Freeform Injection Molding (FIM)

Combines the best of additive manufacturing and injection molding

How does Freeform Injection Molding (Fim) work – 3D printed injection molds

With Freeform Injection Molding, Nexa3D and Addifab enable the production of complex injection molded parts using 3D-printed tools. Experience unprecedented creative freedom in just a few days instead of several months. Freeform Injection Molding opens the door to faster, more cost-effective and more environmentally friendly product development than ever before.

Print. Injection. Dissolve.

With free-form injection molding, you receive a tool-ready component in three short steps, which can be produced in an average of two days from CAD to injection-molded component.

Freeform Injection Molding (FIM) - Das Beste aus Additiver Fertigung und dem Spritzguss

Print.

The Nexa3D platform specializes in the production of injection moulds. High precision, tight tolerances and unprecedented design freedom are made possible by the unique dissolvable resins, such as xMold. The industrial Nexa3D printers that use the platform are resin-based and start at a resolution of 10 µm and general tolerances of 10-80 µm on the injection-molded component.

Injection.

Freeform injection molds can be used on any injection molding machine with an injection pressure of up to 2500 bar and a maximum melting temperature of 450°C. The injection molds are compatible with all conventional injection molding materials such as composites, thermoplastics, thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), silicones (LSR), ceramics (CIM) and metals (MIM).

Dissolve.

The main prerequisite for free-form injection molding is the soluble injection molds. Instead of ejecting the part from the injection mold as with conventional demolding, each injection mold dissolves to release the injection-molded part. In this unique process, the filled injection mold is gently immersed in an alkaline water solution for approx. 12-48 hours.

Rapid Tooling

powered by xMOLD resin

The patented Freeform Injection Molding (FIM) process relies on the ultra-fast Nexa3D printers and xMOLD resin for 3D printed injection molds that are compatible with thousands of commercially available injection molding materials, including high-performance reinforced materials. Produce injection molds in hours instead of days or months.

Dissolvable tools

powered by xMOLD resin

The FIM process produces fully detachable tools that allow true design freedom and undercuts. You can quickly design and print injection molds for highly complex parts. Next, inject the prototype with your production material and then dissolve the mold to reveal the complex shape underneath.

” Freeform injection molding (FIM) is a transformative technology that enables fast and cost-effective innovation. FIM offers many invaluable benefits, including complete design freedom, functional realism, extensive material options and definitive physical properties that enable advanced R&D capabilities without the traditional limitations.”

Ky Layfield, Senior Packaging Development Engineer, the Coca-Cola Company

From CAD to a ready-to-use, 3D printed injection mold in hours instead of weeks

By combining the speed and throughput of Nexa3D’s LSPc printers with the flexibility of xMOLD plastic, you can go from design to complex tooling in a matter of hours. Speed up your design cycles, reduce your R&D costs and get your products to market faster – with digital toolmaking from Nexa3D.

The complete desktop FIM package

  • XiP desktop 3D printer
  • xWASH FiM and Wash+Cure
  • xMOLD resin (5kg)
  • XiP building board
  • Serviceplan (1 year)

Wilson Case Study

With Nexa3D’s wide printing range and ultra-fast LSPc process, Wilson’s R&D department can now produce multiple parts at once in the shortest possible time, allowing multiple design iterations in a single print batch.

[Download] Design guide for 3D-printed tools

Comprehensive design guidelines for freeform injection molding

Freeform injection molding combines the freedom of 3D printing with the reliability and mechanical performance of conventional injection molding. A complex tool is printed using a dissolvable xMOLD plastic that is compatible with the actual molding material to create final quality plastic prototypes and production parts – in hours and at a fraction of traditional tooling costs. This comprehensive guide will walk you through all the design considerations and guidelines to optimize your 3D printed tool design.

From CAD to production in just a few hours instead of weeks

With digital tooling enabled by xMOLD resin, you can print real tools that are compatible with hundreds of current injection molding materials. Print traditional shapes for higher quantities or dissolvable shapes for “impossible” geometries.

Skip the machine workshop, simply press “Print and go”.

  • Reduction of tool costs by 96

  • More frequent and faster iterations

  • Choose from hundreds of injectable materials

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