AddUp
AddUp Form 350.
Metal additive manufacturing firm AddUp has announced it is participating in a study which is exploring the adoption of 3D printing for six tooling companies.
The study will assess the suitability of metal additive manufacturing for the making of moulds for six tooling components. AddUp is conducting the study in partnership with WBA Aachener Werkzeugbau Akademie, who will publish the results during its General Assembly in the fourth quarter of 2023.
The two organisations initially came together in early 2023 as AddUp established its AM Tooling Competence Centre in Aachen (also its German subsidiary) to accelerate the adoption of metal additive manufacturing by tooling companies.
Pöppelmann, Siebenwurst, Harting, Zahoransky, GIRA and FRAMAS have each identified an application, with AddUp developing initial prototypes of injection moulds with optimised cooling channels. These moulds will see their design and profitability analysed, with AddUp hoping to prove out their suitability for series production.
The applications being assessed are:
- Door handle slider mould | Automotive industry | Siebenwurst
- Pipettes moulds | Medical industry | Zahoransky
- Sockets moulded inserts | Energy Industry | GIRA
- High voltage plug cap outside and inside inserts | Energy industry | Pöppelmann
- Connector seal mould inserts and pressure plate | Energy industry | Harting
- Soccer shoe mould | Consumer goods | Framas
Working with each of these companies, AddUp has evaluated how the applications could be optimised with AM, before developing a design fit for its laser powder bed fusion process. The parts have been built with AddUp’s four-laser FormUp 350 machine, with post-processing carried out by the respective tooling company or the WBA. Each mould was then sampled on the tooling company’s production lines, with comparative data being provided to the WBA. Results will be published before the end of the year.
The study has been supported by iQTemp (AM design and simulation of cooling channels), Deutsche Edelstahlwerke (AM materials), 3D Laser BW (AM service provider with expertise in mould inserts with near-contour cooling systems), and Siemens NX, Fraunhofer ILT, ACAM.
