Tool half of a casting tool and additive manufacturing method for producing the tool half
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- EP · EP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-04-25
- Publication Date
- 2026-03-11
AI Technical Summary
Existing methods for producing tool halves of casting tools are costly and inefficient in integrating sensors into mechanically critical areas, limiting the precision and performance of casting machines.
The tool half is produced using an additive multi-material printing process, incorporating a sensor unit and cooling channels with varying distances, allowing for precise temperature and pressure measurements and reducing production costs by integrating sensors directly into the tool half during manufacturing.
This approach enhances the performance of casting machines by enabling more precise data acquisition, reducing safety thresholds, and lowering the cost of producing suitable casting tools through the integration of sensors and efficient cooling systems.
Smart Images
Figure DE2024100372_07112024_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] Tool half of a casting tool and additive manufacturing process for producing the tool half
[0002] The invention relates to a tool half of a casting tool and an additive manufacturing method for producing such a tool half.
[0003] As is well known, the mold halves of a casting tool are milled from one or more blocks of metal. However, placing sensors in mechanically critical areas of a mold half is only possible with considerable effort.
[0004] Two mold halves are typically assembled into a casting tool and together form a cavity in the interior, within which a cast part is formed. Generally speaking, however, a casting tool can also be made up of more than two parts, so the term "mold half" is also to be understood as a part of a casting tool that, together with other tool parts, forms a casting tool with a common cavity for forming a cast part in this cavity.
[0005] DE 10 2011 101 957 A1 relates to a mold for die-casting a component, comprising at least two mold parts enclosing a cavity and having corresponding outer and inner surfaces, the inner surfaces defining the shape of the cavity. The outer surfaces of the at least two mold parts are designed to correspond to the contour of the cavity and thus to the inner surfaces of the at least two mold parts.
[0006] DE 10 2011 078 167 A1 relates to a method in which molten thermoplastic material is introduced into a cavity of an injection mold. Furthermore, a device for controlling the temperature of a workpiece production section in the thermoplastic injection mold is provided. For this purpose, a temperature sensor is arranged on the surface of the cavity. The object of the present invention is to provide a mold half of a casting tool and a manufacturing method for producing such a mold half, which method allows a mold half to be produced cost-effectively, and to place a sensor system in mechanically critical areas of a mold half.
[0007] This object is achieved for the tool half by the features of independent patent claim 1. Further advantageous developments are the subject of subclaims 2 to 5.
[0008] The tool half of a casting tool has the following:
[0009] - a three-dimensional body K for connection to a clamping plate of a casting machine,
[0010] - wherein a first side of the body K is designed for connection to the clamping plate of the casting machine,
[0011] - wherein a second side of the body K has a cavity of the form F for a casting to be produced,
[0012] - where the first and second sides form opposite sides of the body K,
[0013] - wherein the shape F has at least one projection and / or at least one recess with respect to a surface E of the second side surrounding the at least one projection and / or recess,
[0014] - at least one cooling channel for cooling the mould F for a casting to be produced,
[0015] - wherein the at least one cooling channel runs in the interior of the body K and runs partially parallel to the second side in the region of the cavity and has varying distances from the shape F in the region of the at least one projection and / or the at least one recess of the shape F,
[0016] - wherein the distance between the at least one cooling channel and the surface of the at least one projection of the mold F is greater than the distance between the at least one cooling channel and the surface of the at least one recess of the mold F,
[0017] - wherein the tool half has at least one sensor unit, optionally furthermore at least one sensor contact for the at least one sensor unit. The object is now achieved for the tool half in that the at least one sensor unit, optionally furthermore the at least one sensor contact, are formed together with the body K in an additive multi-material printing process using different materials, and the at least one sensor unit is arranged in a space below the surface of the mold F in a region between the at least one cooling channel and the second side.
[0018] With more precise data acquisition at specific and predefined locations within a casting tool, in particular with precise pressure and / or temperature measurement using at least one sensor unit, safety thresholds can be reduced, allowing the combination of casting machine and casting tool to operate closer to the "limit." This further increases the performance of a casting machine and reduces the costs of creating a suitable casting tool.
[0019] In a preferred embodiment of the tool half, the at least one sensor unit can be contacted wirelessly or by means of the at least one optional sensor contact, which is designed in the form of at least one printed conductor track.
[0020] The body K is preferably additively manufactured from at least one electrically conductive metallic material. The at least one sensor unit and the optionally present at least one sensor contact are manufactured in one piece with the body K from at least one electrically conductive metallic material and at least one electrically insulating material using multi-material printing.
