Sharper 3D printed tools

US-based 3D printing company Mantle has developed new software for the additive manufacture (AM) of ball mill cutting tools.

According to the company, its High-Precision Shaping package makes it possible produce sharp corners and edges without requiring electrical discharge machining (EDM) operations, reducing the time required to produce mold tools by up to 75%.

It is now possible to make tools with radii under 0.003 inch, a 70% improvement compared to the 0.010 inch radii previously attainable, Mantle said.