Shoe mold based on 3D metal printing and manufacturing method of shoe mold

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of metal 3D printing shoe molds, and discloses a shoe mold based on 3D metal printing and a manufacturing method of the shoe mold. The shoe mold based on 3D metal printing comprises an outer mold set, a mold core and a heat dissipation structure, the heat dissipation structure is arranged on the circumferential outer side of the mold core, the heat dissipation structure is arranged on the circumferential outer side of the mold core, the heat dissipation structure extends from the outer wall of the mold core to the inner wall of a lower mold in a lofting mode, and the mold core and the heat dissipation structure are integrally formed through 3D printing. The heat dissipation structure extends in a manner of being completely attached to the shape of the outer wall of the mold core, effective heat dissipation can be performed on the mold cavity of the shoe mold without complex design, and the problems of high time and creative labor input of liquid cooling flow channel design, mismatching of the design cost and the use value of the cooling structure due to shoe iteration, poor economy and resource waste are solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of metal 3D printing shoe mold technology, and in particular to a shoe mold based on 3D metal printing and a method for manufacturing the shoe mold. Background Technology

[0002] In footwear production, shoe molds are the core tooling for shoe forming, and their cooling efficiency and adaptability directly affect production efficiency. Currently, the cooling structure of shoe molds mostly adopts a design scheme that involves opening liquid cooling channels inside the mold. This scheme requires targeted design of the coolant flow path based on the specific shape of each shoe mold, which not only consumes a long design time but also requires a lot of creative work in the metal 3D printing process to ensure the rationality of the flow channel and the molding quality.

[0003] With the rapid changes in the footwear consumer market and the increasingly shorter iteration cycles of footwear models, a single shoe mold is often used only a limited number of times. This results in a severe mismatch between the specialized design costs of liquid cooling channels and the actual value of the shoe mold. After a shoe mold is iterated, the liquid cooling channels designed specifically for it cannot be reused and are directly scrapped. This not only causes significant resource waste but also greatly reduces the economics of shoe mold production, making it difficult to meet the needs of producing multiple styles of shoe molds in small quantities.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a shoe mold based on 3D metal printing and a method for manufacturing shoe molds, in order to solve the problems existing in the current liquid cooling channel design and meet the actual needs of shoe mold production in the context of rapid iteration of footwear products. Summary of the Invention

[0005] One objective of this invention is to provide a shoe mold based on 3D metal printing that is simple in structure, has a short design cycle, is highly adaptable and economical, in order to solve the problems existing in the current liquid cooling channel design and meet the actual needs of shoe mold production in the context of rapid iteration of footwear products.

[0006] Based on the above concept, the technical solution adopted by this invention is as follows:

[0007] A shoe mold based on 3D metal printing, comprising:

[0008] The outer module includes an upper mold and a lower mold, which are fastened together to form a closed mold cavity;

[0009] The mold core is disposed within the sealed mold cavity;

[0010] The heat dissipation structure is located on the circumferential outer side of the mold core. The heat dissipation structure (3) extends from the outer wall of the mold core (2) toward the inner wall of the lower mold (11). The mold core (2) and the heat dissipation structure (3) are integrally formed by 3D printing, so that the heat dissipation structure (3) is extended in a shape that is completely fitted with the outer wall of the mold core (2).

[0011] As an alternative to the 3D metal-printed shoe mold, the heat dissipation structure includes a plurality of spaced fins that extend outward from the outer wall of the mold core to abut against the inner wall of the lower mold.

[0012] As an alternative to this 3D metal-printed shoe mold, multiple fins are arranged radially at intervals around the mold core.

[0013] As an alternative to the 3D metal-printed shoe mold, the fin has heat dissipation holes that extend through the thickness of the fin, allowing airflow to circulate between the fins through these holes.

[0014] As an alternative to this 3D metal-printed shoe mold, the fin is a curved sheet structure.

[0015] As an alternative to this 3D metal-printed shoe mold, the fins have a spiral-shaped sheet structure.

[0016] As an alternative to this 3D metal-printed shoe mold, the fins are transitioned to the outer wall of the mold core via rounded corners.

[0017] As an optional solution for the 3D metal printing-based shoe mold, an air vent is provided at the bottom of the mold core sidewall. The air vent is evenly distributed around the circumference of the mold core sidewall, so that the gas inside the sealed mold cavity can be quickly discharged through the air vent.

[0018] As an alternative to the 3D metal-printed shoe mold, cooling channels are provided in the upper and lower molds, and these cooling channels are connected to an external liquid cooling device.

[0019] Another objective of this invention is to provide a method for manufacturing shoe molds to solve the problems of low manufacturing efficiency and poor manufacturing environment in existing shoe mold manufacturing.

