MELATO

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As Metal laminated tooling (MELATO) refers to the manufacture of tools by layered construction of metal sheets. As a generative manufacturing process, MELATO is one of the rapid prototyping technologies. I.e. the tools manufactured with MELATO are manufactured quickly and inexpensively. They are used for prototype series or smaller series.

The sheets are cut out with a laser and joined in a wide variety of ways so that they can or can no longer be separated. The joining processes used are gluing, soldering, welding, screwing, pinning, casting processes and combinations thereof.

Process chain

  1. Generate 3D CAD data
  2. generating STL data
  3. Breakdown into cross-sections
  4. Nesting of the cross-sections on the sheet
  5. Cutting out the cross-sections
  6. Joining the cross-sections
  7. Finishing

advantages

  • relatively large size
  • also use the expensive laser cutting systems for welding and hardening
  • Integration of cooling systems in tools
  • fast and cheap tool production
  • higher-strength materials can be processed
  • good component quality
  • Tool life sufficient for prototype construction

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