Case Study: Bastech achieves 22% cycle-time reduction and 18% cost savings with 3D Systems' end-to-end conformal cooling solution

3D Printed Conformal Cooling Inserts Ready for Prime Time at Bastech

Bastech, an Ohio-based one‑stop provider of shop‑floor services and a 3D Systems Authorized Gold Partner, tackled the long‑standing injection‑molding problem of uneven mold temperatures. Traditional fixes—baffles, bubblers, drilled channels—couldn't follow complex part contours, and conformal cooling had been too complex and costly for most shops.

Using an end‑to‑end workflow—Cimatron for mold design, Moldex3D for simulation, ProX DMP 200 direct metal printing to build the molds, and Geomagic Control for inspection—Bastech produced conformal‑cooled cores and full molds that eliminated EDM, cut design and shop programming time by 30–40+ hours, and increased cooling surface area. Results included cycle‑time reductions (22% in one benchmark, 14% in another), cooling time down from 10.5s to 7.5s, and tooling cost savings of about $1,765 (18%) for a core and $2,505 (16%) for a full mold.

Bastech

Ben Staub

Chief Executive Officer