Mold Base for 3D Printed Injection Molds

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Alba Enterprises LLC developed this mold base specifically with 3D printed mold tooling in mind. That is, steel mold tooling made additively, perhaps through laser powder bed fusion or through the Mantle TrueShape metal paste process. The chief benefit of this tooling made additively is in product development, Alba says. Tools that are capable of production molding can be made in lead times short enough for rapid iteration of the mold design and molding process. This video shows a mold base Alba created specifically for this mode of product development. The mold base is essentially the frame that contains the 3D printed mold core and cavity and connects them to the injection molding machine. Various features of this mold base suit it to iterative, additive mold tooling, including the base’s size. Alba has learned that at this size — a 2-inch square mold — the conductivity of the base itself is sufficient for cooling, meaning the extra complexity of cooling lines is not needed. Peter Zelinski filmed this video during a visit to Alba Enterprises in Loveland, Colorado.

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