TOOL INSERT FOR A PRIMARY SHAPING TOOL AND PRIMARY SHAPING TOOL EQUIPPED WITH SAID TOOL INSERT

Abstract

The invention relates to a tool insert for a primary shaping tool, comprising a thermal insulator disposed on a main part having a molding surface contacted by the molten material to be shaped, said surface being at least partly spaced from the main part of the tool insert by a thermal insulator. The thermal insulator comprises bulk metallic glass.

Claims

1. A tool insert for a primary shaping tool, comprising a thermal insulator disposed on a main part having a molding surface contacted by the molten material to be shaped, said surface being at least partly spaced from the main part of the tool insert by a thermal insulator, wherein the thermal insulator comprises bulk metallic glass.

2. The tool insert according to claim 1, wherein the main part comprises the same material as the insulator or a material different from the insulator, in particular a tool steel.

3. The tool insert according to claim 1, wherein the molding surface of the tool insert or at least a region of the molding surface is formed by the insulator itself.

4. The tool insert according to claim 1, wherein, at least in the region of the insulator, an anti-wear layer is disposed on the insulator.

5. The tool insert according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the insulator is at least largely constant over its planar extension.

6. The tool insert according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the insulator varies over its planar extension to provide molding surface regions which are temperature-controlled at different rates.

7. The tool insert according to claim 1, wherein cavities are provided within the insulator and/or the main part, the cavities in particular being fluid channels for conveying a temperature-control fluid, in particular a temperature-control gas.

8. The tool insert according to claim 1, wherein the insulator is integrally applied, in particular by a rapid manufacturing method, to the material of the main part or to an insert introduced therein.

9. The tool insert according to claim 1, wherein the bulk metallic glass is an alloy which is based on an element selected from the group consisting of Co, Fe, Ti, Zr, Cu, Au, Pt and Mg.

10. The tool insert according to claim 9, wherein the bulk metallic glass is an alloy containing Zr and Cu.

11. The tool insert according to claim 1, wherein the surface of the insulator facing away from the main part is machined after production, in particular by means of polishing, grinding, eroding or milling.

12. The tool insert according to claim 1, wherein the tool insert is a tool insert for a plastics injection molding tool.

13. A primary shaping tool, in particular a plastics primary shaping tool, comprising at least one cavity enclosed by at least two tool inserts, wherein at least one of said tool inserts is a tool insert according to claim 1.

14. A method for producing a plastics part by primary shaping, in particular injection or compression molding, using a tool insert according to claim 1 or using the primary shaping tool, wherein a molten plastics mass, which is selected from the group consisting of thermosets, elastomers and thermoplastics, is introduced into the cavity.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein, after the shaped part has been primary-shaped, a further cavity is created between the shaped part and the tool insert, and a further material is injected into this further cavity.

Description

[0045] The invention is described below with reference to the accompanying figures using an exemplary embodiment. In the drawings:

[0046] FIG. 1: shows a schematic cross-section through a tool insert of a plastics injection molding tool not otherwise shown in detail, in accordance with a first embodiment,

[0047] FIG. 2: shows a schematic cross-section through a tool insert of a plastics injection molding tool not otherwise shown in detail, in accordance with a further embodiment, and

[0048] FIG. 3: shows a schematic cross-section through a tool insert of a plastics injection molding tool not otherwise shown in detail, in accordance with yet another embodiment.