[0021] Accordingly, a tool half of a casting tool is included, manufactured using an additive multi-material printing process, wherein at least one sensor unit, in particular in the form of a strain and / or temperature sensor, is incorporated into one tool half of the casting tool. The tool half can be used and / or adapted for the ejector side or the nozzle side of a casting machine. The first side of the body K is designed for connection to a clamping plate of a casting machine, wherein a second side of the body K has a mold F for a cast part to be produced. The mold F, together with another tool half, can form part of a so-called cavity in the closed state of the casting tool, into which, for example, liquefied plastic is injected to produce a component or cast part. The first and second sides form opposite sides of the body K.
[0022] The mold F comprises at least one projection and / or at least one recess relative to a surface of the second side surrounding the at least one projection and / or recess. The at least one projection and / or recess form the outer shape of a cast part to be produced. The at least one projection and / or recess can form a functional section of the cast part to be produced.
[0023] Furthermore, the mold half has at least one cooling channel for cooling the mold F for a cast part to be produced. Thus, a plastic injected into a closed mold consisting of at least two mold halves can be quickly brought to a temperature at which the plastic hardens and thus maintains its shape.
[0024] The at least one cooling channel runs inside the body K and has varying distances from the mold F or from at least one projection and / or at least one recess of the mold F. The distance between the at least one cooling channel and the surface of the at least one projection of the mold is greater than the distance between the at least one cooling channel and the surface of the at least one recess of the mold. Due to the varying distances to the at least one cooling channel, for example, a projection is cooled less than a recess. The at least one cooling channel can have two or three or more sections, each of which has a straight course. This is easy and cost-effective to produce.
[0025] The optionally present at least one sensor contact can run within the tool half and bridge the space between the at least one sensor unit and one or more evaluation devices, with which, for example, the strain and / or temperature can be displayed as a value that is detected by means of the at least one sensor unit.
[0026] The at least one sensor unit and / or the at least one optional sensor contact is arranged in the space or at a distance between the surface of the mold F and the at least one cooling channel. The at least one sensor unit and / or the at least one optional sensor contact can also be arranged in the space or at a distance between the surface of the at least one projection and / or recess of the mold and the at least one cooling channel. In addition, the at least one sensor unit and / or the at least one optional sensor contact is fixed in the space or at a distance between the surface of the mold F and the at least one cooling channel and fused to the remaining body K. The at least one sensor unit and / or the at least one optional sensor contact are formed integrally or in one piece with the three-dimensional body K of the tool half.The entire three-dimensional body K of the mold half, including sensor unit(s) and / or optional sensor contact(s) and / or including at least one projection of shape F and / or at least one recess of shape F, are formed in one piece or in one part. Thus, the units and shapes resulting in body K are inseparably connected to one another.
[0027] Thus, sensor data such as strain and / or temperature can be monitored at such a critical location whose distance from at least one cooling channel varies.
[0028] Furthermore, the mold half comprises several materials that are constructed or formed as a single piece. Various metallic, ceramic, glass-like, or polymeric materials can be combined.
[0029] Furthermore, the tool half can have a connection for an evaluation device on its outer side, provided on the at least one optional sensor contact, which is further configured as an interface to the sensor unit inside the body K, so that data from the sensor unit can be received and / or the sensor unit can be supplied with energy using the connection. This problem is solved for the additive manufacturing process by the features of patent claim 6.
[0030] The additive manufacturing process according to the invention for producing the tool half of the casting tool comprises the following steps:
[0031] - applying a layer of powdered material to a workpiece carrier or to an existing layer in order to produce the body K and the at least one sensor unit, optionally the at least one sensor contact of the tool half,
[0032] - wherein, when applying a layer, several powders of different materials can be applied selectively next to one another in one plane in order to form a layer of at least one material or a layer of two or more materials,
[0033] - selective melting of individual areas of the layer and / or of an applied material and / or of an entire layer using a laser,
[0034] - after the selective melting of individual regions of the layer and / or a material and / or an entire layer, these solidify into a solid material layer,
[0035] - Lowering the workpiece carrier by the amount of one layer thickness of the solid material layer, and
[0036] - iteratively repeating the above steps starting with the re-application of a layer of powdered material.
[0037] The additive manufacturing process for producing the tool half of a casting tool comprises the following steps, whereby the additive manufacturing process involves the layer-by-layer production of the tool half using a multi-material printing process.
[0038] One step of the method comprises applying a layer of powdered material to a workpiece carrier or to an existing layer to create the body K of the tool half. The layer can have a thickness between 15 and 500 pm.
