Design of conformal cooling layers with self-supporting lattices for additively manufactured tooling

Additively manufactured (AM) conformal cooling channels are currently the state of the art for high performing tooling with reduced cycle times. This paper introduces the concept of conformal cooling layers which challenges the status quo in providing higher heat transfer rates that also provide less variation in tooling temperatures. The cooling layers are filled with self-supporting repeatable unit cells that form a lattice throughout the cooling layers. The lattices increase fluid vorticity which improves convective heat transfer. Mechanical testing of the lattices shows that the design of the unit cell significantly varies the compression characteristics. A virtual case study of the injection moulding of a plastic enclosure is used to compare the performance of conformal cooling layers with that of conventional (drilled) cooling channels and conformal (AM) cooling channels. The results show the conformal layers reduce cooling time by 26.34% over conventional cooling channels