Surface Welding

by **Joe Golden Gate Solutions** on Tue Nov 11, 2003 8:25 am

Is there a process to build up an entire cavity surface similar to creating an SLA model? Who does this type of welding?

Joe

by **DougP** on Tue Nov 11, 2003 9:37 am

I saw them doing that at the University of Louisville. They do contract work out of their lab. I've got some names/numbers if you are interested.

Doug Pryor
David Wolfe Design, Inc
[email protected]

by DD on Wed Nov 12, 2003 5:15 pm

Do you mean add metal to an existing tool surface or create a cavity from scratch? If you mean the latter, there is a process called Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) that can do what you want. Many rapid prototype shops make SLS plastic parts, but a few do metal parts for tooling. Material is SS infiltrated with Bronze. Check out Scicon in California or ATI in Texas.

http://www.scicontech.com/sls.htm

http://www.acceltechinc.com/tech/te_rt_process.html

Never used it and don't know anyone who has personally.
Del.

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http://www.SimplebyDesignWeb.com

by **Will Call** on Thu Nov 13, 2003 8:00 am

You can also contact Apex Mold & Die in Endeavor, WI

Email [email protected]

Bill

<b>Moderator- Product Design Forum<b>

Moen, Incorporated
[email protected]

by **Joe Golden Gate Solutions** on Thu Nov 13, 2003 10:48 am

I found The POM Group, Inc. They can build a cavity from scratch with differant metals to optimize cooling or do engineering changes to old cavities. Check out there site.

http://www.pomgroup.com/
Joe

by **PDF** on Mon Nov 17, 2003 2:06 pm

As chance would have it, there is an article on rapid mfg in this month's SME magazine (Manufacturing Engineering)... they mention POM notably. For anyone interested in more on the subject here's the link:

http://www.sme.org/cgi-bin/get-mag.pl?& ... ARTME&SME&

It mostly focus' on the metalic processes (rather than plastic), and there's some interesting speculation on where the industry is heading.

Pete