Mold gate structures
Disclosed herein, amongst other things, is a gate and a related method of forming the gate, having structure and steps of providing a base of a first base material, the base having a gate area, adding a layer of a second material to the base in the gate area by an additive manufacturing process to form a metallurgical bond, wherein the second material has a characteristic that differentiates the second material from the first base material and modifying an inner surface in the gate area comprised of the second material to define the gate.
1. A method of forming a gate, the method comprising:
(a) providing a base of a first base material, said base having a gate area;
(b) adding a layer of an interstitial material to said base in the gate area by an additive manufacturing process to form a metallurgical bond;
(c) adding a layer of a second material to the interstitial material in the gate area by an additive manufacturing process to form a metallurgical bond, wherein the second material has a characteristic that differentiates the second material from the first base material;
(d) modifying an inner surface in said gate area comprised of said second material to define the gate;
wherein the interstitial material has a coefficient of thermal expansion between the coefficients of thermal expansion of the first base material and the second material.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said characteristic is at least one of increased wear resistance, increased erosion resistance, and increased corrosion resistance.
3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said characteristic is a higher hardness relative to the first base material.
4. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said layer of interstitial material is added directly to a surface of said base.
5. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said gate area is at least in part in a mold insert of a mold stack.
6. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said gate area is at least in part in an injection nozzle.
7. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said gate area is at least in part in an injection nozzle tip of an injection nozzle assembly.
8. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first base material comprises H13 tool steel.
9. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the interstitial material comprises nickel chromium metal matrix.
10. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the second material comprises diamond powder.
11. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein a depth of the interstitial material may be in a range of 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm.
12. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein a depth of the second material may be in a range of 0.5 mm to 3 mm.
13. A method of forming a gate in a mold component, said method comprising:
(a) providing a base made from a first material;
(b) forming a gate area in said base;
(c) providing a second material that has a characteristic that differentiates the second material from the first material;
(d) providing an interstitial material;
(e) adding a layer of the interstitial material to said base in the gate area by an additive manufacturing process to form a metallurgical bond with the first material;
(f) adding a layer of the second material to the interstitial material in the gate area by an additive manufacturing process to form a metallurgical bond with the interstitial material;
(g) forming said gate such that an inner surface of the second material defines the gate; wherein the interstitial material has a coefficient of thermal expansion that is between the coefficients of thermal expansion of the first material and the second material.
14. A method as claimed in claim 13 wherein said characteristic is at least one of increased wear resistance, increased erosion resistance, and increased corrosion resistance.
15. A method as claimed in claim 13 wherein said characteristic is a higher hardness.
16. A method as claimed in claim 13 further comprising prior to (b), (h) forming an outside profile of the mold component in said base.
17. A method as claimed in claim 13 further comprising prior to (b), (i) forming a profile of an inner cavity of said mold component in said base.
18. A method as claimed in claim 17 further comprising after (i), wherein (b) comprises forming the gate area in said base from an inner cavity side of the mold component beneath said nozzle bore.
19. A method as claimed in claim 18 further comprising prior to (e) and after (b), (k) heat treating said base to harden said first material.
20. A method as claimed in claim 19 , further comprising, after (f), (l) forming a specific form of the inner surface of a mold cavity in said base.
21. A method as claimed in claim 13 further comprising prior to (b), (j) forming a nozzle bore of said mold component in said base.
22. A method as claimed in claim 13 wherein said gate is formed in a mold insert of a mold stack.
23. A method as claimed in claim 13 wherein said gate is formed in an injection nozzle.
24. A method as claimed in claim 13 wherein said gate is formed in a nozzle tip of an injection nozzle.
25. A gate comprising:
(i) a base made from a first material, said base having a gate area;
(ii) an interstitial layer formed above said first material in said gate area, said interstitial layer being made of an interstitial material;
(iii) a third layer formed above the interstitial layer, said third layer being made of a second material that has a characteristic that differentiates the second material from the first material;
wherein the interstitial material has a coefficient of thermal expansion that is between the coefficients of thermal expansion of the first material and the second material; and
wherein the second material is metallurgically bonded to the interstitial material and has an inner surface that defines the gate.
26. A gate as claimed in claim 25 wherein said characteristic is increased resistance to at least one of mechanical wear, erosion, and corrosion.
27. A gate as claimed in claim 25 wherein said interstitial material is bonded directly to said base.
28. A gate as claimed in claim 25 wherein said gate is at least in part in a mold insert of a mold stack.
29. A gate as claimed in claim 25 wherein said gate is at least in part in an injection nozzle assembly.
30. A gate as claimed in claim 25 wherein said gate is in a nozzle tip of an injection nozzle.
31. A gate as claimed in claim 25 wherein the first material comprises H13 tool steel.
32. A gate as claimed in claim 25 wherein the interstitial material comprises nickel chromium metal matrix.
33. A gate as claimed in claim 25 wherein the second material comprises diamond powder.
34. A gate as claimed in claim 25 wherein a depth of the interstitial material may be in a range of 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm.
35. A gate as claimed in claim 25 wherein a depth of the second material may be in a range of 0.5 mm to 3 mm.
36. A gate comprising:
(i) a base formed of a first material having a first hardness, said base having a gate area;
(ii) an interstitial layer formed of an interstitial material; and
(iii) an inner layer formed on said interstitial layer in the gate area, said inner layer made of a second material having a second hardness that is greater than the hardness of the first material;
wherein the second material is metallurgically bonded to the interstitial material and an inner surface of said inner layer defines the gate;
wherein the interstitial material has a coefficient of thermal expansion that is between the coefficients of thermal expansion of the first material and the second material; and
wherein said gate is in a nozzle tip of an injection nozzle.
37. A gate as claimed in claim 36 wherein said gate is in a mold insert of a mold stack.
38. A gate as claimed in claim 36 wherein said gate is in an injection nozzle assembly.
39. A gate as claimed in claim 36 wherein said gate is in a nozzle tip of an injection nozzle.