Laser beam melting drives efficiency of tooling applications

The additive Laser Beam Melting (LBM) makes it possible - by processing conventional metallic materials such as tool steel - to manufacture innovative tools and molds. The almost limitless freedom of design of LBM enables innovative elements and complex functional structures and thus has the potential to change toolmaking. Plastic injection molding, light metal die casting but also metal forming such as stamping and press hardening (hot sheet metal forming) can benefit greatly from additive manufactured tooling. The presentation provides an overview of the state of the art with application examples such as the thermal management of forming tools and shows the development path for the near future.