One-process milling machining is a new fully automated machining method available from Sodick. It facilitates the continuous process of melting by irradiation of metallic powder with laser light followed by finish machining, while milling with rotating tools. Complex shapes such as three dimensional cooling channels and deep ribs can be manufactured with this single printer, which is particularly suitable in the production of dies for plastic molded products.
The new machining method (parallel mode) can print multiple spots simultaneously by controlling a single laser source at high speed. Cutting machining time can be reduced significantly by optimizing the balance of lamination count by laser and cutting finish machining with tools depending on the three-dimensional shape to be machined. Continuous operation has been enabled by developing an optional Material Recovery System (MRS) for metallic powder.
The Sodick in-house developed and manufactured CNC unit, LN4RP, is used along with an in-house developed and manufactured high-performance linear motor.
A die with a built-in three-dimensional cooling channel is designed with CAD and resin temperature simulation is implemented with CAE. NC programming with dedicated CAM, OS-FLASH, using the designed CAD data is followed by die manufacturing with OPM350L in a one-stop process.
For more information, contact Rothco – Tel: (011) 970-1930.
