Link3D MES & Additive Manufacturing Workflow Software
Today, New York City-based company Link3D, which uses its additive manufacturing execution workflow software to help customers in the 3D printing industry adopt and scale their strategy for Industry 4.0, announced that it will be joining EOS North America in working on a proof of concept trial. Together, the two will collaborate in an effort to increase the customer experience for clients in the benchmarking phase of production. By internally integrating the Link3D Additive MES solution, EOS North America can offer its clients a better overall AM experience.
“We consistently strive to work with cutting edge organizations. This includes material, software and hardware solutions for the additive manufacturing industry,” said Dr. Greg Hayes, Director of Applications, EOS North America. “Link3D is one of our choices for software solutions.”
EOS North America, which is an independent business of EOS GmbH, is a technology leader for high quality industrial 3D printing solutions for both metal and polymer materials. Because the company frequently performs benchmark studies from its Novi, Michigan and Pflugerville, Texas technical facilities for customers, it’s able to learn more about how to effectively and efficiently manage AM workflow processes in a “distributed manufacturing model.”
“Link3D is humbled to have its Additive MES solution selected by EOS North America to power its metal benchmarking facilities,” said Shane M. Fox, the CEO of Link3D. “We are excited to help increase EOS North America’s operational efficiencies and have our technology integrated into their ecosystem to enable their customer experience.”
Link3D is one of the top AMES & Additive Workflow software solutions for streamlining internal and external AM production for OEMs, and has a variety of levels of automation, configuration, and simulation to introduce the many benefits of 3D printing to its customers, which helps in centralizing the digital manufacturing ecosystem. Its Additive MES solution allows Link3D customers to visualize the entire AM workflow, starting with part design and order submission all the way to part inventory, data analytics, and delivery.
Those who use Link3D’s AM workflow software will be able to see how easy it is for people who submit orders for 3D printed parts to directly communicate with application engineers and technicians in order to finalize things like costs and quotes, production requirements, planning, and scheduling, post-processing and quality inspection, and delivery. In addition, customers who purchase the Link3D MES system can rest easy knowing that EOS North America has time tested its Build Simulation software for quoting and costing
Link3D MES digitally connects two sites, which helps improve customer experience and end-to-end transparency and lowers turnaround times. This fits right in with EOS North America’s “holistic solution” for 3D printing, and will help its customers truly understand the potential 3D printing has for production.
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Metal 3D printing generally requires a lot of work, even after the part has been printed. Not only do supports need to be removed, but excess powder needs to be cleaned off the part – and that’s easier said than done, as metal 3D printing powder is hazardous to handle, for one thing, and for another many parts are designed with channels and voids where powder can get trapped. To address these issues, German company Solukon Maschienbau GmbH has developed a series of machines that remove powder from finished 3D printed metal parts automatically. The machines rotate and vibrate the 3D printed parts, shaking loose any excess powder.
The European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) is well-known for its work with the Large Hadron Collider, but the organization does a lot of work with additive manufacturing as well – frequently 3D printing parts for its particle accelerators. For such a busy organization, efficiency is key, so CERN has now deployed Solukon’s automated depowdering units to clean laser melted metal parts made from reactive titanium alloys.
“Powder removal is a critical phase of Additive Manufacturing for application Ultra-High-Vacuum,” said Romain Gérard, Additive Manufacturing Engineer at CERN. “We observed that powder residues, that are subsequently sintered during heat treatment, act like sponges by trapping gases and releasing them at a very low rate. The SFM-AT300 automated depowdering unit from Solukon ensures a high depowdering quality with a safe environment for titanium and niobium powder.”
Solukon’s depowdering machines remove powder quickly and economically, with time savings of up to 90 percent. Automatic and programmable depowdering operations make the machines easy to use, and their design is maintenance-friendly as well. The systems offer a high degree of protection from hazardous dust build-up, and inert gas infusion to prevent an explosive atmosphere. They also provide sustained inert material handling to avoid contamination with oxygen. The machines feature a sturdy design for uninterrupted operation and reproducible cleaning results for certified production processes, as well as convenient part handling. They are suitable for use with parts from all manufacturing systems on the market.
“The high requirements for safety and cleaning results make CERN an exemplary customer for Solukon. The combination of the reactivity of the used titanium powder and the complex internal structures of the parts make it perfectly suitable for our systems,” said Andreas Hartmann, CEO and Technical Director at Solukon.
With the depowdering systems installed, CERN can more safely and efficiently 3D print parts for its particle accelerators, simplifying the manufacture of these parts and saving money over traditional methods of manufacturing.
“Through programmable rotation of the part and the build plate around one or two axes, non-fused build material is removed from complex voids and support structures,” said Dominik Schmid, CEO.
Solukon currently has its machines installed in the United States, Europe and Asia.
