Internal cooling channels that follow the contour of a mold cavity, achievable only through AM, reducing injection-molding cycle time and part distortion compared to straight-drilled channels.
Conventional mold cooling uses straight gun-drilled channels that can only approximate the part surface. Conformal cooling channels (CCC) printed in DMLS (typically Maraging Steel MS1 or H13 tool steel) follow the mold surface at uniform offset, maintaining even heat extraction across the entire cavity. Thermal FEA is used to design channel layout before printing.
DMLS tool-steel inserts with CCC reduce injection-mold cycle times by 20–40% and eliminate hot spots that cause sink marks, warping and dimensional variation. Standard channel cross-section: diamond or teardrop (self-supporting under 45° rule), diameter ≤ 8 mm. The conformal path means no straight-line drill access is needed: undercuts and curves are printed freely.
Channels must be designed with diamond/teardrop cross-section, not circular: circular ceilings are 0° overhangs and collapse in DMLS. All internal cavities must have powder drainage access ≥ 3 mm. After printing, EDM wire-cut separates the insert from the build plate: stress relief before cut is mandatory to prevent channel cracking.
Related terms: Part Consolidation, Design for Minimal Material, Lightweighting / Mass Reduction
| Theme | optimization |
|---|---|
| Also called | conformal channels, conformally cooled mold, complex cooling |
| Source | Wiki/tech/dmls.md |
Engineer, author of The Big Book of 3D Printing and additive manufacturing expert