Sensor-equipped die insert with laser-structured air venting channels.
The Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT has collaborated with tool and die manufacturing companies in recent years to undertake numerous projects related to this development. The outcomes of the latest project including a never before seen tool, will be presented from 17th - 20th November 2015 at the inaugural formnext powered by TCT in Frankfurt.
New technologies for manufacturing tools and dies are changing the technological and organisational process chains in the companies in that sector. The Fraunhofer IPT will be presenting results of relevance to the tool and die manufacturing sector at the joint Fraunhofer booth in Hall 3.
In the VentOpt project, a laser was used to create air extractor channels in an injection moulding tool. Preliminary results relating to the deployment of the tool under real production conditions are now available and document increased part quality in conjunction with reduced cycle time. The tool will be unveiled for the first time at a fair in November.
Dr. Kristian Arntz, Head of Department at the Fraunhofer IPT, commented: “We hope to stimulate a dialogue with plastics engineering companies and discuss the results with visitors."
In addition to the Fraunhofer IPT, the companies FKT Formenbau und Kunststofftechnik GmbH in Triptis, Komos GmbH in Bürgel and Simcon GmbH in Würselen are taking part in the project.
Numerous projects have been undertaken in recent years in collaboration with GF Machining Solutions (previously GF AgieCharmilles) with the aim of optimising the die-sinking process within the framework of the “Electrical Discharge Machining” industrial working group. Efforts focused on achieving increased surface quality in conjunction with reduced electrode wear and shorter machining time. Another sub-project was also undertaken to evaluate at the deployment of bronze infiltrated graphite electrodes in cemented carbide machining operations.
formnext powered by TCT runs from November 17 to 20, 2015 in Frankfurt am Main. formnext will showcase the latest developments in emerging additive technologies and traditional toolmaking with industry heavyweights such as Alphacam, Arburg, Arcam, Concept Laser, EOS, Envisiontec, Materialise, Prodways, Realizer, Renishaw, Ricoh, Sisma, SLM, and Stratasys, set to take to the show floor.