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We’re sharing stories about events, business, and metal 3D printing in today’s 3D Printing News Briefs. To start, the second annual Iran 3DShow is coming up, along with IQPC’s fifth Additive Manufacturing for Aerospace & Space event in London. Moving on to business, Carbon has an announcement about a new executive, Sigma Labs has joined an R&D collaboration with Fraunhofer IAPT, and Xometry is now offering instant quotes on parts 3D printed with HP’s Multi Jet Fusion technology. Finally, Markforged is presenting a closer look at the process behind the Metal X.
Second Annual Iran 3DShow
Last year, the country of Iran hosted its first 3D printing trade show, originally called the Additive Manufacturing Symposium before the name was changed to Iran 3D Show. Now, the country is gearing up for the second annual event, which will be held at the Book Garden in Tehran from December 5-7. The Vice-Presidency for Science and Technology of Iran is holding the event, with the Iran Institute of Additive Manufacturing acting as the execution team and organizer. There will be a 3D printing competition for teachers and students, and the trade show itself is made up of three additional sub-events, called “The 2nd Exhibition of 3D Printing Industry.”
“This event is not only good for the ones who are trying to observe the market here, but also suits the international companies to join and involve,” said Seyyed Amir Ghaffari, the Managing Director of Iran 3D Show.
Fifth Additive Manufacturing for Aerospace & Space
Aligned to support the UK’s national AM strategy, the fifth Additive Manufacturing for Aerospace and Space conference by IQPC will be held in London from February 26-28, 2019; last year the forum was hosted in Munich. The conference helps attendees take on the roadblocks to adopting 3D printing and other industrial digitalization practices. The event provides content that helps 3D printing users exploit economic returns and performance gains provided by the technology. In addition, Airbus will be hosting a visit to its nearby Space Systems facility during the conference.
“Now entering its 5th year, the conference has fast established itself as the premium forum for AM users, R&D experts and industry partners within the aerospace and space industry,” Olivia Timmins, Senior Marketing Manager for IQPC, told 3DPrint.com. “This year is no different with expert speaker line up from Thales, MTC, ESA, Airbus, Safran and more.”
If you register by Saturday, December 15th, you can even save up to £300 of the total cost.
Carbon Announces New Company Executive
Dara Treseder
Silicon Valley-based Carbon has announced a new executive, as Dara Treseder joins the company as the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). The former CMO for GE Business Innovations and GE Ventures, Treseder is charged with finding new ways to showcase the company’s story at scale; with her excellent record, this should not be too challenging. This year, Treseder, who is also the co-founder of consulting firm NeuBridges, was featured by Forbes as a CMO Next, and in 2017, she was recognized on AdAge as one of the Women to Watch and by Inc. as one of the 30 Inspirational Women to Watch in Tech. Additionally, she is a sought-after speaker and writer on many subjects, including marketing, growth, innovation, and creating more diverse workplaces.
“I am deeply inspired by Carbon’s vision and values and excited to be part of a trailblazing team that is redefining digital manufacturing and creating the industry’s future. As chief marketing officer, I am looking forward to advancing Carbon’s brand, strengthening our customer connections, and rapidly scaling our global growth,” Treseder said.
Treseder is coming on board as Carbon works to strengthen its leadership team, and will support the growing company’s mission to keep driving the manufacturing industry’s digital transformation.
Sigma Labs Partners with Fraunhofer IAPT
John Rice and Prof. Dr.-Ing. Claus Emmelmann
This week, the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Additive Manufacturing Technologies (IAPT) and Sigma Labs, Inc., which provides quality assurance software under the PrintRite3D brand, announced a new collaborative research and development agreement that will focus on the industrialization of additive manufacturing. At last month’s formnext 2018 in Germany, John Rice, the CEO of Sigma Labs, and Prof. Dr.-Ing. Claus Emmelmann, the Managing Director of Fraunhofer IAPT, signed the joint agreement. As part of the agreement between the two, Sigma Labs will be upgrading Fraunhofer IAPT’s current PrintRite3D system.
“The aim of this collaboration is to test and validate the use of the PrintRite3D system to identify and quantify machine and process inconsistencies as well as flag defect thermal signatures during the laser melting process, and correlate them to CT scan results. Ultimately, this will allow users to reduce scrap, increase productivity and reduce post-process inspection costs,” said Rice.
Xometry Offering Instant Quotes on Multi Jet Fusion Parts
On-demand manufacturing platform Xometry has only been in business for five years, but it is releasing news at a fast clip. This summer, the company also introduced a new version of its Instant Quoting Engine, which included several new and enhanced features to offer customers instant quotes for CNC machining, sheet metal fabrication, urethane casting, and several 3D printing processes, including SLS, FDM, PolyJet, and DMLS.
Now, Xometry has announced that it will be offering instant quotes on custom parts made with HP’s fast Multi Jet Fusion technology. As always, simply drag and drop your 3D models into the Instant Quoting Engine, select your process and materials (if you so choose), and Xometry will do the rest, analyzing the model’s geometry and providing an instant price, design feedback, and delivery date.
