Werkzeugbau-Revolution mittels innovativem Konstruktionsdesign und neuartigem Werkzeugstahl für den 3D-Druck (WerKo3D)

Laser Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB/M) enables significant performance enhancements in tool and mold making via the integration of complex, conformal cooling channels. However, high manufacturing costs of monolithic components and material-specific defect susceptibility still hinder widespread industrial adoption. Within the collaborative project WerKo3D, the scaling, process qualification, and structural design of the novel tool steel Printium 13 were successfully investigated to lower market entry barriers for additive tooling applications. An industrial batch of 50 kg of Printium 13 powder was produced via vacuum inert gas atomization and thoroughly characterized. Utilizing a Design of Experiments (DoE) approach on an SLM 280 system, an optimized process window was established, yielding a relative density of about 99.99%. Subsequent heat treatment parameterizations revealed a superior mechanical property profile combining high hardness with enhanced impact toughness compared to conventional AISI H13 tool steel, alongside ultimate tensile strengths up to 1,600 MPa. To reduce build times and material consumption, a segmented shell-core tool design was conceptualized and numerically optimized via coupled CFD and FEM simulations. The functional demonstrator - a sprue insert for aluminum die casting - was additively manufactured without cracking, heat-treated, and finish-machined to final dimensions. Furthermore, a two-day training and knowledge-transfer program was realized to disseminate design guidelines to industry stakeholders. The findings validate the complete process chain from powder atomization to crack-free hybrid tool manufacturing.