Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs
How do I maintain additive tooling?
Maintaining additive tooling is all about treating the cooling channels with the same precision that you treat the rest of the mold. Conformal Cooling channels typically are not a “set it and forget it” mentality similar to drilled cooling lines. Use fine filtration, monitor flow and pressure, boost flow where needed, and periodically clean via ultrasonic cleaning and in-line descaling. When these steps are built into your preventive maintenance schedule, you mitigate the risk of clogging, scale build-up, and performance degradation over time. Check out this article for the full guide:
https://www.moldmakingtechnology.com/articles/how-to-maintain-additive-tooling-
What materials can you print 3D metal tooling and components in, and how do they perform in production?
Inconel 718, Inconel 625, Titanium 6/4 Grade 23, 2024 Aluminum, 420 Stainless Tool Steel, and 316L & 17-4PH Stainless Steel.
Since we use billet steel as our base metal and are only changing it from billet to powder, there is no change in chemistry. We have found that the 3D printed parts perform just as good or outperform billet steel on durability, longevity, and wear.
Are you able to repair 3D printed metal components?
We have 1 Million shot guarantee or it’s free on all of our tooling which means that the wear and longevity is excellent. For wear repair or engineering changes, the metal can be welded using the same base material with excellent results.
How much faster can I run the molds compared to conventional tooling?
While every project scope varies greatly, the typical payback on a conformal cooling project for savings would be 2-6 months payback.
What would be the expected cost savings for an additive manufactured component compared to conventional?
While every project scope varies greatly, the typical payback on a conformal cooling project for savings would be 2-6 months payback.
What is the expected tool life compared to traditional inserts?
Tool life of conformal/additive inserts depends on the application and materials in many Conformal Cooling applications, it is comparable to traditional inserts when the additive part is built in appropriate tool steels. For very high-wear locations (abrasive or highly erosive polymer/conditions) our 420 stainless steel coupled with our proprietary heat treat process results in extremely high wear tooling that is capable of exceeding that of billet steel inserts. The key consideration is not only to cool the part detail but also the wear areas to avoid thermal expansion that causes wear of mating steel components.