Which AM method can manufacturers use to significantly reduce tooling costs associated with die repair expenses?

Direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) is particularly effective for reducing tooling costs associated with die repair expenses due to its ability to create complex geometries with high precision. DMLS uses a laser to fuse metallic powders layer by layer, allowing for the production of intricate parts that might be difficult or impossible to achieve with traditional machining methods.

This capability is crucial in die repair, where precision and accuracy are essential for ensuring that repaired tools function correctly. Additionally, because DMLS can produce parts on-demand and directly from CAD files, it eliminates the need for costly intermediate steps typically required in conventional manufacturing processes, such as creating molds or patterns. By minimizing these production steps, manufacturers can significantly lower their tooling costs and improve turnaround times for repairs.

The other methods listed, while useful in various applications, do not provide the same level of efficiency or capability specific to die repair as DMLS does. For example, fused deposition modeling primarily uses thermoplastics, which may not be suitable for high-performance tooling repairs. Stereolithography is generally limited to polymers, and selective laser sintering excels with plastics but lacks the specialized applications for metal tooling repair that DMLS offers.