Direct metal deposition

Direct metal deposition (DMD) is a rapid prototyping method to produce metal parts by spraying metal powder through a coaxial nozzle to a CO laser beam to form a thin molten pool on a target.

DMD™ is a revolutionary additive metal process that fabricates fully
dense, highly accurate molds and dies … in record level lead times.
DMD is a laser-based fabrication technology that produces 100%
dense metal products “from the ground up” using powdered metal.
The first major advance in metalworking in decades, DMD produces
tooling with superior material properties … in less time … and at a
lower cost than is possible with traditional fabrication technologies.

DMD Manufacturing

DMD is an enabling technology to increase productivity in the molding, die casting, hydro-forming, forging and stamping industries. Due to its additive nature, DMD creates a new paradigm for the fabrication of tooling. DMD is applied in a variety of ways to overcome the limitations of existing subtractive metal fabrication technologies, namely:

Productivity - The performance of a tool can be significantly improved by the use of highly heat-conductive alloys below the tool surface, or by constructing cooling channels that conform to the tool surface. DMD can be used to build a hard, tool steel surface over a highly, heat-conductive core, and to construct conformal cooling channels. We call this Advanced Thermal Management, or ATM. When applied to tooling and mold components, ATM reduces cycle time without sacrificing tool life, leading to increased productivity.

Time To Market - The long lead-time (3-4 months) to build conventional tooling is a gating issue for new product introductions. In many cases, prototype and production tooling are created in sequence, resulting in lead times nearing six months. DMD reduces time to market, either by re-configuration of existing tooling into new tooling, or by fabrication of pull-ahead production tooling, which eliminates prototype-tooling altogether.

Tool Restoration - Current tool repair technology relies on destructive, high-temperature welding processes. In this area, DMD is applied as a safe means to repair tooling, especially on critical show surfaces. DMD increases tool life and in many cases, saves a high-value tool that would otherwise need to be replaced.

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