INOV.AM – WP2 Hybrid Moulds for Polymeric Products


INOV.AM is an innovation mobilization program in Additive Manufacturing that aims at development in various intervention areas, including new materials, advanced additive manufacturing processes, advanced post-production processes, advanced automation and control software, new products, and training and capacity building of human resources.
See more about agenda here.
WP2 aims to develop a versatile hybrid mould that combines different technologies and materials to efficiently produce polymeric parts for diverse applications. This mould integrates traditional and additive manufacturing methods, allowing for its use in various moulding processes such as injection, thermoforming, and blow moulding. By utilizing hybrid moulds, new market opportunities arise, including customized series, replacement parts, and test pieces for accelerated product development. The study also addresses challenges encountered by hybrid moulds, including durability issues and limited material availability from additive manufacturing. To overcome these challenges, various scenarios will be explored, including thin-walled parts and those requiring metallic inserts. Additionally, a new coating will be applied to enhance the mould’s performance, improving surface quality and material adhesion. Ultimately, validating the hybrid mould will involve developing intricate polymeric products for the automotive industry, incorporating surface coatings and metallic inserts as necessary.
DONE Lab integrates into WP2 as the scientific coordinator and is responsible for design for manufacturing (DFM) and production of polymeric and metallic moulding inserts. This includes considering all AM technologies for mould insert production, as well as designing the conformal cooling system to achieve the best design for more uniform cooling of polymeric and metallic parts.
Additionally, simulation of the injection moulding process for polymeric and metal inserts, aimed at predicting the thermal behaviour of parts during injection and cooling phases, and structural analysis of moulding inserts, aimed at predicting the mechanical behaviour of moulding inserts during the injection process period, are also within the purview of DONE Lab.

Project Code: C644865234-00000004
Start date: 01/07/2022
End date: 31/12/2025
Investment: 76.952.903,21 EUR
Finance: 53.267.360,64 EUR (IAPMEI)
Co-financed by:
INOV.AM is financed by the Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation – IAPMEI, I.P, under the Framework Programme: Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) and Operational Programme: C5. Capitalisation and Business Innovation, referring to Mobilising Agendas for Reindustrialisation.
