Brazed aluminum laminate mold tooling

A laminate aluminum mold block formed by a process comprising:

• forming a series of aluminum laminate flat plates with channels to collectively form a tool body;
• forming draining apertures through a plurality of the series of aluminum laminate plates in a thickness direction of the plates, the draining apertures being separate from the channels;
• forming a series of aluminum brazing layers for brazing together adjacent aluminum laminate plates;
• stacking the series of aluminum laminate plates alternating with the aluminum brazing layers between adjacent aluminum laminate plates;
• pressing the stacked series of alternating aluminum plates and aluminum brazing layers;
• heating the stacked series of alternating aluminum plates and aluminum brazing layers to a temperature wherein the aluminum brazing layers braze the aluminum laminate plates together, wherein excess braze material drains out of the tool body through the draining apertures during the heating;
• and
• forming a finished surface in the tool body by the brazed series of aluminum laminate plates.

A method for forming a laminate aluminum mold block for forming an article in a forming operation comprising:

• forming a series of aluminum laminate flat plates with channels to collectively form a tool body;
• forming draining apertures through a plurality of the series of aluminum laminate plates in a thickness direction of the plates, the draining apertures being separate from the channels;
• forming a series of aluminum brazing layers for brazing together adjacent aluminum laminate plates;
• deoxidizing the series of aluminum laminate plates and the series of aluminum brazing layers, by submersion in an acetone solution, an alkali solution or an acid solution;
• stacking the series of aluminum laminate plates alternating with the aluminum brazing layers between adjacent aluminum laminate plates;
• pressing the stacked series of alternating aluminum plates and aluminum brazing layers;
• heating the stacked series of alternating aluminum plates and aluminum brazing layers to a temperature wherein the aluminum brazing layers braze the aluminum laminate plates together, wherein excess braze material drains out of the tool body through the draining apertures during the heating;
• and
• forming a finished surface in the tool body by the brazed series of aluminum laminate plates.