[0020] Based on the above concept, the technical solution adopted by this invention is as follows:

[0021] A method for manufacturing a shoe mold, used to create a shoe mold based on 3D metal printing, the method comprising the following steps:

[0022] S: Design and process the outer module, and design the integrated structure of the mold core and the heat dissipation structure;

[0023] S: The mold core with the heat dissipation structure is sliced ​​according to the predetermined layer thickness to obtain the slice data of the mold core with the heat dissipation structure. After layering, the contour data of each layer is obtained at a predetermined height as a printing layer, and the scanning strategy between each adjacent printing layer adopts the method of rotating a predetermined angle.

[0024] S3: The powder material is sieved and dehumidified, and then placed in the powder supply tank of the metal 3D printing equipment;

[0025] S4: According to the set slicing data, the metal powder in the powder supply tank is evenly spread on the forming substrate, the forming substrate is preset to a predetermined temperature, and the forming is performed by selective laser melting.

[0026] S5: After completing the first powder coating and laser melting, the molding substrate is lowered by one powder coating layer thickness, and the second powder coating and laser melting are performed to achieve the printing of the second layer. This process is repeated layer by layer to achieve the complete molding of the entire mold core with the heat dissipation structure.

[0027] S6: Remove the entire assembly along with the molded substrate and remove any extra powder using a glove box or 3D printing dust removal device;

[0028] S7: Separate the mold core with the heat dissipation structure from the molding substrate by wire electrical discharge machining according to the size requirements of the model;

[0029] S8: Machining mounting holes for the mold core of the heat dissipation structure and spraying a surface treatment agent onto the surface of the mold core of the heat dissipation structure.

[0030] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows:

[0031] This invention proposes a shoe mold based on 3D metal printing. The outer mold assembly includes an upper mold and a lower mold. The upper mold and the lower mold are fastened together to form a closed mold cavity. A heat dissipation structure is set on the circumferential outer side of the mold core. The heat dissipation structure extends from the outer wall of the mold core toward the inner wall of the lower mold. The mold core and the heat dissipation structure are integrally formed by 3D printing. Because the heat dissipation structure is located on the outer circumference of the mold core and is integrally formed by 3D metal printing, its structural shape can flexibly adapt to the contour of the outer wall of the mold core. This allows it to be compatible with the assembly requirements of mold cores for multiple different shoe models, meeting the market demand for rapid iteration of shoe models. It also breaks the limitation of traditional liquid cooling channels that need to be specially designed according to the shape of the shoe mold, realizing a production mode that can adapt to multiple models and small quantities of shoe molds. Since this 3D metal-printed shoe mold does not require separate design of liquid cooling channels for different shoe models, it can save the traditional liquid cooling channel exclusive design process for each shoe mold, as well as the large amount of creative labor invested in ensuring the rationality of the channel during metal 3D printing. This significantly reduces design time and labor costs, avoids the waste of resources caused by the direct scrapping of dedicated channels after shoe mold iteration, and solves the problems of dedicated channel design costs and limited shoe molds. The issue of mismatched use value is addressed by integrating the mold core and heat dissipation structure through 3D printing. This allows the mold core to directly rely on the heat dissipation structure, which is tightly fitted to the outer wall of the mold core, to complete the heat conduction and dissipation during the shoe molding process. This improves heat transfer efficiency, optimizes the cooling effect of the shoe mold, and thus improves the quality of shoe molding and production efficiency. At the same time, this 3D metal-printed shoe mold can make full use of the idle space around the mold core. While achieving efficient heat dissipation, the structural characteristics of the heat dissipation structure itself enhance the overall rigidity of the mold. Furthermore, the integrated printing method eliminates the separate assembly process, avoiding the impact of assembly gaps on mold precision.

[0032] This invention proposes a method for manufacturing shoe molds. It involves designing and processing an external module, and designing an integrated structure for the mold core and heat dissipation structure. The designed mold core with heat dissipation structure is imported into slicing software for layer-by-layer slicing. Printing parameters are applied to each layer, and then a metal 3D printer is used to print the slices layer by layer. After printing, excess powder is removed, and the mold core with heat dissipation structure is separated from the substrate according to the model size requirements using wire EDM. This achieves rapid prototyping of shoe molds with highly adaptable finned heat dissipation structures using 3D metal printing. Compared to traditional shoe mold manufacturing, which involves complex processes such as wooden mold making, silicone mold casting, and metal mold casting, often taking several days or even more than ten days, metal 3D printing combined with simple subsequent powder removal and substrate separation significantly reduces intermediate steps, shortens the manufacturing cycle, and efficiently completes shoe mold production. It also reduces the use of chemical agents and dust generation, creating a cleaner and safer production environment. Attached Figure Description

[0033] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the first structure of a shoe mold based on 3D metal printing provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the second structure of a shoe mold based on 3D metal printing provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the third structure of a shoe mold based on 3D metal printing provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] In the picture:

[0037] 1. Outer module; 11. Lower mold;

[0038] 2. Model kernel;

[0039] 3. Heat dissipation structure; 31. Fins; 32. Heat dissipation holes;

[0040] 4. Air vent. Detailed Implementation

[0041] To make the technical problems solved by the present invention, the technical solutions adopted, and the technical effects achieved clearer, the technical solutions of the present invention will be further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely for explaining the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Furthermore, it should be noted that, for ease of description, only the parts related to the present invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, not all of them.

