Design, Characterisation and Numerical Investigations of Additively Manufactured H10 Hybrid-Forging Dies with Conformal Cooling Channels

Internal die cooling during forging can reduce thermal loads, counteracting surface softening, plastic deformation and abrasive wear. Additive manufacturing has great potential for producing complex geometries of the internal channels. In this study, hybrid dies were developed combining conventional processes laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) achieving conformal A characterisation used hot-work tool steel’s AISI H10 material was carried out in order to determine suitable parameters L-PBF processing heat treatment parameters. Additionally, mechanical properties L-PBF-processed specimens investigated. Furthermore, influence different channels regarding a possible structural weakening analysed by means finite element method (FEM) applied hot-forging process. The numerical results indicated that withstood loads However, investigation large dependency between resulting stresses chosen observed. By choosing best combination parameters, reduction equivalent stress 1000 MPa be achieved. Finally, prototype hybrid-forging featuring most promising channel geometry manufactured.