Design Method for Inner Structure of Injection Mold Fabricated by Metal Laser Sintering

This paper discusses design methods for the internal structure of molds used in production utilizing metal laser sintering combined with high speedmilling which selectively sinters metal powder to form a three dimensional mold. This milling technique is characterized by the fact that the selective laser sintering process and milling process are carried out in alternating sequence, achieving the level of processing accuracy demanded of mold production. In addition, in the selective laser sintering process, because the mechanical strength of the sintered body (Young’s Modulus) is variable, suitable interior structures that consider dynamic conditions are expected. However, in the current state of design, this structure is determined experimentally, and there is a high possibility of incurring unnecessary production time and high costs. In this paper, we investigate a method that incorporates an optimization method using stress that occurs within the structure interior, obtains the interior topological structure as a Young’s Modulus distribution, and designs a suitable interior structure using this distribution. As a result of investigation using numerical analysis, we obtained a structure that reduces the volume of the sintered body, having high mechanical strength in comparison with a conventional structure while improving structural rigidity.