[0042] In the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connected," "linked," and "fixed" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0043] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0044] In the description of this embodiment, the terms "upper," "lower," "left," and "right," etc., refer to the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for ease of description and simplification of operation, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the present invention. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used only for distinction in description and have no special meaning.

[0045] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0046] This embodiment discloses a shoe mold based on 3D metal printing, such as... Figures 1-3 As shown, in this embodiment, a shoe mold based on 3D metal printing includes an outer mold assembly 1, a mold core 2, and a heat dissipation structure 3. The outer mold assembly 1 includes an upper mold and a lower mold 11. The upper mold and the lower mold 11 are fastened together to form a closed mold cavity. The heat dissipation structure 3 is disposed on the circumferential outer side of the mold core 2. The heat dissipation structure 3 extends from the outer wall of the mold core 2 toward the inner wall of the lower mold 11. The mold core 2 and the heat dissipation structure 3 are integrally formed by 3D printing. Since the heat dissipation structure 3 is arranged on the outer periphery of the mold core 2 and is integrally formed by 3D metal printing, its structural shape can flexibly adapt to the contour of the outer wall of the mold core 2. It can be compatible with the mold core assembly requirements of multiple different shoe models, meet the market demand for rapid iteration of shoe models, and break the limitation of traditional liquid cooling channels that need to be specially designed according to the shape of the shoe mold. It realizes the production mode of multiple shoe molds in small quantities. Since this shoe mold based on 3D metal printing does not require separate design of liquid cooling channels for different shoe models, it can save the traditional liquid cooling channel exclusive design process for each shoe mold, as well as the large amount of creative labor invested in ensuring the rationality of the channel during metal 3D printing. It significantly reduces design time and labor costs, avoids the waste of resources caused by the direct scrapping of dedicated channels after shoe mold iteration, and solves the problems of dedicated channel design costs and limited use of shoe molds. The issue of mismatched quantity and value is addressed by integrating the mold core 2 and the heat dissipation structure 3 through 3D printing. This allows the mold core 2 to directly rely on the heat dissipation structure 3, which is tightly fitted to the outer wall of the mold core 2, to complete the heat conduction and dissipation during the shoe molding process. This improves heat transfer efficiency, optimizes the cooling effect of the shoe mold, and thus improves the quality and production efficiency of shoe molding. At the same time, this shoe mold based on 3D metal printing can make full use of the idle space around the mold core. While achieving efficient heat dissipation, the structural characteristics of the heat dissipation structure 3 itself enhance the overall rigidity of the mold. Furthermore, the integrated printing method eliminates the separate assembly process, avoiding the impact of assembly gaps on the mold precision.

[0047] Preferably, such as Figures 1-3 As shown, in this embodiment, the heat dissipation structure 3 includes multiple spaced fins 31. These fins 31 extend outward from the outer wall of the mold core 2 to abut against the inner wall of the lower mold 11. This enables the creation of a shoe mold with a highly adaptable heat dissipation structure 3 using 3D metal printing. By integrally forming the mold core 2 and the multiple spaced fins 31 through 3D printing, the fins 31 extend and conform perfectly to the shape of the outer wall of the mold core 2, abutting against the inner wall of the lower mold 11, forming a heat dissipation structure 3 that radiates outward from the circumference of the mold core 2. Thermal structure 3 allows for the construction of a heat dissipation system adapted to the shoe mold core 2 without complex design. Leveraging the advantages of 3D printing, it ensures a good fit and structural integrity between the fins 31 and the core 2, achieving effective heat dissipation of the shoe mold cavity and meeting the heat dissipation requirements during the shoe mold molding process. This simplifies the design process of the shoe mold's heat dissipation structure, shortens the design cycle, and eliminates the need for time-consuming targeted flow path design like liquid cooling channels. The fins 31 can be arranged simply based on the circumferential shape of the core 2, significantly reducing design complexity. Furthermore, the 3D printing one-piece molding method reduces additional assembly steps, improves the production efficiency of shoe molds, and aligns with the rapid iteration characteristics of footwear production. It eliminates the need for high design costs to create dedicated cooling structures, significantly reducing the overall cost of a single shoe mold. In addition, the fin 31 heat dissipation structure 3 achieves heat dissipation through its own structure in conjunction with the mold core 2 and the lower mold 11. The overall structure is simple and reliable, and subsequent maintenance is more convenient. This avoids the situation where the design cost of the cooling structure does not match its use value due to the iteration of footwear products. It also avoids the waste of resources caused by the scrapping of cooling channels designed specifically for shoe molds as the shoe molds are phased out. It avoids the large amount of creative labor and long design time required in the design of liquid cooling channels, and avoids the complex debugging work in the design process. It also avoids the problem of poor economic efficiency of liquid cooling structures in shoe molds with limited use, and prevents subsequent troubles caused by additional hidden dangers such as pipe assembly and sealing of liquid cooling systems. It eliminates the need to bear additional supporting and maintenance costs related to liquid cooling, improving the overall economy and process smoothness of shoe mold production.

