Introduction:In recent years, metal 3D printing technology has been widely applied in the field of mold manufacturing. The mold industry is ushering in an unprecedented technological transformation, and as applications deepen, metal 3D printers dedicated to molds have emerged.

On April 15, 2025, Shanghai Yisu Laser Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Yisu") officially released its third-generation dedicated mold 3D printing machine series — the E3-420 and E3-520. The launch of these new products marks an important step forward for the mold manufacturing industry toward additive manufacturing.

Yisu E3-420 Delivery Ceremony

Dedicated Tools for Mold 3D Printing: E3-420 and E3-520

The E3 series is Yisu's third-generation dedicated mold 3D printing machine, developed specifically for the mold industry. The equipment adopts a multi-laser system (2-laser or 4-laser options available), with maximum build dimensions of 400×400×420mm and 400×400×520mm respectively, capable of meeting the needs of most mold manufacturing. Its dedicated mold 3D printing process package and rapid hybrid grafting function help mold enterprises get started quickly and apply the technology efficiently. In addition, imported optical components and a multi-sensor redundant safety design ensure stability and reliability during long-term operation, while the efficient powder handling module and rapid gas purging function further enhance production efficiency.

Yisu Third-Generation Dedicated Mold 3D Printing Machine — E3-420

A Yisu representative stated: Currently, many mold manufacturers, despite having 3D printing equipment in their factories, still come to Yisu for printing services. Why do these machines sit "dormant"? The reason is that, compared with ordinary parts, mold printing requires not only materials with high wear resistance, high corrosion resistance, high thermal conductivity, and high precision, but also freedom from porosity and cracks and the ability to meet mirror-polishing requirements. Therefore, equipment, materials, processes, and applications must work together to solve this challenge.

Dedicated Materials for Mold 3D Printing

To better meet the needs of users in the mold field, Yisu has developed several 3D printing materials designed specifically for the mold industry, including:

- ESU-EM400 High-Polish Mold Steel: Suitable for molds requiring mirror polishing, with a polish grade of up to A1.

- ESU-EM300 High-Wear-Resistant Mold Steel: Wear resistance approximately 1.5 times that of conventional materials, suitable for high-wear environments.

- ESU-EM201 High-Thermal-Conductivity Mold Steel: Thermal conductivity up to 80 W/m·K, suitable for molds requiring rapid cooling.

- ESU-EM213 Hot-Work Mold Steel: Impact toughness approximately twice that of H13, suitable for high-temperature working environments such as die-casting molds.

These materials meet diverse requirements including good printability, high wear resistance, high corrosion resistance, high thermal conductivity, and high polishability, solving the pain point that has prevented widespread adoption of 3D printing in the mold industry due to a lack of suitable materials.

Dedicated Processes for Mold 3D Printing

In addition to good equipment and good materials, process research is also crucial to the quality of printed products. Yisu has been deeply engaged in the mold 3D printing niche for many years and has therefore accumulated a complete set of mature printing processes, such as:

Conformal cooling channels: 3D-printed cooling channels are distributed uniformly along the cavity, enabling more uniform and faster cooling, significantly improving product quality, greatly shortening the molding cycle, and increasing production efficiency.

Porous steel process: When 3D printing mold parts, venting areas can be designated at will, effectively solving the problem of trapped gas during the molding process, reducing surface defects on products, and improving product quality. In addition to the mold field, porous steel also has extensive applications in gas filtration and water filtration scenarios.

Hybrid grafting process: For large parts such as mold cores, subtractive manufacturing is used at the assembly positions and additive manufacturing at the forming positions. The two different materials are grafted together, cleverly combining the respective advantages of additive and subtractive manufacturing while balancing cost and performance.

Hybrid grafted printed part

Net-shape printing process: Through precision printing and forming, the workpiece dimensions and surface roughness can meet the requirements of certain applications without the need for finishing, thereby improving production efficiency and reducing production costs.

Zero-point positioning: A unified datum interface ensures seamless transition of molds from the 3D printing platform to post-processing equipment. It enables rapid loading and unloading of base plates, rapid clamping and rapid datum referencing with machining equipment, improving efficiency and ensuring precision.

These dedicated processes for the mold industry ensure that printed molds outperform conventionally manufactured ones in both performance and service life.

Application Experience with 200,000+ Mold 3D Printing Cases

Yisu entered the mold industry in 2007 and began deep application of metal 3D printing in the mold field in 2018. It has served more than 2,000 customers and accumulated over 200,000 application cases, earning broad recognition and praise from the industry, including leading enterprises such as HP, Foxconn, Flex, Jabil, and BYD. Yisu is a company that understands 3D printing better within the mold industry and understands molds better within the 3D printing industry.

The "Mold 3D Printing Total Solution" Emerges

Based on the technical closed loop of the above dedicated mold equipment, dedicated mold materials, dedicated mold processes, and mold application experience, Yisu is empowering Chinese mold enterprises with this complete "Mold 3D Printing Total Solution."

After comprehensively and realistically investigating and understanding users' needs, pain points, and investment expectations, Yisu's professional team conducts a feasibility analysis of the total solution for users, including configuring dedicated mold 3D printing equipment, dedicated materials, dedicated processes, and supporting auxiliary equipment, as well as site planning and personnel training, and finally providing long-term operation and maintenance services.

Yisu "Mold 3D Printing Total Solution"

The Future of the Mold Industry: Accelerating the Shift to Additive Manufacturing

Today, the wave of change in the mold industry is surging. The shoe mold industry has already introduced 3D printing equipment on a large scale, fully replacing traditional subtractive manufacturing. In the future, as printing efficiency and precision improve further, 3D printing will certainly play an important role in more mold manufacturing fields. The future is already here, and there is no time to lose! Let us witness together the wave of the 3D printing technology revolution!

Shanghai Yisu Laser Technology Co., Ltd. is a metal 3D printing technology innovation enterprise. It has now built a six-in-one business module of "printing equipment, printing materials, printing processes, printing services, additive-subtractive collaboration, and technology output," completing the 3D printing technology closed loop and forming a virtuous, ecosystem-based strategic framework.

For many years, Yisu has focused on providing printing and processing services for various mold enterprises worldwide, including but not limited to injection mold 3D printing, die-casting mold 3D printing, paper pulp mold 3D printing, blow mold 3D printing, rubber mold 3D printing, silicone mold 3D printing, shoe mold 3D printing, tire mold 3D printing, foam mold 3D printing, cutting die 3D printing, clay blank mold 3D printing, casting mold 3D printing, and tooling and fixture 3D printing. Based on the dedicated equipment, dedicated materials, dedicated processes, and application experience developed for the mold industry, it has formed a mature "Mold 3D Printing Total Solution" that is helping mold enterprises build and operate 3D printing centers and accelerating the mold industry's shift to additive manufacturing!