Slicing for LFAM moulds and tooling
Prepare toolpaths for large-format moulds, with different strategies for the tool face, walls and internal regions.
What is large-format additive manufacturing?
Large-format additive manufacturing (LFAM) builds parts beyond the scale of typical desktop printers. For polymer moulds, pellet extrusion deposits thermoplastic material, often reinforced with chopped fibers, on a gantry or robotic system. The printed blank can then be machined to the required tool surface.
- Build large mould blanks directly from a digital design.
- Combine additive deposition with machining of the working surface.
- Shorten tooling lead times in suitable applications, with material and process testing for the intended cure cycle.
Plan each region around its job
Flexam prepares paths for the different regions of a mould: the working surface, outer walls and internal structure. Geometry and process requirements guide the strategy for each region.
Tool face
Plan the surface region with an allowance for finishing.
Walls and internal regions
Assign separate path patterns and infill settings to the existing mould geometry.
Bead direction
Choose deposition directions around the geometry and material behaviour.
Layer timing
Include the thermal and timing requirements of the selected extrusion process.
Material settings
Configure paths for the selected pellet compound and extrusion system.
Machine output
Prepare output for the defined robot or gantry and its controller.
Preparing an LFAM tooling project
- Inputs
- Mould geometry, finishing allowance and the intended manufacturing cycle.
- Process
- Pellet material, extrusion settings and temperature requirements.
- Validation
- Check dimensional accuracy, surface finish and performance through the intended cure cycle.
- Flexam role
- Slicer for region-based path generation; Engineering Services for custom strategies and output formats.
Have a mould to prepare for LFAM?
Share the mould geometry, material and requirements of the tooling process.