[0039] When applying a layer, several powders of different materials can be selectively applied to form a layer of one material or a layer of two or more materials. This can also be referred to as a "selective powder deposition" process.
[0040] One material can be thermally conductive and another electrically conductive. Furthermore, an electrically insulating material can be used.
[0041] A further step of the process involves selectively melting individual regions and / or an applied material and / or an entire or applied layer using a laser. This allows specific regions and / or materials to be converted from a powdery state to a liquefied state.
[0042] After selectively melting individual areas and / or a material and / or an entire layer, these solidify into a solid material layer. In other words, the powdered material applied in the layer is liquefied partially or completely by laser radiation and then solidified by cooling. This process not only serves to solidify the powdered material but also to bond it to the underlying, already solid material layer, thus further building up the body K.
[0043] A further step of the method then involves lowering the workpiece carrier by the amount of a layer thickness of the solid material layer.
[0044] The next step in the process is an iterative repetition of the above steps, starting with the renewed application of a layer of powdered material.
[0045] The application of a layer of powdered material optionally comprises creating at least one sensor contact. In other words, the at least one sensor contact forms an electrical connection from at least one sensor unit to an exterior of the tool half. The at least one sensor contact is formed in particular via metal conductor tracks produced using a multi-material printing process, in particular encased in electrical insulation made of ceramic. These must be formed layer by layer, according to the process. The electrically conductive, powdered material, here made of metal, can form part or a strip-shaped part of the entire sensor contact. Furthermore, the application of a layer of powdered material can comprise producing at least one sensor unit.For example, electrically conductive, powdered material is applied in some areas of the layer to be created as an additional material alongside a thermally conductive material in order to form part of an electrically conductive sensor unit.
[0046] Alternatively, the at least one sensor unit can also be contactable wirelessly. The sensor unit can be configured similarly to an NFC chip, which transmits information in response to receiving energy.
[0047] Furthermore, when creating at least one sensor contact, at least one boundary region to the at least one sensor unit can be designed such that it ensures contact with the at least one sensor unit via the sensor contact. In other words, the at least one boundary region must be designed such that an electrical contact can be established with the at least one sensor unit, so that data and / or electrical energy can be transmitted.
[0048] As the final step of the process, the finished tool half can be cleaned of excess powder, machined as required, or used immediately.
[0049] Furthermore, it should be noted that the additive manufacturing process can be or include laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF), binder jetting or pressure-assisted sintering.
[0050] Finally, it should be mentioned that a casting tool can be an injection molding tool or a die-casting tool. A casting machine can also be an injection molding machine or a die-casting machine.
[0051] The invention is explained in more detail below using an exemplary embodiment in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The drawings schematically show:
[0052] Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a tool half of a casting tool according to the invention; and Fig. 2 is an enlarged view in the area of the sensor unit from Fig. 1.
[0053] In the following description, the same reference symbols are used for the same items.
[0054] Figure 1 shows a sectional view of a tool half 1 of a casting tool according to the invention.
[0055] In more detail, Figure 1 shows a mold half 1 of a casting tool. The mold half 1 can be used or adapted for the ejector side or the nozzle side of a casting machine.
[0056] The mold half 1 has a three-dimensional body K for connection to a clamping plate of a casting machine. The mold half 1 comprises several materials A and B and is designed or formed as a single piece.
[0057] Furthermore, Figure 1 shows that the tool half 1 has a first side 2 of the body K designed for connection to a clamping plate of a casting machine, wherein a second side 3 of the body K has a mold F for a cast part to be produced. The mold F can form part of a so-called cavity in a casting tool, into which, for example, liquefied plastic is injected to produce a component or cast part. The first side 2 and the second side 3 form opposite sides of the body K.
[0058] The shape F has a projection 4 and a recess 5 with respect to a surface E of the second side 3 surrounding the projection 4 and the recess 5.
[0059] Furthermore, the tool half 1 has a cooling channel 6 for cooling the mold F for a casting to be produced. The cooling channel 6 runs inside the body K and has varying distances X, Y from the mold F or from the projection 4 and the recess 5 of the mold F. The cooling channel 6 has three sections, each with a straight path.
[0060] More specifically, the distance X between the cooling channel 6 and the projection 4 of the mold F is greater than the distance Y between the cooling channel 6 and the recess 5 of the mold F. The cooling channel 6 runs in some areas parallel to the surface E surrounding the projection 4 and the recess 5.
