Hybrid manufacturing innovations at Machine Tools Africa 2024
THE manufacturing landscape is rapidly evolving. Hybrid manufacturing, which combines traditional techniques with cutting-edge 3D printing, isn’t just a trend; it’s essential for staying ahead.
At the recent Machine Tools Africa show in Johannesburg, Rapid 3D showcased an application that addressed critical challenges faced by today’s manufacturers where hybrid manufacturing was used to impressive effect.
The application involved transforming an injection mould tool through hybrid manufacturing. Partners in the project included David Bullock of Rapid 3D and Nik Ivanovic of Akhani 3D, who shared a stand at the show at Nasrec along with Progressive Components who made the tool and who run the product for end customer Gurtech.
Based in Howick, KZN, Rapid 3D is a supplier of industrial additive manufacturing (3D printing) solutions and consumables. Akhani 3D, also operating from Howick, specializes in short-run, complex part manufacturing.
The showcase started with a Gurtech G.Gun grease gun handle and is a prime example of how hybrid manufacturing techniques can optimise production processes. As sales volumes increased, Gurtech’s lead engineer faced the challenge of reducing costs and decreasing manufacturing time without compromising part quality.
In collaboration with Rapid 3D, Gurtech explored innovative solutions. The team decided to design an injection mould insert incorporating conformal cooling channels, a cutting-edge approach that deviates from traditional straight cooling channels. Conformal cooling involves creating cooling channels that closely follow the contours of the mould cavity, allowing for more uniform and efficient cooling of the moulded part.
Industry statistics have consistently shown that conformal cooling offers significant advantages:
Conformal cooling designs can reduce cooling time by 10-40% compared to traditional straight cooling channels. This reduction directly translates to increased production speed and efficiency.
By promoting more even cooling, conformal cooling designs minimise warping and shrinkage in the moulded parts. This results in higher-quality products with less scrap, further enhancing overall efficiency.
The increase in productivity achieved alone can return 100% or more of the mould’s cost over the life cycle of the tool. This significant return on investment highlights the substantial efficiency gains achieved through conformal cooling.
The CAD model, incorporating the optimised conformal cooling channels, was grown on Akhani 3D’s industrial EOS DMLS metal printer, a machine capable of producing the high-precision tool steel parts required for the injection mould tooling insert.
By leveraging the power of hybrid manufacturing and working closely with Rapid 3D and Progressive Components’ world class toolmaking and production capabilities, Gurtech transformed their grease gun handle production process, achieving cost savings, reduced manufacturing time and improved part quality.
This case study exemplifies the vast potential of combining traditional manufacturing methods with innovative 3D printing technologies.
“The integration of these technologies not only improved our production efficiency but also significantly enhanced the quality of our parts, reducing our input costs,” said Gurtech lead design engineer Cary Lusso.
