Case Studey: Additive Manufacturing Injection Molding Cycle Time Improvement

Reduction in injection molding cycle time through AM-produced conformal cooling inserts

Problem: A tool maker was challenged by their customer to improve their injection molding cycle time. Cooling time was a key factor in the length of the total injection cycle time, yet proper cooling was also critical to part quality and tool life. voestalpine Additive Manufacturing Center in Dusseldorf, Germany partnered in the design and manufacture of an improved cooling insert leveraging AM technologies.

Conformal cooling insert: CAD model (left), flow simulation (center) and installed (right)

Solution: With voestalpine’s understanding of the demands of injection molding, an appropriate AM powder was selected. The insert was re-engineered with conformal cooling channels that were not possible with traditional manufacturing methods. Modelling and simulation were used to select the final design for the improved cooling, and the cycle time improvement was simulated. The initial inserts were built and installed in the production mold for trials.

Machine operator screen showing the improved cooling time and new cycle time with the conformal cooling inserts

Results: Cooling time with conformal cooling was reduced to 6 seconds from 20 seconds. This cooling time reduction resulted in a 20% reduction in injection cycle time with no impact on part quality. The resulting production efficiency gain opened up machine capacity for new business.