Metal Additive Manufacturing for Tooling

3D Printed Mold Inserts

Metal SLM-printed cores, cavities, and specialty inserts for injection molds. Complex geometry, conformal cooling, hardness to 55 HRC, and SPI-A1 surface quality — impossible to achieve by conventional machining alone.

The Case For 3D Printing

When Conventional Machining Reaches Its Limits

Certain mold features are geometrically impossible or prohibitively expensive with conventional CNC alone. This is where metal 3D printing delivers decisive advantages.

Feature
CNC Only
3D Printed Insert
Internal cooling channels
Straight lines only
Any geometry — conformal
Deep rib cooling
Not possible
Channels at 1.5mm diameter
Complex external geometry
Multi-setups, high cost
Single print, near-net shape
Hardness
50–60 HRC
50–55 HRC (with heat treatment)
Lead time (complex parts)
4–6 weeks+
Typically 1–3 weeks
Best used for
Simple geometries, tight tolerances
Complex internal features + CNC finish
Insert Types

What We Manufacture

Conformal Cooling Inserts

The core product. Cores and cavities with cooling channels that follow your part surface — reducing cooling time by 15–72% and eliminating gate burn marks. Proven across 13+ industries.

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Insert-Embedded Printing

The 3D-printed section is designed around an existing conventional insert, reducing material cost while still delivering conformal cooling benefits where they matter most.

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Full-Print Inserts

Entire core or cavity printed in one piece for maximum geometric freedom. Used when the part geometry has too many complex features for insert-embedded approaches.

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Sprue Bushings & Sliders

Specialty mold components that benefit from complex internal cooling or unusual external geometry — printed and CNC finished to precise tolerances.

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Cylindrical Core Inserts

For bottle cap, tube, and cylindrical part molds. We design double-helix or spiral conformal channels around the core axis for uniform radial cooling — eliminating warpage and pull-out on ejection.

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Thin-Wall Cavity Inserts

For small parts (e-cigarettes, electronic components) where standard cooling channels can't fit. We place 1.5mm conformal channels where conventional drilling has no access.

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Process

From Drawing to Finished Insert

Part Analysis & Cooling Design
We analyze your part geometry to identify hot spots and determine the optimal channel layout. Channel diameter, pitch, and placement are all engineered for your specific thermal requirements.
Moldex3D Thermal Simulation
We simulate cooling performance before printing to validate the design and demonstrate ROI to your team.
SLM Printing in Mold Steel
420 mold steel or 18Ni300 maraging steel on BLT or E-Plus machines. High-density parts with minimal porosity.
Heat Treatment to 50–55 HRC
Stress relief and age hardening for dimensional stability and long service life.
CNC Finishing & Polishing
Precision machining of all critical mold contact surfaces. Polishing to SPI-A1 for transparent-part applications.

Send Us Your Mold Drawing

We'll review your part, identify where 3D printed inserts can help, and propose a solution. No commitment required.