How to manufacture parts with complex air channels inside?

Question

I am designing a part that requires multiple air channels with an intricate structure inside. I would like to know if there is any state of the art injection molding technique or other technology that will enable that solution.

Amount of air channels: 14. Volume of the design: 40x40x40mm. Distribution: curved and some channels are connected with others, others not.

I can not show the design, I signed an NDA agreement.

Answer 1

If you are opposed to 3D printing due to the requirement for mass production, then you may be able to work with an injection molding company to design a product that at least has the curved channels done. Post molding, you can go back out and drill out the straight runs as needed. If you need to connect two channels, you can cross drill and plug the holes.

Designing complex, custom molds is an iterative process that needs to be worked with an injection molding shop. If you go into that conversation with them and have the expectation that you can get 80-90% of the channels and do the rest after the fact, you are still ahead of the curve compared to waiting on 3D printed models.

Answer 2

Lost Foam Casting

• Can produce many smaller structures
• Can be scaled up for reasonable costs
• Relatively cheap (compared to many other castings types and 3D printing).
• Can produce items with channels, which would normally require cores to be inserted.
• Foam is very easy to form and shape

Answer 3

If you use 3d printing you can get any internal passages you want. But that could be expensive if you need to make a lot of them.