[0048] Furthermore, because multiple spaced fins 31 are integrally formed around the mold core 2, these fins 31 not only serve a heat dissipation function but also form a "three-dimensional support skeleton" around the mold core 2. The structural design of the fins 31 extending along the outer wall of the mold core 2 can evenly transmit the molding pressure borne by the mold core 2 to the inner wall of the lower mold 11. By dispersing stress, it strengthens the support of the mold core 2 wall, significantly improving the rigidity and deformation resistance of the overall structure of the mold core 2. Therefore, the mold core 2 wall does not need to increase its thickness to ensure structural stability as in traditional shoe molds and can be thinned relative to existing designs. The thinning of the mold core 2 wall directly reduces the amount of metal raw materials required for 3D printing, lowering raw material procurement costs. At the same time, the reduction in raw material usage can also shorten the 3D printing molding cycle, reduce energy consumption and equipment occupancy time during the printing process, and reduce hidden costs in the production process. The thinner mold core 2 wall can also improve heat conduction efficiency, allowing heat in the mold cavity to be transferred to the fins 31 for heat dissipation more quickly, further optimizing the molding performance of the shoe mold while reducing production costs.

[0049] Optionally, in this embodiment, the thickness of the fins 31 is 3 mm to 5 mm, and the spacing between two adjacent fins 31 is 10 mm to 30 mm. Together with the mold core 2 and the lower mold 11, they form a stable heat dissipation and support system. The 3 mm to 5 mm thickness ensures structural rigidity while reducing heat conduction resistance. The 10 mm to 30 mm spacing creates a smooth airflow channel, accelerating heat dissipation from the mold cavity. This size range aligns with the process characteristics of metal 3D printing, reducing the risk of printing defects, ensuring the precision of the integral molding of the fins 31 and the mold core 2, avoiding insufficient structural strength due to excessively thin fins 31, preventing deformation or breakage under molding pressure, and ensuring effective support for the mold core 2. It also avoids problems such as material waste, prolonged printing cycles, and decreased heat conduction efficiency caused by excessively thick fins 31, and avoids situations where the spacing between adjacent fins 31 is too small, leading to poor airflow and affecting heat dissipation, or too large, resulting in insufficient heat dissipation area and dispersed support points, hindering uniform stress transmission and efficient heat dissipation. In this embodiment, the fin 31 has a thickness of 4 mm, and the spacing between two adjacent fins 31 is 20 mm. In other embodiments, the thickness of the fin 31 can also be 3 mm or 5 mm, and the spacing between two adjacent fins 31 can also be 10 mm or 30 mm.

[0050] Preferably, such as Figures 1-3As shown, in this embodiment, multiple fins 31 are arranged radially around the circumference of the mold core 2. The radial structure allows heat to be evenly conducted from the center of the mold core 2 to the surrounding area, improving the efficiency of heat transfer and optimizing the cooling effect of the shoe mold based on 3D metal printing. This, in turn, improves the molding quality and production efficiency of the shoes. The radial support frame can also disperse the molding pressure, improve the rigidity and deformation resistance of the overall structure of the mold core 2, provide a more reliable structural guarantee for the thinning design of the mold core 2 wall, avoid stress concentration, and prevent the mold core 2 from deforming or cracking due to excessive local stress, thus ensuring the service life of the shoe mold based on 3D metal printing. In addition, the radial and uniform arrangement does not require complex personalized layout design, which fits the molding advantages of 3D printing, reduces the design difficulty, ensures the smoothness of the printing process, and shortens the production cycle of the shoe mold based on 3D metal printing.

[0051] Preferably, such as Figures 1-3 As shown, in this embodiment, heat dissipation holes 32 are provided on the fins 31. The heat dissipation holes 32 penetrate through the thickness direction of the fins 31, allowing airflow to overcome the heat dissipation limitations of the surface of a single fin 31. This allows the airflow to form a convection circulation between the fins 31 through the heat dissipation holes 32. The convection circulation allows the cold air to quickly replace the hot air around the fins 31, reducing heat accumulation and avoiding the bottleneck of heat dissipation efficiency caused by poor airflow between the fins 31. This prevents the problem of rapid surface heat dissipation and internal heat retention, accelerates the heat conduction of the fins 31 themselves, shortens the cooling cycle of the shoe mold, and optimizes the uniformity of heat distribution. This also prevents local overheating of a single fin 31, making the circumferential temperature of the mold core 2 more even, ensuring the consistency of shoe molding, and preventing quality problems such as deformation and defects in the shoes due to uneven local cooling.

