3D printed composite mould tool and corresponding part

Dash CAE used the maximum length of its LFAM and 5 axis capability to produce a one-piece mould for an entire vehicle side panel.
Producing moulds in this way removes the problem of multi block building during pattern making. It also uses significantly less material than conventional tooling, and allows tools to be produced in half of the time.
The mould is printed using a high performance carbon-fibre reinforced 3D printing material developed and manufactured by LATI. This material combines ease of printing with excellent dimensional stability, and an ability to withstand autoclave processing. It can be machined to a high quality surface finish, allowing the production of high-gloss visual quality components.