Complex cast parts with rapid tooling: rapid manufacturing point of view

Rapid manufacturing techniques are typically either material addition or material subtraction processes. Direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) is a material addition process that enables the rapid creation of complex parts via laser sintering (or electron beam melting) whereby layers of powder are deposited and then partially or totally melted using a laser. This technique is directly challenging other more rapid, but subtractive manufacturing processes like high-speed milling (HSM) and electro-erosion. In terms of machining, the capacity of rapid tooling to quickly manufacture complex shapes, like conformal cooling channels, is an advantage (Boillat in J Phys IV 12(Pr 11):27-38, 2002, Au in Int J Adv Manuf Technol 34:496-515, 2007). On the other hand, the dimensional accuracy of this process is definitely lower than that obtained using HSM. To our knowledge, no systematic study of the dimensional capacities of this process has yet been carried out. In this article, through the geometrical study of the quality of the obtained parts, the capability of this process is studied and verified with respect to the required constraints of the die casting method.