[0061] Furthermore, Figure 1 shows that the tool half 1 has a sensor unit 7 and a sensor contact 8. The sensor unit 7 and the sensor contact 8 are arranged in the space or at a distance X between the surface of the projection 4 and the cooling channel 6. The sensor unit 7 or the sensor contact 8 can also be arranged in the space or at a distance Y between the surface of the recess 5 and the cooling channel 6.
[0062] Furthermore, Figure 1 shows that the tool half 1 has a connection 9 for an evaluation device on its outer side and functions as an interface for contacting the sensor unit 7 in its interior, so that data from the sensor unit 7 can be received by means of the connection 9 and / or the sensor unit 7 can be supplied with energy.
[0063] With reference to Figures 1 and 2, an additive manufacturing process for producing the tool half 1 is described below. Figure 2 shows an enlarged view of Figure 1 in the area of the sensor unit 7.
[0064] An additive manufacturing process for producing a tool half 1 of a casting tool can realize a more complex structure of a tool half 1.
[0065] One step of the method comprises applying a layer 20-30 of powdered material to a workpiece carrier W (indicated by dashed lines) or to an already existing layer in order to produce a body K of the tool half 1. The layer 20-30 has a layer thickness between 15 and 500 pm.
[0066] When applying a layer 20-30, several powders of different materials A, B can be selectively applied to form a layer 20-24, 26-30 with one material A or a layer 25 with two materials A, B next to each other on one level. This is also referred to as the "selective powder deposition" process. One material, A, is thermally conductive, and the other material, B, is electrically conductive.
[0067] A further step of the process involves selectively melting individual regions and / or the applied material and / or an entire or applied layer using a laser. After selectively melting individual regions and / or a material and / or an entire layer, these regions solidify to form a solid material layer. In other words, the powdered material A, B applied in the layer is liquefied in regions or completely using laser radiation and solidifies upon cooling. This process not only serves to solidify the powdered material A, B, but also to bond it to the underlying solid material layer, thus further building up the body K.
[0068] This is followed by a lowering of the workpiece carrier W by the amount of one layer thickness of the solid material layer.
[0069] The above steps are then repeated iteratively, starting with the re-application of a layer of 20-30 mm of powdered material.
[0070] The application of a layer 20-30, such as layer 25, of powdered material comprises creating a sensor contact 8. When creating a sensor contact 8 or when applying a layer 25, electrically conductive, powdered material B is applied in regions in the layer 25 to be created as a further material alongside a further, thermally conductive material A (cf. layer 25 in Figure 1 ) in order to form part of the electrically conductive sensor contact 8.
[0071] The application of a layer 20-30, such as layer 26, of powdered material also involves the production of a sensor unit 7. Depending on the required sensor technology, this is constructed layer by layer from different electrically conductive and electrically insulating materials. The sensor unit 7 can thus generate / deliver / provide measurement data, such as strain and / or temperature, for this location.
[0072] As already mentioned, the application of a layer 20-30 of powdered material includes the creation of a sensor contact 8 so that a sensor unit 7 can be contacted within the tool half 1 to be created.
[0073] When creating a sensor contact 8, electrically conductive, powdered material B is applied in an area that forms a boundary region G to the sensor unit 7 to be created. The electrically conductive, powdered material B forms part or a strip-shaped part of the entire sensor contact 8 (see Figure 2). Furthermore, when creating the sensor contact 8, the boundary region G is designed such that it ensures contact with the sensor unit 7. The sensor contact 8 is designed as a connection to a sensor unit 7, so that data from the sensor unit 7 can be received using the sensor contact 8 and the sensor unit 7 can be supplied with energy.
[0074] As a final step of the process, the finished tool half 1 is cleaned of excess powder, machined as required, or used immediately.
[0075] The additive manufacturing process presented can be laser powder bed fusion (LPBF), binder jetting or pressure-assisted sintering.