[0049] A tool insert 1 is used for partially enclosing a mold cavity of a plastics injection molding tool not otherwise shown in detail as a primary shaping tool described by way of example. One or more additional tool inserts are required to completely enclose the cavity. The tool insert 1 comprises a main part 2, which is made of tool steel, for example. The main part 2 has a three-dimensionally structured surface on its side facing cavity 3. The structuring shown in the figures is to be understood as exemplary. The actual molding surface 4, i.e., the surface of the tool insert 1 which is contacted by the liquid plastics mass introduced into the cavity 3, is formed in the tool insert 1 by the side of an insulator 5 made of a bulk metallic glass facing the cavity 3. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the bulk metallic glass or the insulator 5 is made in particular from the alloy ZrCu24Al4Nb7. The thickness of the insulator 5 is approximately 20 mm in the shown exemplary embodiment. In this case, the thermal conductivity of the insulator 5 made of bulk metallic glass is lower than the thermal conductivity of the main part 2 by a factor of approximately 8. Therefore, the bulk metallic glass layer can act as a thermal insulator 5, which can lead to a cooling delay of the plastics mass filled into the cavity. The insulator 5 is applied to the surface 6 of the main part 2 facing the cavity 3 by a 3D laser printing process. The insulator 5 is initially applied with a layer thickness greater than the final layer thickness of 20 mm. The actual molding surface 4 has been created by cutting in a subsequent step. The molding surface 4 is a highly polished surface in the exemplary embodiment shown.

[0050] Below the molding surface 4 of the tool insert 1, there are cavities 7 within the main part 2, in particular fluid channels for temperature-controlling tool insert 1. These can be used for heating or cooling. For temperature-control of the molding surface or the mass hardening on the molding surface 4, cavities 7, such as microfluid channels, can also be provided in the insulator 5 (not shown in the drawing). The formation of such cavities 7 is possible in a production of the insulator 5 by a rapid manufacturing method. Such cavities 7, in particular microfluid channels, can be disposed, for example, in the immediate vicinity of the molding surface 4 under so-called hotspots of the cavity 3. It is advantageous to introduce such cavities 7, in particular microfluid channels, into such an insulator 5 made of bulk metallic glass, particularly if said insulator has greater thicknesses. Such an insulator 5 can, for example, also have microfluid channels close to the molding surface and cavities 7 at a certain distance therefrom, as shown schematically in the figures in the main part there.

[0051] FIG. 2 shows another tool insert 1.1, which is basically constructed like the tool insert 1 described above. Therefore, unless otherwise described below, the relevant explanations also apply to tool insert 1.1. Identical parts are identified by the same reference numerals, supplemented by the suffix .1. The tool insert 1.1 differs from the tool insert 1 only in that the thickness of the insulator 5.1 is different over its planar extension. Said planar extension is thinner in portions 8, 8.1 than in the other portions of this insulator 5.1. In the portion 8.2, the insulator 5.1 has its greatest layer thickness. The layer thickness of the insulator 5 in the form of a bulk metallic glass layer is preferably responsible for the cooling retardation desired at the molding surface 4.1. Ideally, the thicker this insulator 5.1 is, the greater the cooling delay or the heat buildup provided at this portion of the molding surface 4.1 by the insulator 5.1. The insulator 5.1 has been produced in the same way as is described for the insulator 5 of the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1.

[0052] FIG. 3 shows yet another tool insert 1.2. Identical parts are also identified by the same reference numerals, supplemented by the suffix .2. The tool insert 1.2 has a molding surface 4.2, which is formed partly by the main part 2.2 and partly by the corresponding surface 4.3 of an insulator 9 made of bulk metallic glass and designed as an insert. The insulator 9 is produced separately and subsequently inserted into a prepared recess 10, introduced into the molding surface 4.2 of the main part 2.2, and connected to it, for example by laser welding along the circumference of the insulator 9.

[0053] All of the described exemplary embodiments may be coated with an anti-wear layer, such as a hard chrome layer, if desired.

[0054] The invention has been described using exemplary embodiments. Without departing from the scope of the applicable claims, there are numerous further possibilities for a person skilled in the art to implement them, without, however, having to explain this in detail within the scope of the present embodiments.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0055] 1, 1.1, 1.2 tool insert [0056] 2, 2.1, 2.2 main part [0057] 3, 3.1, 3.2 cavity [0058] 4, 4.1, 4.2 molding surface [0059] 5, 5.1 insulator [0060] 6 surface [0061] 7 hollow space [0062] 8, 8.1, 8.2 portion [0063] 9 separately produced insulator [0064] 10 recess