Additive manufacturing offers a transformative approach to reducing material waste and energy consumption by enabling the fabrication of complex, high-performance structures with greater sustainability. This study harnesses that potential in the context of cutting tool production, presenting a topology-optimized WC-Co endmill. The design was realized using a 3D finite element model based on the Solid Isotropic Material with Penalization (SIMP) method. The tool was subsequently produced via Laser Powder Bed Fusion, finish-ground, and experimentally tested. Results show that the mass of the endmill can be reduced by up to 63% without compromising its function when milling 6061 Al. Moreover, this hybrid manufacturing approach cuts energy consumption during fabrication by 89% compared to conventional methods. Modal tap testing further revealed an 18% increase in the limiting depth of cut, indicating improved dynamic stability. These findings validate the effectiveness of hybrid manufacturing for topology-optimized WC-Co rotating tools, demonstrating significant gains in both sustainability and operational performance. • A topology-optimized carbide endmill is presented for the first time. • The endmill was fabricated via LPBF, finish-ground, and experimentally tested. • Optimization achieved a 63% mass reduction with improved dynamic performance. • Fabrication energy was reduced by 89%, with a 55% increase in convective surface area.
Seyam et al. (Sun,) studied this question.