A cost-effective approach for rapid fabricating cooling channels with smooth surface

Conformal cooling stands for cooling channels that conform to the surface of the mold cavity. Production rate and molded part quality can be improved by the mold with conformal cooling channels. Molds with a complex cooling channel system have been developed by rapid tooling technology. However, the mold manufacturing process is not environmentally friendly. In addition, fabrication process for a wax cooling channel with complex geometrical shapes is time consuming. In this study, a low-cost wax filament with high toughness and low melting point is developed for fabricating cooling channels using fused deposition modeling technique. The optimal process parameters for fabricating wax patterns are investigated. The cooling channels with smooth surface are fabricated. The results obtained are very practical and provide the greatest application potential in the precision rapid tooling industry.