowder overflow system The powder overflow system is an opening The powder overflow system is an opening

opposite the feed piston where excess powder opposite the feed piston where excess powder scrap across the build piston is collected.scrap across the build piston is collected.

2525

Software:Software:

The prometal starts with standard STL The prometal starts with standard STL file format, which is imported in to the file format, which is imported in to the prometal software where it is sliced and prometal software where it is sliced and placed in an orientation with the shortest placed in an orientation with the shortest z-height. This has fastest build capability z-height. This has fastest build capability like other rapid prototyping system in x-y like other rapid prototyping system in x-y direction. The part can be manually direction. The part can be manually reoriented if necessary. reoriented if necessary.

2626

Machine Preparation for Machine Preparation for build:build:

Check powder at the feed piston.Check powder at the feed piston. Check whether wiper blade has Check whether wiper blade has

landscape build area.landscape build area. Check binder fill and take up.Check binder fill and take up. Excess powder should be vacuumed Excess powder should be vacuumed

away around the builder gantry.away around the builder gantry. Lubricate parts of the system regularly.Lubricate parts of the system regularly.

2727

Build Technique:Build Technique: The prometal builds parts in layer by layer The prometal builds parts in layer by layer

fashion. The following is the general fashion. The following is the general description of part build process.description of part build process.

The bottom crossection of the part is printed The bottom crossection of the part is printed on the 1on the 1stst layer of the powder The jets prints in layer of the powder The jets prints in y direction as gantry moves in the printer head y direction as gantry moves in the printer head width increments in x direction.width increments in x direction.

  2828

When layer is printed the gantry remains in When layer is printed the gantry remains in the left side of the table while the build area the left side of the table while the build area piston lowers the slice thickness amount.piston lowers the slice thickness amount.

The feed piston raises by small amount The feed piston raises by small amount and the gantry sweeps across part bed and and the gantry sweeps across part bed and over flow, spreading across a new layer of over flow, spreading across a new layer of powder ,with excess powder been captured powder ,with excess powder been captured in overflow.in overflow.

2929

The next layer is printed and the process The next layer is printed and the process is repeated until it reaches the top layer is repeated until it reaches the top layer of part.of part.

3030

Post Processing:Post Processing: The following are the post processing The following are the post processing

steps for the part to be infiltrated with steps for the part to be infiltrated with bronze, the typical infiltration method.bronze, the typical infiltration method.

Powder Removal:Powder Removal: Excess powder must be removed by Excess powder must be removed by

brushing, vacuuming.brushing, vacuuming.

3131

Thermal cycle 1: SinteringThermal cycle 1: Sintering Once powder is removed from the part it is Once powder is removed from the part it is

placed in the owen and heated to a temperature placed in the owen and heated to a temperature high enough to burn off the polymeric binder.high enough to burn off the polymeric binder.

Thermal Cycle 2: InfiltrationThermal Cycle 2: Infiltration The part is cycled in a furnace again only this The part is cycled in a furnace again only this

time, bronze is melted and wicked into steel time, bronze is melted and wicked into steel skeleton until a fully dense part is created with skeleton until a fully dense part is created with 60% steel and 40% bronze.60% steel and 40% bronze.

3232

Finishing:Finishing: Depending on the application of the Depending on the application of the

component finishing can be done with component finishing can be done with conventional machining, polishing and conventional machining, polishing and sanding technique to the desired quality.sanding technique to the desired quality.

3333

Uses of Prometal:Uses of Prometal:

Used in manufacturing environment.Used in manufacturing environment. Moulds are used in conventional injection Moulds are used in conventional injection

moulding process as they are steel moulding process as they are steel based materials.based materials.

Parts are used in injection moulding Parts are used in injection moulding extrusion dies, direct metal parts blow extrusion dies, direct metal parts blow moulding patterns.moulding patterns.

3434

Advantages:Advantages: Capacity to fabricate direct metal parts Capacity to fabricate direct metal parts

from the CAD data.from the CAD data.

Disadvantage:Disadvantage: Post processing is required.Post processing is required. Product time is long.Product time is long. Chances of part deformation during Chances of part deformation during

thermal cycle. thermal cycle. 3535

Direct Metal:- The capability of a RP Direct Metal:- The capability of a RP system to fabricate components with system to fabricate components with metallic based materialsmetallic based materials

3636

Green Form:- A soft unfinished Green Form:- A soft unfinished component that requires additional heat component that requires additional heat treatment in order to achieve full strength treatment in order to achieve full strength and densityand density

3737

3838