SLM Solutions Group AG Case Studies 3D-Printing of Tooling Parts

	3D-Printing of Tooling Parts SLM Solutions Group AG

3D-Printing of Tooling Parts

SLM Solutions Group AG

Applicable Industries	Equipment & Machinery
Applicable Functions	Product Research & Development
Use Cases	Additive Manufacturing
Services	Hardware Design & Engineering Services
Challenge	Selective Laser Melting (SLM), an additive manufacturing technology, can be used for the production of tooling components with conformal cooling channels. ABB OY, Drives and Controls, was able to tremendously reduce the cycle time for a cabling grommet due to a redesign and optimization of a tooling insert. The optimized geometry of the part not only reduces the cycle time but also leads to less scrap parts in production. The aim of the case study of implementing conformal cooling for this insert was to improve the efficiency of the production and to increase the product quality resulting in less defective products. Read More
About Customer	ABB is a global leader in power and automation technologies. Based in Zurich, Switzerland, the company employs 145,000 people and operates in approximately 100 countries. Read More
Customer Name	ABB Read More
Solution	For the study, six different channel profiles were designed for the tooling insert, including one resembling a part with conventional cooling to provide a comparison to conventional manufacturing. The channel profiles were optimized for the SLM technology taking into account factors including the angles of surfaces facing down to reduce the need of supports, a minimum wall thickness between channels and the dimensions and shapes of the channels. Before building all the various cooling channel profiles, simulations for water flow and thermal conductivity were carried out and the parts already showed slightly different cooling behavior in the simulations. The utilization of SLM leads to drastic reduction of cycle time and production cost. Achieving a reduction of the cooling time from around 30 seconds to approximately six seconds was able to reduce the cycle time from 60.5 seconds to 14.7 seconds by using the conformal cooling insert in the injection molding tool. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

Applicable Industries

Equipment & Machinery

Applicable Functions

Product Research & Development

Use Cases

Additive Manufacturing

Services

Hardware Design & Engineering Services

Challenge

Selective Laser Melting (SLM), an additive manufacturing technology, can be used for the production of tooling components with conformal cooling channels. ABB OY, Drives and Controls, was able to tremendously reduce the cycle time for a cabling grommet due to a redesign and optimization of a tooling insert. The optimized geometry of the part not only reduces the cycle time but also leads to less scrap parts in production.

The aim of the case study of implementing conformal cooling for this insert was to improve the efficiency of the production and to increase the product quality resulting in less defective products.

About Customer

ABB is a global leader in power and automation technologies. Based in Zurich, Switzerland, the company employs 145,000 people and operates in approximately 100 countries.

Customer Name

ABB

Solution

For the study, six different channel profiles were designed for the tooling insert, including one resembling a part with conventional cooling to provide a comparison to conventional manufacturing. The channel profiles were optimized for the SLM technology taking into account factors including the angles of surfaces facing down to reduce the need of supports, a minimum wall thickness between channels and the dimensions and shapes of the channels. Before building all the various cooling channel profiles, simulations for water flow and thermal conductivity were carried out and the parts already showed slightly different cooling behavior in the simulations.

The utilization of SLM leads to drastic reduction of cycle time and production cost. Achieving a reduction of the cooling time from around 30 seconds to approximately six seconds was able to reduce the cycle time from 60.5 seconds to 14.7 seconds by using the conformal cooling insert in the injection molding tool.

Impact #1	[Efficiency Improvement - Quality Assurance] Less defective products due to more equal cooling on surface.
Impact #2	[Product Improvement - Flexibility] Cooling channels can be used for tempering according to application.

Impact #1

[Efficiency Improvement - Quality Assurance]
Less defective products due to more equal cooling on surface.

Impact #2

[Product Improvement - Flexibility]
Cooling channels can be used for tempering according to application.

Benefit #1	Cooling time of TPE is reduced 80% than with original insert.
Benefit #2	Cycle time is more than 75% shorter than with original insert.
Benefit #3	Savings in production time and cost.

Benefit #1

Cooling time of TPE is reduced 80% than with original insert.

Benefit #2

Cycle time is more than 75% shorter than with original insert.

Benefit #3

Savings in production time and cost.

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Overview

3D-Printing of Tooling Parts

Operational Impact

Quantitative Benefit