Additive manufacturing revolutionizes tool and mold making

Opportunity for Mold Making Speedpart Optimizes Cooling Channel Systems Using 3D Printing

2025-11-17 From Speedpart | Translated by AI 2 min Reading Time

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When it comes to tool and mold making, additive manufacturing has revolutionized the field of cavity cooling. Speedpart knows all too well how to do it...

Speedpart is an expert in 3D printing for tool and mold making—such as for contour-close cooling systems in injection molding tools. Right: tool insert additively manufactured via DMLS. Left: PolyJet model for visualizing the internal cooling channels.(Image: Speedpart) — Speedpart is an expert in 3D printing for tool and mold making—such as for contour-close cooling systems in injection molding tools. Right: tool insert additively manufactured via DMLS. Left: PolyJet model for visualizing the internal cooling channels.
(Image: Speedpart)

Additive manufacturing opens up new design possibilities for tool and mold making that traditional machining methods often cannot achieve or only with great effort, according to Speedpart. Many professionals are still largely unaware of the advantages of 3D printing for their daily work. They still deal with relatively long production times, low component quality, and comparatively heavy end results in terms of molds. However, with additively manufactured tool inserts, tempering channels, for example, can be routed directly and very close to the component geometry. The heat removal from the hot melt in the cavity then occurs exactly where it is needed and more efficiently. This means that parts can be demolded more quickly, their surface quality is higher, and there is greater design freedom, as Speedpart emphasizes.

Additively Manufactured Tool Inserts Cover Prototype And Series Production

Additionally, pressure losses in the tempering circuit are minimized, and even hard-to-reach surfaces can be optimally tempered. Speedpart offers assistance for the aforementioned purpose, both for individual tool inserts and for complete mold-making, including injection-molded parts. Tool inserts are printed as needed in tool steel MS1 (1.2709, unhardened up to 37 HRC, hardened up to 54 HRC) or stainless steel 316L (1.4404, hardness up to 89 HRB). This material variety allows specific requirements for durability, corrosion resistance, and temperature behavior to be met. The additively manufactured inserts are suitable for prototype production as well as for series production without issue, as Speedpart notes. Furthermore, the specialists also offer hybrid manufacturing techniques, in which milled components are strategically combined with additively fabricated elements.

Speedpart's Offering in 3D Printing for Mold Making

This component mix enables targeted optimizations in terms of mechanical durability and tempering efficiency, as well as flexible adaptation of the tools. Speedpart emphasizes that they deliver complete in-house solutions, ranging from individual tool inserts to entire mold-making, including injection-molded parts. The technical production specifications are as follows: layer thicknesses of up to 0.0008 inches, wall thicknesses starting at 0.02 inches, and maximum component sizes of 9.8 × 9.8 × 12.6 inches. This allows even the smallest details and functionally relevant structures to be reliably reproduced, as Speedpart explains. For specific project inquiries or further technical information, Speedpart is available as a competent contact partner.

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Date: 08.12.2025

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