“Doubling Wealth & Halving Resource Use” in molding factories (4) --- Conformal Cooling

4. Conformal Cooling

As mentioned in my previous article,  the waste of resources in molding factories is a huge area of concern. We believe we can increase resource efficiency by 4-times, over current production methods and habits. But an improvement of this magnitude is too big a task for one company. It requires a group effort.

These complex 3-dimensional channels cannot be created using conventional machining processes. One solution is to implement 3D Printing Technology, which uses a laser to melt metal powder. Please refer to the following articles regarding this technology.

“Dramatic Advancement of Milling-Combined Metal Laser Sintering Technology and its Operational Enhancement”（1）
“Dramatic Advancement of Milling-Combined Metal Laser Sintering Technology and its Operational Enhancement” (2)
“Dramatic Advancement of Milling-Combined Metal Laser Sintering Technology and its Operational Enhancement” (3)

Using these conformal cooling channels can reduce mold cooling times by 33%,
as shown below. That gives a dramatic advantage to users of this technique.

Molding processes using 3-dimensional cooling channels are very complicated. But now we can simulate the effectiveness of a particular mold design before ever cutting any steel. By adopting mold simulation software from companies like 3D Moldex, we can test and revise mold design virtually. Once the design is proven with the software, the tool can be completed using less time and producing better results.

Conformal Cooling not only achieves shorter cycle times, but it can also prevent defects in the molded part. By cooling the mold surface uniformly, warping is practically a thing of the past. Also these types of molds produce product with higher dimensional precision.

When combined with Rapid Heating & Cooling Technology, Conformal Cooling can be used to eliminate the weld lines, sink marks and improve the surface quality.

(To be continued.)