ORNL and Boeing Collaborate on 3D Printed Mold for Aerospace Industry

A partnership between Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and Boeing has led to the development of a massive Stamp Form Die (SFD) mold, 6 feet tall and 4 feet wide, weighing nearly 2 tons.

The SFD is a punch press used to cut or shape materials, specifically designed for thermoplastic composite production. It was created using wire-arc additive manufacturing (WAAM), a process developed by ORNL in collaboration with Lincoln Electric.

The mold will be used by Boeing to contribute to NASA's Hi-Rate Composite Aircraft Manufacturing (HiCAM) project, which aims to increase the production rate of composite aircraft and reduce aircraft weight to improve fuel efficiency.