Conversion of Rapid Prototyping Models into Metallic Tools by Ceramic Moulding—an Indirect Rapid Tooling Process

A process to convert models made by rapid prototypi ng techniques like SL (stereolitography) and LOM (laminated object manufacturing) or by conventional techniques (silicones, resins, wax, etc.) into metallic mould s or tools has been developed. The main purpose of this technique is to rapidly obtain the first prototypes of parts, for plastics injection, forging or any oth er manufacturing process using the tools produced by casting a metal into a cera mic mould. Briefly, it can be said that the ceramic moulds are produced by mixing in variab le proportions, depending on the type of ceramics employed, strength and roughne ss desired, a ceramic mixture composed by alumina and/or zirconium silicates bon ded with silica coming from a liquid binder, based on ethyl silicate. A catalyst is added to the slurry in order to produce a sol-gel reaction. The liquid slur ry is poured into the box containing the mould to be reproduced. After a short p eriod of time, controlled by the amount of gelling agent, the ceramic mixture ac quires a rubber consistency. The pattern is removed from the ceramic mould, whic h is fired to stop the gelation reaction. After this stabilization the ceramic m ould is sintered at high temperatures in order to generate an inert mould wi th the desired strength in which almost all metallic alloys can be cast. The effect of ceramic materials (shape, granulometric distribution, chemical com position, etc.), processing parameters (proportion binder/ceramic/catalyst, sint ering conditions, etc.) and casting conditions (mould pre-heating temperature a nd pouring temperature) were studied in order to obtain metallic moulds or tools with tailored properties (high dimensional accuracy, low roughness and high mec hanical strength).

Rapid Tooling-Rapid Abrading Process Integratedwith Rapid Prototyping

The paper is to outline a new process for manufacturing rapid graphite electrode. It detailsthe steps in Providing integration with Rapid Prototyping (RP) into rapid electrode abrading Process.The key to this combination is the successful model or patted creating using the RP technology.Significantly reduced lead-time, shortened learns curve, lowered revision changes cost and eliminatedor reduced mold polishing are the consequent results. high quality Electrical Discharge Machining(EDM) electrodes are sometimes difficult to be manufactured rapidly and are very time-consumingby conventional methods, even using Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machines. Abradingprovides a simple way to create etuemely detailed and complex electrode to make molds in toolingmaking industries. Integration with the rapid development of the Rapid Prototyping & Manufacturing(RP&M) technology, the rapid electrode abrading process has been regarded as one of the majorbreakthrough in tooling making technology.

Design and Manufacture of a Wax Injection Tool for Investment Casting Using Rapid Tooling

A rapid wax injection tool of a gearbox shift fork was designed, simulated, and manufactured using rapid prototyping and rapid tooling technology to save time and cost of producing wax models used for the investment casting process. CAE simulation softwares, in particular, MoldFlow, are used to get wax injection moulding parameters such as filling parameters, temperature profiles, freeze time, speed, and pressure. The results of this research were compared with conventional wax model production methods. The criteria of such comparison were based upon parameters such as time, cost, and other related characteristics, which resulted in saving of 50% in time and 60% in cost. In this research, design, assembly, and wax injection operation of the wax tool took 10 days. Considering the fact that wax melting temperature is as low as 70℃ and injection pressure of 0.5 MPa, the tool suffers no damage due to the thermal and pressure stresses, leading to the mass production of wax models.

Cycle Time Reduction in Injection Molding by Using Milled Groove Conformal Cooling

This paper presents simulation study on Milled Grooved conformal cooling channels(MGCCC)in injection molding.MGCCC has a more effective cooling surface area which helps to provide efficient cooling as compared to conventional cooling.A case study of Encloser part is investigated for cycle time reduction and quality improvement.The performance designs of straight drilled are compared with MGCCC by using Autodesk Moldflow Insight(AMI)2016.The results show total 32.1% reduction of cooling time and 9.86% reduction of warpage in case of MGCCC as compared to conventional cooling.

A Comparison between Direct and Indirect Laser Sintering of Metals

Layer manufacture technologies are gaining increasing attention in the manufacturing for the production of polymer mould tooling. Layer manufacture techniques can be used in this potential manufacturing area to produce tooling either indirectly or directly, and powder metal based layer manufacture systems are considered as an effective way of producing rapid tooling. Mechanical properties and accuracy are critical for tooling. This paper reports the results of an experimental study examining the potential of layer manufacturing processes to deliver production tooling for polymer manufacture. A comparison between indirectly selective laser sintering and directly selective laser sintering to provide the tooling was reported. Three main areas were addressed during the study： mechanical strength, accuracy, and build rate. Overviews of the results from the studies were presented.

