Printdur HCT - A revolutionary tool steel for injection molding applications in additive manufacturing.
Up to 50% faster build speed without cracks and with over 99.90% material density compared to the standard material.
The material enables a significant reduction in production cycles through the use of conformal cooling channels in injection molding.
AddUp Unveils Revolutionary Printdur HCT for Injection Molding: Perfect Balance of Hardness, Wear Resistance, and Corrosion Resistance.
AddUp, the metal additive manufacturing company, is set to introduce Printdur HCT, a unique tool steel optimized for injection molding. This steel provides the necessary corrosion resistance, hardness, and wear resistance for injection molding applications.
Printdur HCT was developed by Swiss Steel Group, a global leader in the production of special steel long products. The material is based on the conventional standard tool steel 1.2083/AISI420, tailored for additive manufacturing on Powder Bed Fusion machines like AddUp's FormUp 350.
Following strict internal manufacturing readiness level protocols, AddUp's engineers achieved up to a 50% improvement in build speed without cracks and extremely low porosity. Printdur HCT ensures over 99.90% material density compared to the standard material.
Designed for the requirements of injection molding, the material can significantly reduce production cycles through the use of conformal cooling channels – double-digit reductions are possible. Most internal cooling channels can be optimally built to sufficiently good quality without support structures.
With an enhanced hardness range of 53-57 HRC and high wear resistance, Printdur HCT offers improved and longer service life for mold inserts. With a simple one-step heat treatment at 540°C, Printdur HCT achieves ~53 HRC hardness and is ready for use in injection molding applications, withstanding high temperatures without losing hardness. Since the material is produced without nickel or cobalt, significant environmental and operator damage can be avoided.
Printdur HCT, reaching manufacturing readiness level 3, is currently in use on the FormUp 350 machine at AddUp's Tooling Competence Centre in Aachen, Germany. The material is currently available for prototyping and will be available for end-use production parts once fully developed.
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