Page 42 - MetalForming August 2017

Add AM to Your Arsenal
jigs and fixtures, but for metalforming tools as well. This often happens when metalformers need to prove out tool- ing, can’t wait for traditional tool-build methods or see the benefits of eco- nomical low-volume production.
Hydroforming and stretchforming, notes Wild, are two proven applica- tions for tooling, including punches, pressure intensifiers, matched male and female tools, and back-filled tools.
In tests by Stratasys with industry part- ners, Wild reports success in using Ultem 9085 or Nylon 12CF on Stratasys Fortus 3D-printing systems to produce low-volume or bridge tooling in form- ing applications. These tools, she says, have been validated for forming pres- sures to 15 ksi in runs to 100-plus parts.
FDM was used to produce a 10 by 13 by 2.5-in. stretchforming tool with
multiple contours, made with Ultem 9085 material. The tool, according to Wild, successfully formed an aluminum alloy, 2024-0, in thicknesses from 0.050 to 0.100 in. This is an optimal applica- tion, she says, because surface pres- sures are minimal, and the tool can be easily optimized to minimize build times and cost.
The same material with FDM was employed to produce insert tooling in a tube-hydroforming application. With internal pressure ranging from 3 to 15 ksi, the tooling formed 16- gauge 1008 carbon steel, as a 2-in.- dia. tube, in 13 forming cycles. This tooling is best-suited for minimal- deformation operations, reports Wild. High-deformation operations would require consideration of localized stress concentrations.
And, for rapid repairs, The U.S. Navy has employed the FDM AM process to produce a variety of simple polycar- bonate forming tools. Navy officials say the process has allowed for the return of aircraft to service (after part fractures due to hard carrier landings, for example) in a fraction of the time as compared to traditional tool-and- part-production processes.
Again, across all of these examples, printed tooling yields significant lead- time savings as well as customized and economical low-volume production. Important factors to consider when researching the resin-tooling route: forming pressures, quantity of parts needed and type/thickness of the metal to be formed.
Taking the Next Step
Okay, so all of the above has con- vinced you that AM can serve valuable functions in your operations. What now?
“The AM landscape is dotted with organizations to help you travel the 3D-printing path,” says Wild. “An exam- ple is Stratasys’ Expert Services Group, which can create CAD designs and per- form other services. It can take your file of a fixture or tool, redesign it for AM and even build it while walking you through the entire process. Service
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40 MetalForming/August 2017
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