Method of manufacturing molds, dies or forming tools having a porous heat exchanging body support member having a defined porosity

The present invention relates to the fields of molds, dies, and other forming tools, their manufacture and their use in metal manufacturing and plastic manufacturing. Described are molds, dies and forming tools comprising: a) a heat exchanging body support member; and b) within the support member, a molding cavity portion formed by thermal spraying metallic particles to a desired configuration in the support member. Also described are methods of making a mold, die or forming tool comprising the steps of: a) providing a body support member having a controlled and designed porosity which permits the enhancement of the heat transfer ability of said mold, die or forming tool; b) configuring a surface of the support member to a desired cavity; and c) spraying particles to the configured cavity in the support member, thereby producing a mold, die or forming tool. Preferably, the materials of construction are metallic and are applied by thermal plasma spraying. The particles may also be ceramics, metal matrix composites, ceramic matrix composites, thermoplastic resins, thermoset resins, and composites based thereupon. The controlled porosity of the body of the mold, die and/or forming tool is as important as the use of thermal spray to subsequently form the cavity.