Rapid Heat Control for Thermoplastic Injection Tooling Using Lattice Structures as Heat Exchanger

Since conventional cooling systems with channels are not adequate to achieve a high aspect quality short cycle time, better concept has be used control the fast variation of temperature in mold, close injected part. Recently, advanced manufacturing technologies like 3D-printing, rapid heat molding developing, using for example lattice structures as exchanger inside mold. Our work proposes an experimental study analyze influence four that were specifically designed this industrial application. An instrumented bench was developed at laboratory scale, test thermal efficiency lattice. The material and geometry selected based on their thermomechanical properties heat-exchanger. instrumentation consists measuring flow rate pressures fluid, also temperatures various locations. This allows us determine performances structure. results show denser structure, better, whether considering mechanical resistance or thermohydraulic performances. key element understand phenomenon is average velocity fluid flowing accelerating when porosity decreases thus bringing more intense exchange.