MCP's selective laser melting (SLM) technology can now be used for the fast 'direct to metal' production of injection moulding tools and inserts, whilst at the same time enabling the easy incorporation of conformal cooling channels to speed up part de-moulding times. Currently the only way of rapidly producing H13 tool steel components, the SLM process uses a laser and CAD data to produce the tools and inserts directly from H13 Tool Steel powder. The tools are fully dense with a hardness of 56 HRC straight from the machine.

'Not only can hardened tools be produced far more quickly than using standard machining methods,' said MCP's Bob Bennett, 'By manufacturing them using our SLM process, conformal cooling channels can be incorporated to accurately follow the internal geometry of the mould cavity surface.

This improves part cooling and reduces de-moulding times over conventional methods.' Using SLM also means not only can the tool be produced very quickly, but crucially original tool steel can be used instead of simulated composite powder mixtures containing soft metal and non metal elements, which are often used with other rapid manufacturing processes.

SLM technology is now available in two versions, depending upon the size of tool or part required.

Standard SLM equipment, already widely used for the manufacture of medical, electronic and aerospace parts, incorporates a build envelope of 250mm3.

The new SLM 100 version has a build envelope of just 125mm x 80mm Z-axis.

This physically smaller machine uses an IR fibre laser with a spot size of down to 25 micron making it ideal for the production of very small, highly detailed inserts or parts.

MCP is already talking to customers looking to manufacture micro electronic parts in shape memory alloys and components with very thin walls and highly complex geometries for novel micro engineering designs.

As well as tool steel, SLM can process titanium, aluminium, 'shape memory' alloys, stainless steel, cobalt chrome, copper, inconel and many other non-ferous metal powders.

Bennett continued, 'Now SLM is successfully processing tool steel, we believe we can deliver significant benefits to manufacturers by reducing tooling costs and shortening moulding cycles due to the faster de-moulding of parts.

Tool makers are now telling us their ideal set up would be to have SLM alongside high speed milling and spark eroding equipment in their workshops.