[0052] Optionally, such as Figures 1-3 As shown, in this embodiment, each fin 31 is provided with two heat dissipation holes 32. In other embodiments, each fin 31 may be provided with one, three, or four heat dissipation holes 32.

[0053] Preferably, such as Figures 1-3As shown, in this embodiment, the fins 31 are curved sheet structures, which allow airflow to flow orderly along the curved surface and cover the entire outer area of ​​the mold core 2, achieving uniform heat dissipation of the mold core 2. The curved structure can guide the airflow to form laminar flow and accelerate through the gaps of the fins 31, thereby improving heat dissipation efficiency. The directional airflow can quickly remove the heat transferred by the mold core 2, shorten the shoe mold molding cycle, avoid the problem of uneven heat dissipation caused by disordered airflow in the gaps of the fins 31, and prevent the local temperature of the mold cavity from being too high, which would affect the quality of shoe molding. In other examples, the fins 31 are spiral-shaped sheet structures, increasing the air-receiving area within the limited space around the mold core 2. Leveraging the advantages of 3D printing's integrated molding, they maintain complete fit and structural integrity with the outer wall of the mold core 2, allowing for more thorough contact between the cooling airflow and the fin surface. This creates a more efficient heat exchange path, enabling faster and more uniform heat dissipation from the shoe mold cavity, improving heat dissipation efficiency, and quickly removing heat from the cavity. This ensures the quality and efficiency of the shoe mold molding process, avoiding the low heat dissipation efficiency caused by insufficient airflow in traditional fins 31. It also prevents uneven heat dissipation from affecting the quality of the shoe mold and avoids the need for complex liquid cooling structures due to poor heat dissipation. This avoids the high cost, long cycle, and complex debugging work associated with liquid cooling channel design. The spiral structure enhances heat dissipation without requiring additional expansion of the overall shoe mold volume, maintaining structural compactness. Furthermore, the spiral fin structure provides a more stable support structure, further strengthening the rigidity of the mold core 2. The walls of the mold core 2 can be made thinner, reducing metal material consumption and printing time, and lowering production costs. In other embodiments, the fins 31 may also be straight fins, wavy fins, radial fins, or needle-like fins.

[0054] Preferably, in this embodiment, the fin 31 and the outer wall of the mold core 2 are connected by a rounded corner. Leveraging the advantages of 3D printing, the rounded corner allows for a continuous force transmission path at the connection between the fin 31 and the mold core 2. This ensures that the molding pressure on the mold core 2 is more evenly transferred through the fin 31 to the inner wall of the lower mold 11. Simultaneously, it allows heat from the mold cavity to be quickly conducted to the fin 31 along the smooth transition surface, ensuring unobstructed heat dissipation and achieving a dual optimization of support reinforcement and heat dissipation efficiency. The rounded corner disperses stress concentration at the connection between the fin 31 and the mold core 2, reducing the risk of structural damage caused by molding pressure or temperature changes, extending the lifespan of the shoe mold. The smooth transition structure also reduces the molding difficulty during 3D printing, minimizing printing defects, and makes it easier to handle residual impurities at the connection during subsequent cleaning and maintenance, improving the convenience of using the shoe mold. In addition, 3D metal printing itself has the technical characteristics of free forming, no mold required, and precise replication of complex structures. Based on the forming principle of discrete stacking, this technology can directly stack metal materials layer by layer according to the preset three-dimensional model, without being limited by tool paths and mold shapes in traditional processing methods. Even if the fin 31 has an irregular and complex contour shape, and the connection between the fin 31 and the outer wall of the mold core 2 is designed as a rounded transition structure, 3D metal printing can accurately identify the rounded parameters and complex shape of the fin 31 in the model, and print the fin 31, the rounded transition structure and the mold core 2 as a whole.

[0055] Preferably, such as Figures 1-3 As shown, in this embodiment, the bottom of the side wall of the mold core 2 is provided with air guide holes 4. The air guide holes 4 are evenly distributed around the side wall of the mold core 2, so that the gas inside the sealed mold cavity can be quickly discharged along the air guide holes 4. The airflow channel formed in conjunction with the heat dissipation structure 3 accelerates the gas flow, thereby achieving compatibility with the venting requirements of the mold core 2 in the existing shoe compression molding process, ensuring that there is no gas stagnation in the mold cavity, so that the gas can be smoothly discharged during the compression molding process. This avoids the problem of trapped gas in the mold cavity during the shoe compression molding process due to interference with the cooling structure, which prevents the opening of air guide holes 4. This also prevents molding defects such as bubbles, dents, and missing material in the shoes caused by trapped gas.

