Licensing Opportunity: Additive Manufacturing of Multi-Functional/Graded Materials for Improved Tooling Performance

Invention Reference Number: 202205248

Technology Summary

In manufacturing parts for industry using traditional molds and dies, about 70 percent to 80 percent of the time it takes to create a part is a result of a relatively slow cooling process. Additive manufacturing enables the performance improvement of mold/die tooling due to its ability to manufacture structures comprised of multi-materials with various composition grading. Copper is an excellent thermal conductor and provides better heat transfer than traditional steels used in molds. This technology adds a small amount of copper very precisely in a multi-material structure to significantly decrease the amount of time needed for cooling, which would significantly reduce the manufacturing cycle time. 

Description

Mold and die tooling can benefit from additive manufacturing, as AM allows the ability to manufacture structures comprised of multi-materials with various composition grading. Current tooling must perform with the materials and thermal properties that are limited by its current manufacturing methods. The technology gives more flexibility to optimize that cooling process. Copper has excellent thermal properties, about ten times higher than many common tool steels, and this technology provides the precise placement of copper into a multi-material structure to improve heat transfer characteristics of such tool steels. With its high thermal conductivity properties, creating functionally graded materials of just 5-10 percent copper composition could drastically improve cooling rates. This is beneficial as cutting the cooling rates of the manufacturing cycle time by just 50 percent could double the production output. This technology is novel in its ability to place the material selectively and strategically to tailor the thermal performance of the mold. Copper may be directly manufactured into the cooling channels of the tool or placed at precise locations around the tool as needed for performance, rather than being incorporated into the mold in a secondary process with access to limited locations across the mold. This allows manipulation of material in desired locations to achieve optimal thermal performance.  

Applications and Industries

• Manufacturing 
• Tool/die makers 
• Mold-based suppliers 
• Any industry manufacturing metal parts, i.e., automotive or aerospace, that uses a mold to produce parts 

Benefits

• Significantly reduces manufacturing cycle time 
• Excellent thermal properties decrease time needed for cooling 
• Increases production output and reduces costs 

Contact

To learn more about this technology, email partnerships@ornl.gov or call 865-574-1051.