Directed Energy Deposition is changing the way tools are produced and repaired. Conventional manufacturing offers lead times from several weeks to several months. Tool lifetime is unpredictable when tools are repaired, and tool performance is limited with limited hardness on cutting tools and limited shot cycle time due to thermal performance of dies and molds.
This presentation will show the advantages of hybrid DED machines to produce high performing dies and improved repair of dies achieving 300% lifetime over conventionally repaired dies. Enabling Technology will be presented, followed by a detailed use case review by Toyota. Toyota will share their experience and success stories with hybrid DED.
Ultimately, new developments will be presented that further excel the capabilities of DED use for Automotive Tooling. Integrated 3D scanning allows for in-machine wear detection and post process quality inspection leading to further quality improvements and lead time reduction. Additionally, high- power blue laser sources are becoming more and more commercially feasible allowing deposition of new materials such as pure copper. First results for embedding copper cooling cores into dies show remarkable improvements of thermal tool performance.
