Additherm lab

Technology R&D

Additive Manufacturing made the introduction of Conformal Cooling components possible. Therefore it is used in several industries where thermal management is crucial to productivity, such as automotive, aeronautics, industrial, etc.

We are the only conformal cooling and flow component producer in the world that utilizes 3 different additive manufacturing technologies, depending on thermal conductivity, mechanical properties and dimensional requirements.

MFT

MFT is our proprietary additive manufacturing technology, based on diffusion bonding of pre-machined layers of premium tool steel.  Mechanical properties of the diffusion bond are comparable to those of forged tool steel block. Material selection can practically be any tool steel, although most often 1.2343 / H11, 1.2344 / H13, 420SS, High Thermal Conductivity Steel (HTCS) is used. MFT also enables complex geometry possibilities, such as perfect 90-degree overhangs, embedded copper pins and embedded sensors, for example.

DED

The Direct Energy Deposition (DED) process is the second in-house developed additive manufacturing technology we use. This process deposits wire feedstock onto the surface of components for cladding, resurfacing, joining, or repair. Drawing from decades of welding metallurgy know-how, HTS DED ensures maximum quality and reduces the risks associated with typical “welding” processes. Compared to Powder Bed Fusion 3D, DED enables higher throughput, more material options, fewer defects, better economy, larger pieces, etc. DED is ideal for larger sized parts and components.

3D PRINT 

Powder Bed Fusion 3D printing technology is the most widely known additive manufacturing technology. In our case, it is one of the three technologies used for the production of conformally cooled components. Currently, this technology still has certain limitations, especially in the field of available steel grades. Mostly stainless and maraging steels are available, while tool steels choice practically doesn't exist. Our R&D efforts are focused on introducing new tool steel grades, making the Powder Bed Fusion 3D printing technology more widely used for high pressure die casting and injection moulding applications.

Product and Process R&D

HPDC injection system

We are the only HPDC components producer that designs, develops and produces a complete injection system in-house, from shot sleeves, plungers, rings, liners and lubrication systems, to conformally cooled shot blocks and feed rings.

This gives us a unique possibility to approach HPDC process optimization more holistically. As a part of our product R&D we are developing the injection system as a whole, meaning that all components and process parameters are synchronized to optimize the productivity and cast part quality.

IM Gating System

By utilizing the advantages of conformally designed channels we can impact the overall performance of the injection molding gating system from the perspective of improved components cooling rates, optimized plastics flow and pressure drop.

Based on our knowledge and advanced computational dynamics modeling, we can pre-determine the desired cooling power for each component, depending on the molding process requirements.

DCTM System

DCTM is a HTS developed cloud-based system used to monitor in-service operation and performance of die-casting injection systems and tooling components, to support further productivity optimization.

DCTM allows real-time online monitoring of multiple production units, instant warning messaging of possible irregular operation, review of historic data and preparation of data analysis, statistics, and reports. 

The system also enables in-shop data-logging for team collaboration and continuous improvement of process performance, reduction of operational costs, preventive maintenance scheduling, spare part ordering, etc.