Siegfried Hofmann GmbH and GROB-WERKE GmbH & Co. KG have jointly developed a process with which particle foam tools made of aluminum can be produced cost-effectively and in the shortest possible time. GROB Metal Printing, a liquid metal printing process, enables the production of tools that are both lightweight and corrosion-resistant. This innovation aims to speed up the manufacture of tools while increasing flexibility in production.
Traditionally, tools for particle foam are made from stainless steel, which can be time-consuming and costly. The aluminum variants from Hofmann and GROB offer a number of advantages: They are not only lighter, but also more efficient in terms of vaporization and venting, which enables homogeneous filling of the moulded parts.
“We are particularly proud of the rapid production of the additively manufactured aluminum foaming tools,” says Stefan Hofmann, Managing Director of Siegfried Hofmann GmbH. “We only needed a third of the time to produce our demonstrator tool compared to its 3D-printed steel counterpart.”
Another advantage of the process is the high flexibility of the molds. Different inserts can be used with the same mould frame, which reduces production costs and minimizes the time required. The porosity in the mold insert, which is up to 50 percent, also contributes to the improved vaporization of the raw material. This enables shorter cycle times and efficient production, even for larger components.
The GROB Metal Printing process can be easily integrated into existing production lines due to its high system reliability and low production costs. This opens up new possibilities for industrial applications and makes 3D printing of aluminum tools an attractive option for particle foam processing.
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