[0056] Preferably, in this embodiment, the air guide hole 4 has a trumpet-shaped structure, with its inner diameter gradually increasing from the inner wall of the mold core 2 to the outer wall. This reduces resistance during gas discharge, prevents gas from stagnating in the channel, and thus ensures the vacuum level inside the shoe mold cavity, improving the molding quality of the shoes. The trumpet-shaped channel is less prone to blockage by debris and impurities in the mold cavity, making subsequent maintenance and cleaning more convenient. This reduces the workload and cost of shoe mold maintenance, improves the overall service life and stability of the shoe mold, and avoids problems such as poor gas discharge and channel blockage that are common with traditional equal-diameter air guide holes 4. It prevents incomplete venting or channel blockage from affecting the normal use of the shoe mold, thereby avoiding material waste and rework caused by shoe molding defects, and ensuring the stability and economy of shoe mold production. In other embodiments, the air guide hole 4 can also be a rhomboid or elliptical structure.

[0057] Optionally, in this embodiment, the average inner diameter of the air guide hole 4 is 0.08 mm to 0.15 mm. In this embodiment, the average inner diameter of the air guide hole 4 is 0.1 mm. In other embodiments, the average inner diameter of the air guide hole 4 may also be 0.08 mm, 0.09 mm, 0.11 mm, 0.12 mm, 0.13 mm, 0.14 mm, or 0.15 mm, etc.

[0058] Preferably, in this embodiment, cooling channels are provided in the upper and lower molds 11, and the cooling channels are connected to an external liquid cooling device. The cooling channels in the molds 11 and 11 are connected to the external liquid cooling device, which can add a composite cooling system of external liquid cooling on the basis of the internal heat dissipation structure 3. This retains the basic heat dissipation effect of the heat dissipation structure 3 around the mold core 2, and the liquid cooling channels cover the overall heat dissipation range of the upper and lower molds 11, forming a dual heat dissipation system. This allows the heat of the shoe mold cavity to be conducted to the heat dissipation structure 3 through the mold core 2 and to be quickly carried away through the cooling channels of the outer mold assembly 1, ultimately achieving a superimposed improvement in heat dissipation efficiency, meeting the higher standard of heat dissipation requirements for shoe mold forming. The dual heat dissipation system can further accelerate the cooling speed of the mold cavity, shorten the shoe mold forming cycle, and improve the shoe production efficiency. The synergistic effect of liquid cooling and air cooling can reduce the load of a single heat dissipation structure and extend the service life of the shoe mold. The combination of cooling channels and external liquid cooling device can flexibly adjust the heat dissipation intensity, adapt to the heat dissipation requirements of different shoe materials, and enhance the versatility of the shoe mold. Meanwhile, the upper and lower molds 11 are generally compatible with different mold cores 2, and the upper and lower molds 11 are mostly rectangular. Due to their regular internal space layout, there is no need to redesign the cooling flow path. There will be no situation where the cooling flow path needs to be redesigned due to the change of mold core 2 specifications. This allows the upper and lower molds 11 to be reused multiple times without wasting the internal cooling flow path. This reduces the design and manufacturing cost of the cooling structure in the shoe mold iteration process, increases the reuse value of the cooling flow path, and reduces the resource consumption caused by repeated design and manufacturing of cooling flow paths. This fits the production characteristics of rapid iteration of footwear and enhances the economy and environmental protection of shoe mold production.

[0059] Preferably, in this embodiment, the shoe mold based on 3D metal printing further includes a flexible temperature sensor and a data acquisition module. A flexible temperature sensor is embedded in the inner wall of the mold core 2, with its detection end flush with the inner wall of the mold core 2. This allows for accurate capture of real-time temperature data inside the mold cavity. The signal output end extends to the outside of the outer module 1 and is electrically connected to the data acquisition module, enabling stable transmission and real-time acquisition of temperature data. The flexible temperature sensor and mold core 2 are embedded through 3D printing. The accurate real-time acquisition of temperature data provides data support for optimizing the shoe mold forming process, helping to adjust production parameters in a timely manner and ensuring the consistency of shoe molding quality. The flush design does not affect the flatness of the inner wall of the mold cavity and does not interfere with the shoe molding effect. The flexible sensor adapts to the complex shape of the mold core 2. It offers enhanced stability and eliminates the need for additional mounting holes, preserving the heat dissipation structure and support performance of the mold core 2 and fins 31. This avoids the damage to the mold core 2 structure caused by traditional external or post-installed temperature sensors, prevents mounting holes from affecting the rigidity, heat dissipation efficiency, or sealing performance of the mold core 2, and avoids temperature measurement errors caused by poor contact between the sensor and the inner wall of the mold core 2. It also prevents inaccurate data from misleading process adjustments, thereby avoiding defects in shoe molding. 3D printing embedded molding avoids the cumbersome steps of post-installation sensor installation, improves shoe mold production efficiency, avoids additional processes and assembly errors caused by post-assembly of sensors, avoids problems such as sensor loosening, detachment, or unstable signal transmission, and prevents interference with the internal flow field or temperature field of the mold cavity due to improper sensor installation, thus preventing impact on shoe molding accuracy.

