Mold Fluid Passage Using Electroformed Metal Sheet
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional metal pipes used for temperature control in molds lack flexibility in three-dimensional design, leading to insufficient heat conduction and difficulties in removing volatile materials like wax, especially when forming complex fluid passages.
Innovation Solution
A mold with a porous conductive sheet having through holes, where electroformed metal is deposited on the mold body and sheet to create a flexible fluid passage that closely conforms to the mold's surface, eliminating adhesion issues and simplifying material removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a rigid metal pipe is used for fluid passage, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the conformity to the back surface of the mold is insufficient causing heat conduction loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces rigid metal pipes with flexible thin metal sheets that can be bent and conform to the back surface of the mold. The metal sheet is fixed by spot welding at multiple positions, allowing it to adapt to complex mold geometries while maintaining good thermal contact, thereby resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and heat conduction efficiency.
2Loss of energy
If the metal pipe is bent to conform to the mold surface, then the conformity improves, but the bending radius is limited causing meandering and reduced heat conduction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses thin metal sheets instead of rigid pipes, allowing the material to be bent with very small radii to closely follow the contours of the mold back surface. This flexibility eliminates the need for meandering paths and ensures continuous thermal contact, resolving the contradiction between shape adaptability and heat conduction efficiency.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple metal pipes are used to form branched fluid passages, then the fluid passage complexity increases, but the number of components and connection operations increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate metal pipe components into a single continuous metal sheet that can be bent and shaped to form complex branched fluid passages. This integration eliminates the need for multiple connection operations while maintaining design flexibility, resolving the contradiction between passage complexity and device complexity.
4Strength
If metal welding is performed to fix the metal pipe, then the attachment strength increases, but the welding heat causes mold deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies spot welding at localized positions rather than continuous welding along the entire metal sheet. This localized approach provides sufficient attachment strength at critical points while minimizing the total heat input to the mold, thereby preventing mold deformation while maintaining adequate fixation.
5Adaptability or versatility
If a volatile material like wax is used to form fluid passages, then the fluid passage shape flexibility increases, but the material removal becomes difficult especially for complicated shapes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical removal process (chipping, grinding) required for volatile materials with an electrochemical process (electroforming). The metal sheet serves as a template for electroforming, which directly creates the fluid passage cavity without leaving residual material, thereby eliminating the difficult material removal step while maintaining shape flexibility.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enhances three-dimensional design flexibility, prevents heat conduction loss, and facilitates easy removal of materials, offering improved temperature control efficiency and reduced operational complexity.
Implementation Method 1
an electroformed metal electrodeposited on the back surface of the mold body and on the porous conductive sheet so as to fill and close the through holes of the porous conductive sheet
Implementation Method 2
The electroformed metal is also electrodeposited on the back surface of the mold body through the porous conductive sheet, so that the electroformed metal is integrated with the back surface of the mold body
Data Source
Figure 1A1~1D2
Figure 2A~2D
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A mold includes a mold body, a fluid passage through which fluid for temperature control flows, a porous conductive sheet and an electroformed metal. The porous conductive sheet is placed on a back surface of the mold body, has a plurality of through holes, and is conductive at least at its surface. The electroformed metal is electrodeposited on the back surface of the mold body and on the porous conductive sheet so as to fill and close the through holes of the porous conductive sheet. In the mold, an inner surface of the electroformed metal forms at least a part of an inner surface of the fluid passage.