Hankook Precision Works opens Korean Additive Manufacturing centre
August 22, 2023
Hankook Precision Works recently opened its new 3D Printing Convergence Technology Center at the Hankook Engineering Lab in Yuseong-gu, Daejeon Metropolitan City, Korea. The new facility will provide production capabilities for tyre moulds using Additive Manufacturing and is equipped with a wide range of testing equipment.
The company states that there is a growing demand for kerfs in tyres (small slits in a tyre’s tread block which creates additional tread surface area), particularly in those tyres designed for EV’s and high-performance vehicles. Additive Manufacturing allows for the optimisation of product-specific performance, including features such as reduced noise, robust grip, and superior handling of features.
Additionally, the use of Additive Manufacturing to build mould components reduces the length of the tyre production process when compared to conventional methods.
Hankook Precision Works was established in 1973 as a mould manufacturing company, and has been at the forefront of tyre mould, tyre curing container and precision parts development through its casting and machining technology. In 2015, the company introduced a metal Additive Manufacturing machine for the development of tyre moulds.
