Lights-Out Metal 3D Printer Minimizes EDM Needs for Moldmakers 

Matsuura’s metal 3D printing LUMEX series is a lights-out manufacturing system that the company says provides significant time savings in the production of high-volume mold components, enabling conformal cooling and integrated porous venting while minimizing the need for traditional EDM processes when properly implemented.

In addition, Matsuura says its machine can lower a customer’s capital equipment investments for tooling and molding machines while reducing mold cavitation requirements and accelerating return on investment (ROI). According to Tom Houle, director, LUMEX North America, the hybrid technology is already a proven solution for moldmakers. 

In the production of dies, molds and injection molding, LUMEX’s hybrid capabilities achieve high accuracy in part fabrication, since metal powders are melted and sintered via laser, while surfaces are precisely milled at high speeds. 3D cooling channels can be incorporated into molds in the single setup, thereby increasing cooling efficiency and enabling high-cycle injection molding with optimized quality and precision, reducing costs and improving efficiency.

Moreover, the company contends that molds made in this way can be finished with much greater precision than by using other methods and cooling channels within a die or mold can be arranged in an optimal way, greatly improving the cooling effect of the mold component and improving productivity. Also, the objects produced are strong enough for use as finished products, not just interim molds.

The Matsuura LUMEX, combining forming and milling in a single unit, is able to reduce design and processing times that previously took two weeks to one month by a third, with costs reduced by up to half.