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<p>Today, additive manufacturing using Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) allows manufacturing molds of steel containing conformal cooling channels (CCC) to produce plastic parts by injection molding. These cooling channels can improve heat transfer during the molding process, thus reducing the molding cycle time. However, although some studies published in recent years have demonstrated that CCC can enhance productivity, this technology has not been widely adopted by the industries today. There is a lack of information about the mechanical properties of parts produced by molds with CCC, since reducing the molding cycle time can compromise the quality of the parts. Therefore, the current work was conducted to certify the quality of automotive plastic parts produced by injection molding of polypropylene (PP) using a CCC mold manufactured by LPBF. The mechanical properties, microstructure, and dimensional accuracy were assessed and evaluated against the traditional mold (baffle cooling channels - BCC). The results show a reduction of 26% of the molding cycle time using the CCC mold. The higher efficiency on the heat transfer resulted in a reduction of about 47% on the spherulite size and an increase of about 53% of the frozen layer (outer), 6% of the refined layer, and 18% of the skin layer thickness. It resulted in dimensionally more precise parts (83% more precise than the traditional mold). The refinement of the spherulites and the increase in the skin thickness were not enough to alter the results of the impact and tensile test, viscoelasticity, and crystallinity of the parts produced by CCC. Thus, the current work shows that CCC molds can be applied successfully for industrial applications, it can reduce the molding cycle time, improve the parts’ accuracy without losing the mechanical properties.</p><p>• Conformal cooling cut cycles 26% with higher mass meeting industry criteria.</p><p>• Conformal cooling raised frozen, refined, and skin layers 53%, 6%, 18%.</p><p>• Uniform heat flow gives 47% lower spherulites, even spread, better nucleation.</p><p>• DMA showed stiffness rise with conformal cooling, due to thick skin layer.</p><p>• Conformal cooling boosts stiffness, stability at low strain, no strength loss.</p>

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Mechanical properties of plastic parts produced by molds manufactured by additive manufacturing technology (LPBF) with conformal cooling channels

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

    开放获取

  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月29日

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  • Alexandre Mateus Popiolek,
  • Louis Laberge Lebel,
  • Carlos Henrique Ahrens,
  • Guilherme Mariz de Oliveira Barra,
  • Adriano Fagali de Souza

摘要

Today, additive manufacturing using Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) allows manufacturing molds of steel containing conformal cooling channels (CCC) to produce plastic parts by injection molding. These cooling channels can improve heat transfer during the molding process, thus reducing the molding cycle time. However, although some studies published in recent years have demonstrated that CCC can enhance productivity, this technology has not been widely adopted by the industries today. There is a lack of information about the mechanical properties of parts produced by molds with CCC, since reducing the molding cycle time can compromise the quality of the parts. Therefore, the current work was conducted to certify the quality of automotive plastic parts produced by injection molding of polypropylene (PP) using a CCC mold manufactured by LPBF. The mechanical properties, microstructure, and dimensional accuracy were assessed and evaluated against the traditional mold (baffle cooling channels - BCC). The results show a reduction of 26% of the molding cycle time using the CCC mold. The higher efficiency on the heat transfer resulted in a reduction of about 47% on the spherulite size and an increase of about 53% of the frozen layer (outer), 6% of the refined layer, and 18% of the skin layer thickness. It resulted in dimensionally more precise parts (83% more precise than the traditional mold). The refinement of the spherulites and the increase in the skin thickness were not enough to alter the results of the impact and tensile test, viscoelasticity, and crystallinity of the parts produced by CCC. Thus, the current work shows that CCC molds can be applied successfully for industrial applications, it can reduce the molding cycle time, improve the parts’ accuracy without losing the mechanical properties.

• Conformal cooling cut cycles 26% with higher mass meeting industry criteria.

• Conformal cooling raised frozen, refined, and skin layers 53%, 6%, 18%.

• Uniform heat flow gives 47% lower spherulites, even spread, better nucleation.

• DMA showed stiffness rise with conformal cooling, due to thick skin layer.

• Conformal cooling boosts stiffness, stability at low strain, no strength loss.