Additive manufacturing-assisted conformal cooling channels in mold manufacturing processes

This article aims to provide an overview of applications of rapid prototyping-assisted conformal cooling channel and shows the potential of this technology in different manufacturing processes. This review article also reports one case study from open literature where rapid prototyping-assisted conformal cooling channel has been successfully used in the manufacturing process. This study concludes that rapid prototyping technique can replace conventional manufacturing for complicated structure conformal cooling channel which improves quality and productivity. The outcome based on literature review and case study strongly suggested that rapid prototyping-assisted conformal cooling channel might become standard procedure in manufacturing process in near future. Advanced technologies such as computer-aided manufacturing, computer-aided engineering, computer fluid dynamics, and rapid tooling made it possible to fabricate the conformal cooling channel. Rapid prototyping-assisted conformal cooling channel can easily transfer the simulation into actual fabrication. This article is beneficial to study the development and application of rapid prototyping-assisted conformal cooling channel in different manufacturing processes.