Design, analysis and principle demonstration of incrementally manufactured, modular lightweight die casting tools

传统压铸工具的大多数组件仍然是按订单设计并使用减材工艺制造的。然而，现行的生产原则有其固有的缺点。例如，在生产期间，高工具重量和高资源输入导致热惰性工具。由于高的工具质量，工具温度控制仍然需要大量的能量。考虑到压铸工具的通常工具重量和不同金属生成工艺的特征应用率，也变得明显的是，目前增材制造工艺的广泛应用存在狭窄的限制。增加使用模块化或标准化设计以降低制造成本，同时保留传统的减材制造工艺的前瞻性方法已经得到证明。然而，如果工具设计将基于轻量化设计原则，则铸造工具可以以显著减少的材料投入和制造成本以及改进的能量特性来获得。因此，只有单独的刀具型腔本身是由切削过程产生的。其他工具部件可以是模块化的和可重复使用的，例如通过具有构件和节点的支撑结构，其可以通过增量制造方法适应几何要求。因此，本文提出的项目的总体目标是实现模块化轻量化压铸工具的轻量化设计和增量制造的方法。除了与生产相关的优点之外，这种类型的轻质工具可以克服传统压铸工具的许多技术限制。因此，可以实现铸造厂的更低能量需求、改进的工具温度控制和对部件性能的更有针对性的影响、更短的设置时间、更好的可编程性和更低的机械系统应力或更高的系统动态。压铸工具的轻量化设计以及高度的模块化也促进了增材制造工艺的使用。与现有的增材制造工艺相反，它还旨在根据基于大规模生产的半成品的增材基本原理逐步生产组件。这也使得生产的灵活性增加，生产时间缩短，制造压铸工具的材料和能源需求降低。然而，这种方法的实施提出了一些关于可实现的工具和组件属性的科学问题。目前，关于轻型压铸工具的设计、尺寸、制造和使用，仅有非常有限的知识。采用增量生产方法被视为克服这些生产限制的一种办法。

Most of the components for conventional die casting tools are still designed to order and are manufactured using subtractive processes. However, the current production principle has its inherent disadvantages. For example, high tool weights and a high resource input during production lead to thermally inert tools. Due to the high tool mass, a considerable amount of energy is still required for tool temperature control. Taking into account the usual tool weights of die casting tools and the characteristic application rates of different metallic generative processes, it also becomes obvious that there are currently narrow limits to the widespread application of additive manufacturing processes. Prospective approaches to the increased use of a modular or standardized design to reduce manufacturing costs while retaining conventional, subtractive manufacturing processes have already been demonstrated. However, casting tools could be made available with considerably reduced material input and manufacturing costs as well as improved energetic properties if the tool design would be based on lightweight design principles. As a result, only the individual tool cavity itself is produced by cutting processes. The other tool components can be modular and reusable, e.g. by means of supporting structures with members and nodes, which can be adapted to the geometric requirements by incremental manufacturing methods. The overall objective of the project proposed here is therefore to achieve a methodology for lightweight design and the incremental manufacturing of modular lightweight die-casting tools. In addition to production-related advantages, this type of lightweight tool could overcome numerous technological restrictions of conventional die casting tools. Hence, lower energy requirements in foundries, improved tool temperature control and a more targeted influence on component properties, shorter set-up times, better manageability and lower mechanical system stress or higher system dynamics can be achieved. The lightweight design of die casting tools in conjunction with a high degree of modularity also promotes the increased use of additive manufacturing processes. Contrary to existing additive manufacturing processes, it also aims to produce components step by step according to additive basic principles based on mass-produced semi-finished products. This also enables increased flexibility in production, shorter production times and lower material and energy requirements for the fabrication of die casting tools. However, the implementation of this approach raises a number of scientific questions with regard to the achievable tool and component properties. At present, only very limited knowledge exists with regard to the design, dimensioning, manufacturing and use of lightweight die casting tools. The application of incremental production methods is seen as an approach to overcoming these production restrictions.