[0060] Preferably, in this embodiment, the inner wall of the upper mold is provided with a micro-nano hydrophobic coating. The hydrophobic coating is a zirconia ceramic coating, prepared by plasma spraying. It is used to reduce the adhesion force of the shoe material after molding. It can form a low surface energy interface during the shoe material molding process, effectively reducing the adhesion force between the shoe material and the inner wall of the upper mold. This allows the molded shoe material to be quickly and completely detached from the inner wall of the upper mold without the need for additional release agents or complex external forces. The hydrophobic coating can improve the demolding efficiency of the shoe material, reduce the demolding operation time, shorten the overall production cycle, and avoid the problem of shoe material deformation and damage during demolding due to excessive adhesion force between the shoe material and the inner wall of the upper mold. It also reduces the scrap rate, avoids environmental pollution caused by the use of release agents, and avoids the adverse effects of release agent residue on subsequent shoe material processing and use. The zirconia ceramic coating has good high temperature resistance and wear resistance, which can improve the demolding efficiency while adapting to the working conditions during the shoe mold molding process and extending the service life of the upper mold.

[0061] This embodiment also discloses a method for manufacturing a shoe mold, which is used to manufacture the aforementioned shoe mold based on 3D metal printing. Specifically, the method for manufacturing a shoe mold includes the following steps:

[0062] S1: Design and process the external module, and design the integrated structure of the mold core 2 and the heat dissipation structure 3;

[0063] S2: The mold core 2 with heat dissipation structure 3 is sliced ​​according to the predetermined layer thickness to obtain the slice data of the mold core 2 with heat dissipation structure 3. After layering, the contour data of each layer is obtained at a predetermined height as the printing layer, and the scanning strategy between each adjacent printing layer adopts the method of rotating a predetermined angle.

[0064] S3: The powder material is sieved and dehumidified, and then placed in the powder supply tank of the metal 3D printing equipment;

[0065] S4: According to the set slicing data, the metal powder in the powder supply tank is evenly spread on the forming substrate, the forming substrate is preset to a predetermined temperature, and the forming is performed by selective laser melting.

[0066] S5: After completing the first powder coating and laser melting, the molding substrate is lowered by one powder coating layer thickness, and the second powder coating and laser melting are performed to achieve the printing of the second layer. This process is repeated layer by layer to achieve the molding of the entire mold core 2 with heat dissipation structure 3.

[0067] S6: Remove the entire assembly along with the molded substrate and remove any extra powder using a glove box or 3D printing dust removal device;

[0068] S7: Separate the mold core 2 with heat dissipation structure 3 from the molding substrate by wire EDM according to the model size requirements;

[0069] S8: Machining mounting holes for the mold core 2 of the heat dissipation structure 3, and spraying a surface treatment agent onto the surface of the mold core 2 of the heat dissipation structure 3.

[0070] The above-mentioned shoe mold manufacturing method can realize the integrated rapid prototyping of the mold core 2 with heat dissipation structure 3 based on 3D metal printing. With the help of metal 3D printing technology, the mold core 2 with heat dissipation structure 3 is printed layer by layer. After powder cleaning, electrical discharge wire cutting to separate the substrate and other processes, a shoe mold with complete structure and accurate size based on 3D metal printing is finally produced. The integrated 3D metal printing of the mold core 2 and the heat dissipation structure 3 eliminates the assembly process of traditional split structures, improving the overall structural stability and sealing of the shoe mold. High-precision layering ensures the molding accuracy of the shoe mold, better reproduces design details, and meets the refined production needs of footwear products. The metal 3D printing molding method can flexibly adapt to the complex heat dissipation structure 3 design, optimizing the heat dissipation performance of the shoe mold. Compared with the traditional shoe mold manufacturing, which requires complicated processes such as wooden mold making, silicone mold making, and casting metal molds and often takes several days or even more than ten days, the above-mentioned shoe mold manufacturing method, combined with the simple powder cleaning and substrate separation process, greatly reduces intermediate steps, shortens the manufacturing cycle, and efficiently completes the shoe mold production. In addition, the traditional shoe mold manufacturing process requires the use of irritating or dust-polluting materials such as resin, release agent, and casting sand. Workers are exposed to such environments for a long time and have to use such chemical agents and consumables that easily generate dust, which will harm the health of workers. The metal 3D printing molding method can reduce the use of chemical agents and the generation of dust, creating a cleaner and safer production environment.

[0071] Preferably, in this embodiment, during the layer-by-layer powder spreading and melting (i.e., during laser printing), the first two printing layers are repeated twice using the same process parameters. This significantly improves the metallurgical bonding strength between the molding substrate and the first printed layer, and between the first and second layers. This allows the bottom of the mold core 2 and the heat dissipation structure 3 as an integral part, as well as the initial molding section, to form a dense and solid base layer structure. Simultaneously, it fills in any micropores or incomplete fusion defects that may occur during the initial powder spreading and melting of the metal powder, ensuring that the density of the first two printing layers meets the design standards. This lays a solid structural foundation for the stable stacking and molding of subsequent layers, enhancing the overall stability of the shoe mold structure. The last two layers... The printing layer is repeated twice using the same process parameters and a 67° rotation, which can achieve densification and stress uniformity of the top layer structure of the printed part. By repeatedly casting with rotating scanning angle, it fills the tiny pores and unfused areas that may be generated when the top layer metal powder melts, so that the surface of the mold core and heat dissipation structure integrated part forms a uniform and dense structure, improving the surface quality and durability of the integrated part of mold core 2 and heat dissipation structure 3. In addition, the 67° rotation scanning method can avoid the repeated superposition of scanning trajectories of adjacent layers, reduce the stripe defects that appear on the top layer, improve the smoothness of the shoe mold surface, and better meet the needs of fine molding of footwear products.