Effect of Different Shapes of Conformal Cooling Channel on the Parameters of Injection Molding

Cooling system improvement is important in injection molding to get betterquality and productivity. The aim of this paper was to compare the different shapes of theconformal cooling channels (CCC) with constant surface area and CCC with constantvolume in injection molding using Mold-flow Insight 2016 software. Also the CCC resultswere compared with conventional cooling channels. Four different shapes of the CCC suchas circular, elliptical, rectangular and semi-circular were proposed. The locations of thecooling channels were also kept constant. The results in terms of cooling time, cycle timereduction and improvement in quality of the product shows that no significant effect ofCCC’s shapes when surface area of CCC kept constant. On the other hand, the rectangularCCC shows better result as compared to other shapes of CCC when volume of CCC werekept constant.

Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing Technology:Principle, Representative Technics, Applications, and Development Trends

The rapid prototyping and manufacturing technology (RPM), is an integration of many different disciplines. It is based on an advanced dispersed-accumulated forming principle and originated from 1980s. It generates an entity by first forming a series of layers according to the dispersed section information of the digital model, and then piling the formed layers sequentially together. It is capable of forming parts with complicated structures and non-homogeneous materials. Traditional RPM techniques are mainly used as prototypes in product invention process, such as stereolithography, three-dimensional printing, laminated object manufacturing, and fused deposition modeling. Later, with the progress of material and enabling technology, many new RPM techniques emerged out and have been already applied in the fields such as rapid tooling/moulding, direct formed usable part, nano-/micro-RPM, and biomanufacturing. This high flexible digital manufacturing method has a likely ability to become an almighty forming technology.

Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing Technology and Its Integration with CIMS

Recent developments of rapid prototyping and manufaturing (RP&M)technology are discussed. To facilitate application of RP&M technology as an enabling technology in product development and manufacturing, our center has done a series of pojects covering RP theory (modern shaping science), new RP processes and equipment,rapid tooling technology and rapid product development systems. With the STEP protocol and product modeling technology, RP&M technology can be integrated into CIMS to form a new subsystem, the free form manufacturing subsystem. The subsystem architecture is investigated in this paper.

Tool Materials Rapid Selection Based on Initial Wear

Based on a large amount of literature about tool wear research,873 tool wear curves are taken as samples,and statistical analysis is carried out to select the most suitable tool from all the tool materials suggested by the tool manufacturers. Statistical relationships between the initial wear and uniform wear periods are obtained. The results show that there is qualitative relationship between wear rate during initial wear period （WRIWP） and wear rate in uniform wear period （WRUWP） to certain extent. On this basis,a tool material rapid selection method based on the initial wear is put forward,and suitable tool materials for machining titanium alloy are selected. The experimental results indicate that this method is effective and useful. The new tool materials rapid selection can be used to select suitable cutting tool materials quickly before carrying out systematic machinability tests with the most suitable tool materials. The technology can be applied to doing the initial selection of cutting tool materials in either the machinability research or the workshop production.

Automated Tools for Rapid Prototyping

An automated environment is presented which aids the software engineers in developing data pro- cessing systems by using rapid prototyping techniques.The environment is being developed on VAX sta- tion.It can render good support to the specification of the requirements and the rapid creation of proto- type.The goal,the methodology,the general structure of the environment and two sub-systems are discussed.

Hybrid Additive Manufacturing of Forming Tools

Additive manufacturing(AM)is widely used in the automotive industry and has been expanded to include aerospace,marine,and rail.High flexibility and the possibility of manufacturing complex parts in AM motivate the integration of additive manu-facturing with classical forming technologies,which can improve tooling concepts and reduce costs.This study presents three applications of this integration.First,the possibility of successful utilization of selective laser melting for manufacturing extrusion tools with complex cooling channels and paths for thermocouples is reported,leading to significantly reduced inner die temperatures during the extrusion process.Second,sheet lamination is integrated with laser metal deposition(LMD)to manufacture deep-drawing dies.Promising results are achieved in reducing the stair step effect,which is the main challenge in sheet lamination,by LMD and following post-processing such as milling,ball burnishing,and laser polishing.The new manufacturing route shows that LMD can economically and efficiently reduce the stair step effect and omit the hardening step from the conventional manufacturing process route.Finally,LMD is used to manufacture a hot stamping punch with improved surface roughness by ball burnishing and near-surface complex cooling channels.The experimental results show that the manufactured punch has lower temperatures during hot stamping compared with the conventionally manufactured punch.This study shows the successful integration of AM processes with classical forming processes.

Hybrid forming mechanism of patternless casting and laser cladding

In accordance with the requirement of manufacturing dies quickly and economically,a hybrid forming method of stamping dies for automobile panels is proposed.The method combines digital patternless casting and high-power laser cladding.An experimental study is conducted on the hybrid forming process and its trial production and application in the manufacturing of stamping dies for typical panels.Results prove that the laser cladding layer exceeds HRC60(Rockwell hardness)and thus meets the production efficiency requirement of automobile dies.The rate of defects is well controlled.Compared with traditional technology,this technology has remarkable advantages and advancement.