AddUp launches #2024AMIM: New project to promote 3D printing in injection molding

The AddUp Competence Center Toolmaking has launched the project #2024AMIM – 2024 Additive Manufacturing for Injection Molding. This project is dedicated to the development and implementation of innovations in additive manufacturing for injection molding applications. It is a one-year project involving 17 industrial companies, supported by a consortium of AM experts and AddUp partners.

The #2024AMIM will focus on seven key areas of importance to mold manufacturers. Each month, AddUp and a partner will present challenges and innovations in one of these focus areas. To develop solutions, AddUp will produce samples, benchmarking parts and production tools. At the end of the project, extensive testing and data collection will take place and the results will be published.

The main objective of this project is to inform the tooling industry about the possibilities of additive manufacturing and to demonstrate its potential to increase productivity, quality, safety and sustainability. The seven focus areas include the development of tool steel, productivity, quality, time savings, functionality, sustainability, occupational safety and powder handling.

For this project, AddUp has put together a renowned consortium of AM experts, including Siemens AG, the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology (ILT) and other well-known institutions. Tool manufacturers are invited to participate in #2024AMIM by contributing their sophisticated tool applications. Companies researching additive manufacturing solutions for their injection molding applications are also invited to participate.

The project will kick off in the first week of February with a meeting at Siemens AG in Erlangen, Germany. From March to September, monthly workshops will be held, the results of which will be presented in November. The Tooling Competence Center, AddUp’s German branch at the WBA Tooling Academy in Aachen, is equipped with modern PBF machines and offers tool manufacturers the opportunity to validate their applications and collaborate with experts in PBF technology. With this project, AddUp is positioning itself at the forefront of research and development in the field of additive manufacturing for injection molding, setting new standards in productivity and quality.