[0072] Optionally, in this embodiment, the mold core 2 with the designed heat dissipation structure 3 is sliced ​​with a layer thickness of 0.03 mm. In other embodiments, the height of each layer of the sliced ​​material can also be 0.015 mm, 0.02 mm, 0.025 mm, 0.035 mm, 0.04 mm, or 0.045 mm, etc.

[0073] Obviously, the above embodiments of the present invention are merely examples for clearly illustrating the present invention, and are not intended to limit the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make other variations or modifications based on the above description. It is neither necessary nor possible to exhaustively describe all embodiments here. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A shoe mold based on 3D metal printing, characterized in that, include: The outer module (1) includes an upper mold and a lower mold (11), wherein the upper mold and the lower mold (11) are engaged to form a closed mold cavity; Mold core (2), wherein the mold core (2) is disposed in the sealed mold cavity; Heat dissipation structure (3) is provided on the circumferential outer side of the mold core (2). The heat dissipation structure (3) extends outward from the outer wall of the mold core (2) toward the inner wall of the lower mold (11). The mold core (2) and the heat dissipation structure (3) are integrally formed by 3D printing, so that the heat dissipation structure (3) is extended in a shape that is completely fitted with the outer wall of the mold core (2).

2. The shoe mold based on 3D metal printing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heat dissipation structure (3) includes a plurality of spaced fins (31), which extend outward from the outer wall of the mold core (2) to abut against the inner wall of the lower mold (11).

3. The shoe mold based on 3D metal printing according to claim 2, characterized in that, Multiple fins (31) are arranged radially around the core (2) at circumferential intervals.

4. The shoe mold based on 3D metal printing according to claim 2, characterized in that, The fins (31) are provided with heat dissipation holes (32), which penetrate the thickness direction of the fins (31) so that the airflow can form a convection circulation between the fins (31) through the heat dissipation holes (32).

5. The shoe mold based on 3D metal printing according to claim 2, characterized in that, The fin (31) is a curved sheet structure.

6. The shoe mold based on 3D metal printing according to claim 2, characterized in that, The fins (31) are spiral-shaped sheet structures.

7. A shoe mold based on 3D metal printing according to claim 2, characterized in that, The fins (31) and the outer wall of the core (2) are connected by a rounded corner.

8. The shoe mold based on 3D metal printing according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The bottom of the side wall of the mold core (2) is provided with an air guide hole (4). The air guide hole (4) is evenly distributed along the circumference of the side wall of the mold core (2) to realize the rapid discharge of gas inside the sealed mold cavity along the air guide hole (4).

9. The shoe mold based on 3D metal printing according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, Cooling flow paths are provided in the upper mold and the lower mold (11), and the cooling flow paths are connected to an external liquid cooling device.

10. A method for manufacturing a shoe mold, characterized in that, A method for manufacturing a shoe mold based on 3D metal printing as described in any one of claims 1-9, the method comprising the following steps: S1: Design and process the outer module (1), and design the integrated structure of the mold core (2) and the heat dissipation structure (3); S2: The mold core (2) with the heat dissipation structure (3) is sliced ​​according to the predetermined layer thickness to obtain the slice data of the mold core (2) with the heat dissipation structure (3). After layering, the contour data of each layer is obtained at a predetermined height as a printing layer, and the scanning strategy between each adjacent printing layer is carried out by rotating a predetermined angle. S3: The powder material is sieved and dehumidified, and then placed in the powder supply tank of the metal 3D printing equipment; S4: According to the set slicing data, the metal powder in the powder supply tank is evenly spread on the forming substrate, the forming substrate is preset to a predetermined temperature, and the forming is performed by selective laser melting. S5: After completing the first powder laying and laser melting, the molding substrate is lowered by one powder layer thickness, and the second powder laying and laser melting are performed to achieve the printing of the second layer. After printing layer by layer, the entire mold core (2) with the heat dissipation structure (3) is fully formed. S6: Remove the entire assembly along with the molded substrate and remove any additional powder using a glove box or 3D printing dust removal device; S7: Separate the mold core (2) with the heat dissipation structure (3) from the molding substrate by wire EDM according to the model size requirements; S8: Machine mounting holes on the mold core (2) of the heat dissipation structure (3) and spray a surface treatment agent on the surface of the mold core (2) of the heat dissipation structure (3).

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