Forming & Molding Tools Laser Hardening
Increase wear resistance to gain longer tool life, higher productivity, and quality
Laser Hardening
Laser hardening offers many advantages over conventional heat treatment processes. Because the laser heat treatment is local, tools do not have to be placed in dedicated furnaces and their preparation also only needs to be local. In many applications, this localized treatment and minimal overall heat input results in reduced or total elimination of tool distortion. The typical rapid quench rates produce a highly desired, fine microstructure. Laser hardening has high throughput, high reproducibility and results in superb product quality, which makes it an economical choice.
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Application areas
Sheet Metal Forming
Tools in contact with sheet material can suffer from excessive wear, particularly in places where there are high contact stresses and relative sliding motions. Laser hardening is ideally suited for contact surface hardening of these tools, with precise local application and short treatment times. This leads to minimum heat input and significant reduction or even elimination of the tool distortion and reliability issues that can occur during flame or induction hardening. Because the laser equipment is very flexible, it can be used to harden a wide variety of tool shapes and sizes.
Plastic Injection Molding
Hardening the edges of plastic injection molds is a growing application of laser beam hardening. This is fueled by the desire for an ever-increasing service lifetime of the molds, which can weigh up to ten tons. Laser hardening can also reduce the undesirable burrs on products, which can occur as a result of wear caused by the high injection pressures (ca. 1000 bar) and the use of abrasive media and fillers. Laser hardening of such plastic injection molds is superior over flame or induction hardening because of higher flexibility in dealing with complex shapes and large sizes.
Premium coatings for forming & molding tools
Ionbond’s coating portfolio for Forming & Molding Tools is highly diverse, including some perennial market favorites, allowing for the perfect combination of the base material and surface properties.
Get in touch
Discuss your challenges with Tobias Brögelmann
Tobias Brögelmann, Global Segment Manager Forming and Molding Tools, will be glad to support you.
We will get in contact with you as soon as possible
Dr. Ing. Tobias Brögelmann
Global Segment Manager Forming and Molding