Which companies in the mold industry have already applied metal 3D printing?

一, In the world of automotive manufacturing, mould iteration efficiency has changed the game.
1. A lot of innovative energy vehicle battery pack moulds are being used.
Platinum Technology and a top new energy vehicle business are working together to make battery pack shell die-casting moulds with BLT-S450 technology. Using topology optimisation design, the mold's weight has been cut down from 45 kg to 27 kg. It is still strong enough to work under high heat and high pressure situations. The conformal cooling water channel makes the temperature of the mould more even, going from ± 15 °C to ± 3 °C. It also shortens the cycle time by 35% and gives each mould a life of over 80,000 times, which is 40% longer than typical H13 steel moulds. This plan has been used on a wide scale, with a yearly output of 100,000 sets. This has cut the cost of each unit by 75%.
2. Quickly changing the moulds for engine cylinder blocks
Broadcom Precision made the engine cylinder body die-casting mould for an international car company. They used Huashu High Tech's FS273M series equipment, and the whole process, from design to precision machining, only took 7 days. By simulating and optimising the structure of the cooling water channel, we were able to keep the temperature difference on the mold's surface under 5 °C. This lowered the product's warpage rate from 0.8% to 0.15% and raised the yield rate to 99.5%. This technique has cut the time it takes for automakers to make new car models from 18 months to 9 months and raised their yearly manufacturing capacity by 300%.
二, Aerospace: A breakthrough in moulds for harsh operating conditions
1. The lightweight revolution of forging dies for turbine discs in aircraft engines
Optisys makes turbine disc forging dies for a certain type of aircraft engine using DMLS technology. This turns 100 separate parts into one solid structure. The mold's weight is cut by 95% and its stiffness is raised by 25% through lattice design. This makes it strong enough to work in temperatures of 1200 °C and pressures of 200 MPa. This method has cut the time it takes to deliver a mould from 11 months to 2 months and the cost of each piece by 60%. It has been used to make a lot of LEAP engines.
2. Improving the heat resistance of rocket engine nozzle moulds
Relativity Space employs EOS M400 equipment to make 3D-printed copper alloy nozzle moulds. They use green laser technology to get around the problem of copper materials being too reflective. The mould can handle impacts at temperatures up to 3000 °C and has a thermal conductivity of 380W/(m · K), which is 40% higher than typical forging methods. This method cuts the cost of launching rocket engines by 30%, which lets the SpaceX Starship project make one unit every week.
三, In the world of consumer electronics: making precision moulds that can be used in many ways
1. Controlling the warping of laptop shell moulds
A big company that makes consumer electronics used Renishaw's RenAM 500Q equipment to make die-casting moulds for laptop cases. They did this by making a unique waterway design that cut down on the product's warpage rate from 0.5% to 0.15%. The mould lasts 120,000 times longer than standard methods, which is 300% longer, and it cuts the cost of each component by 45%. This technology has been used to make the moulds for all of the MacBook Pro products, which ship more than 50 million units a year.
2. Quick responsiveness of moulds for smartphone frames
Xiaomi Technology and Yisu Laser work together to make die-casting moulds for mobile phone frames out of the mold-specific material ESU-H13. AI algorithms have improved the structure of the cooling water channel, cutting the mould creation cycle from 45 days to 15 days. This helps meet the need for monthly product iterations. This idea cuts the cost of making moulds for the Xiaomi 14 series by 55% and moves up the initial sales cycle by two months.
四, Mold-making companies: an example of how technology can change the way things are done
1. Zongwei Industry's digital upgrade
Taiwan Zongwei Industry used Moldex3D simulation to improve the cooling water channel of the power inspection seat mould. They then used Platinum 3D printing technology to make moulds for the irregular water channel. In real production, the cooling time is cut by 25%, the problem of product assembly interference is fixed, and the yield rate goes from 85% to 99%. This case has been included to the ISO/ASTM 52900 standard case library. It is now a model for how Asian mould firms can change to digital.
2. Toivan Metalli's big step forward in making small batches of unique products
Toivan Metalli in Finland utilises the Markforged X7 printer to make moulds for bending steel pipes. This lowers the cost per unit from 4000 euros to 300 euros and speeds up delivery from 6 weeks to 1 week. The mould can handle 500 bending operations thanks to continuous carbon fibre reinforcing technology. This meets the needs of the construction sector for small batch customisation. This idea has brought in more than 2 million euros in extra revenue for the company each year, giving it a new path in the Nordic market.