LSAM Case Studies: Printed Composite Tooling Results
Printed composite tooling on Thermwood's LSAM has cut tool cost by a third and lead times from weeks to days. In a head-to-head test, a printed drone layup tool cost 34.8% less and was made 75% faster than a traditional tool. A printed General Atomics trim tool saved about $50,000 and arrived in under 2 weeks instead of 6–8.
The Projects
Results at a Glance
| Project | Partner | Tool | Material or machine | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drone layup tool | Aria Composite Technologies, Purdue University | Two-sided autoclave layup tool | Polycarbonate, 20% carbon fiber | 34.8% lower total cost, 75% faster tool creation |
| General Atomics trim tool | General Atomics | 1,190 lb CNC trim tool | ABS, 20% carbon fiber | About $50,000 saved; lead time from 6–8 weeks to under 2 |
| D-J Engineering | D-J Engineering (aerospace and defense) | Stretch form blocks, mill fixtures | Printed on an LSAM MT 1010 | Tools in weeks instead of months, made in-house |
| Tidal blade mold | Purdue, Sheffield, Oxford, Edinburgh | Double-sided tool for a 2-meter tidal turbine blade | Carbon fiber reinforced polycarbonate | Tooling time cut from months to weeks |
What These Projects Show
- Lower tool cost. The printed drone tool cost $5,539.50 against $8,500 for the traditional build, and the General Atomics tool saved about $50,000.
- Shorter lead times. Tools that took weeks or months by traditional methods were delivered in days or weeks.
- Tooling made in-house. D-J Engineering prints stretch form blocks and mill fixtures on its own LSAM instead of welding and machining multi-part tools.
- Production-ready tools. The General Atomics tool held vacuum without coatings, and the drone tool showed no signs of wear after 6 complete cycles on each half.
- Print and trim on one machine. LSAM prints each tool slightly oversized, then machines it to final shape on the same gantry. Learn how LSAM works.
Printed Composite Tooling FAQ
What is printed composite tooling?
Printed composite tooling is a mold, layup tool, trim fixture or form block made by 3D printing a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic, such as polycarbonate or ABS with carbon fiber, slightly oversized and then machining it to final shape. Thermwood's LSAM prints and trims on the same machine.
How much can a printed tool save compared with a traditional tool?
In the drone layup tool comparison with Aria Composite Technologies and Purdue University, the LSAM printed tool cut total cost 34.8%, labor cost 39.2% and material cost 24.4%. The General Atomics CNC trim tool saved about $50,000 compared with traditional methods.
How much faster is LSAM tooling?
The General Atomics trim tool was delivered in less than 2 weeks instead of 6–8. The drone layup tool took 3 days instead of 10–12, a 75% faster tool creation time. D-J Engineering now produces tools in weeks instead of months.
What kinds of tools have been printed on LSAM?
These projects include a two-sided autoclave layup tool, a 1,190 lb CNC trim tool, stretch form blocks and mill fixtures for aerospace work, and a double-sided tool for a 2-meter tidal turbine blade.
Evaluating large-format additive for production?
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