[0076] List of reference symbols
[0077] 1 tool half
[0078] 2 first side of the body
[0079] 3 second side of the body
[0080] 4 lead
[0081] 5 Return
[0082] 6 cooling channel
[0083] 7 Sensor unit
[0084] 8 Sensor contact
[0085] 9 Connection
[0086] 20-30 layers
[0087] A Material A
[0088] B Material B
[0089] E Surface of the second side
[0090] F-shape
[0091] G Border area
[0092] K Body
[0093] W tool carrier
[0094] X distance
[0095] Y distance
Claims
Patent claims 1. Tool half (1) of a casting tool comprising: - a three-dimensional body (K) for connection to a clamping plate of a casting machine, - wherein a first side (2) of the body (K) is designed for connection to the clamping plate of the casting machine, - wherein a second side (3) of the body (K) has a cavity of the mold (F) for a casting to be produced, - wherein the first and second sides (2, 3) form opposite sides of the body (K), - wherein the shape (F) has at least one projection (4) and / or at least one recess (5) with respect to a surface (E) of the second side (3) surrounding the at least one projection (4) and / or recess (5), - at least one cooling channel (6) for cooling the mold (F) for a casting to be produced, - wherein the at least one cooling channel (6) runs inside the body (K) and runs partially parallel to the second side (3) in the region of the cavity and has varying distances (X, Y) from the mold (F) in the region of the at least one projection (4) and / or the at least one recess (5) of the mold (F), - wherein the distance (X) between the at least one cooling channel (6) and the surface of the at least one projection (4) of the mold (F) is greater than the distance (Y) between the at least one cooling channel (6) and the surface of the at least one recess (5) of the mold (F), - wherein the tool half (1) has at least one sensor unit (7), optionally further at least one sensor contact (8) for the sensor unit (7), characterized in that - the at least one sensor unit (7), optionally further the at least one sensor contact (8), together with the body (K) in an additive multi-material printing process using different materials are formed and the at least one sensor unit (7) is arranged in a space below the surface of the mold (F) in a region between the at least one cooling channel (6) and the second side (3).
2. Tool half (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that - the at least one sensor unit (7) can be contacted wirelessly, or that - the at least one sensor unit (7) is contacted by means of the at least one sensor contact (8), which is designed in the form of at least one printed conductor track.
3. Tool half (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the body (K) is additively manufactured from at least one electrically conductive, metallic material and that the at least one sensor unit (7) and the optionally present at least one sensor contact (8) are manufactured in one piece from at least one electrically conductive, metallic material and at least one electrically insulating material using the additive multi-material printing process.
4. Tool half (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the at least one sensor unit (7) is designed as a strain and / or temperature sensor.
5. Tool half (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tool half (1) has on its outer side a connection (9) for an evaluation device provided on the at least one sensor contact (8), which connection is further designed as an interface to the at least one sensor unit (7) in the interior of the body (K), so that with the aid of the connection (9) data from the at least one sensor unit (7) can be received and / or the at least one sensor unit (7) can be supplied with energy.
6. Additive manufacturing method for producing the tool half (1) of the casting tool according to one of claims 1 to 5, comprising the following steps: - applying a layer (20-30) of powdered material to a workpiece carrier (W) or to an existing layer in order to produce the body (K) and the at least one sensor unit (7), optionally the sensor contact (8), of the tool half (1), - wherein, when applying a layer (20-30), several powders of different materials can be applied selectively next to one another in one plane in order to form a layer (20-30) of at least one material or a layer (25) of two or more materials (A, B), - selective melting of individual regions of the layer (20-30) and / or of an applied material and / or of an entire layer using a laser, - wherein after the selective melting of individual regions of the layer (20-30) and / or a material and / or an entire layer, these solidify into a solid material layer, - Lowering the workpiece carrier (W) by the amount of one layer thickness of the solid material layer, and - iteratively repeating the above steps starting with the re-application of a layer (20-30) of powdered material.
7. Additive manufacturing process according to claim 6, - wherein the application of a layer (20-30) of powdered material comprises the creation of at least one sensor unit (7), optionally the at least one sensor contact (8), - wherein, when creating the at least one sensor contact (8) or when applying a layer, electrically conductive, powdery material (B) is applied in regions in the layer (24) to be created as a further material in addition to a thermally conductive material (A) in order to form part of an electrically conductive sensor contact (8), - or wherein, when creating at least one sensor unit (7) or when applying a layer, electrically conductive, powdery material (B) is applied in regions in the layer (24) to be created as a further material in addition to a thermally conductive material (A) in order to form part of at least one sensor unit (7).
8. Additive manufacturing process according to one of the preceding claims 6 or 7, - wherein the application of a layer (20-30) of powdered material comprises creating the at least one sensor contact (8) so that the at least one sensor unit (7) can be contacted within the tool half (1) to be created, and - wherein, when creating the at least one sensor contact (8), electrically conductive, powdery material (B) is applied in a region which forms at least one boundary region (G) to the at least one sensor unit (7) to be created.
9. Additive manufacturing process according to claim 8, - wherein the at least one sensor contact (8) is designed as a connection to at least one sensor unit (7), so that data from the at least one sensor unit (7) is received and / or the at least one sensor unit (7) is supplied with energy by means of the at least one sensor contact (8).