Markforged Metal X 3D Printer Process
Last winter at CES 2017, Markforged introduced its Metal X, which is the company’s first 3D printer to leverage its Atomic Diffusion Additive Manufacturing, or ADAM, metal 3D printing technology. This spring, Markforged began shipping the Metal X to customers and resellers, and announced early last month that it had shipped over 100 machines, with an expectation of doubling that number by the end of 2018.
As we get closer to the end of the year, and Markforged works to achieve this goal, the company is giving the world a closer look at the innovative process behind its Metal X, with the publication of a time-lapse video on YouTube that shows all seven steps of the process, starting with the actual 3D printing of a part, removing and washing it, and ending with part manipulation, in less than two minutes. Take a look at the video below to see it for yourself:
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Using alloy Aluminum 6061 (a material often used for testing), Vishnoi observed not only the benefits of additive manufacturing over subtractive, but also analyzed the use of a new 3D printer being developed by Vader Systems while examining the use of droplet deposition. The researcher and his team used a variety of mathematical programs to understand more about droplet-air and droplet-substrate interactions and studied the structures that were actually 3D printed to find out more about how the parameters they set affected fabrication.
Vishnoi points out that there was positive ‘agreement’ between computational models and the data they extracted. His study goes into some detail regarding subtractive processes but points out that 3D printing can supersede such traditional manufacturing as it grants the user the ability to create metal prototypes that would have been too challenging or expensive otherwise. He also points out added benefits to 3D printing such as speed and added efficiency; however, Vishnoi and his team are certainly not in the dark about drawbacks either for industrial manufacturing such as overall startup costs to put AM processes in place and then control them. Metal of course is not the only material being widely used in additive manufacturing either—and the list of substances available continues to grow, from ceramics to concrete to the more ubiquitous polymers which continue to reign.
For AM of metals using droplet ejection techniques, Vishnoi points out that operational obstacles continue to be a problem in terms of thermal management, droplet ejection, and droplet patterning with deposition, coalescence and solidification. The current research focuses on drop-on demand printing with metal, with the droplets being extruded at a consistent interval.
“Drop-on-demand 3D printers are commonly made up of a small-sized orifice, a reservoir and a printhead that generates a pressure pulse so as to create a discontinuity in the ejected fluid stream,” states Vishnoi in his paper.
“In order to build accurate droplet patterning, a substrate is set up beneath the printhead. The substrate moves at a pre-programmed velocity, which must be matched to the frequency of the droplet ejection. Droplet ejection frequency varies according to the shape of the structure to be printed.”
Vishnoi and his team focused solely on magnetohydropdynamic (MHD) droplet ejection. The goal was to be able to manufacture more complex structures using the Magnetojet process, along with detailing their computational model.
Conceptual schematic of MHD jetting process
MHD is hardly a new concept, in use since 1907, with potential for modern applications in the following fields:
Geophysics
Astrophysics
Sensors
Magnetic drug targeting
Power generation
MHD is still used widely for casting processes, but here the researchers attempt to convert it to a new method for 3D printing.
“The MagnetojetTM printing process has been used to create aluminum parts with a repetition rate up to 1000 droplets/sec, with a droplet placement resolution of 500 µm. It has achieved a mass deposition rate of up to 1 lb per hour based on a single orifice that generates droplets with a 500 µm diameter,” states Vishnoi in his paper. “In addition, it is a relatively low-cost process that can print parts with improved mechanical properties owing to the presence of a unique metal grain structure.”
Schematic design of the MHD-based DOD liquid metal printing system
The team used Flow-3D software for their computational analysis, studying thermo-fluidic dynamics. They found that droplet solidification was affected by the following:
Ejection frequency
Temperature
Velocity
Size
Spacing
Substrate factors
They also used wall and pressure boundaries to apply no-slip conditions as well as static and stagnation pressure. Testing was performed on a simple model with ten droplets being 3D printed first—and more complex geometries fabricated later in testing.
The university researchers discovered that shape of the product had a lot to do with their success in 3D printing. Droplet overlap was an important parameter in this 3D printing research, along with overlap fraction, and droplet ejection.
“The process is extremely cost effective since it uses metal wire feedstock, thus eliminating the need of specially prepared powder. Still, challenges remain in realizing the optimum operating parameters of operation, and improvement of overall process performance. Isolating the critical droplet deposition parameters will allow the process to build a broader range of metallic structures, such as inclined pillars, horizontal overhangs etc. with high mechanical strength and minimum material wastage,” stated the researchers in conclusion. “To address this, we have presented a computational modeling approach, focusing on the droplet deposition model. This model can be used for a rational study and design of MagnetojetTM process, as well as similar drop-on-demand processes and will be improved in the 45 future to include additional physics, in order to faithfully model the process in its entirety.”
For the future, the research team looks forward to designs for similar 3D printed models using a variety of different types of versatile metals and alloys like iron, titanium, and nickel—all of which can be printed at a high temperature.
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We’re covering everything in today’s 3D Printing News Briefs, from software and metal 3D printing to education and cosplay. MatterHackers is introducing MatterControl 2.0, while Digital Alloys is defining application criteria for metal 3D printing. The MakerBot Innovation Lab in Georgia provides a professor with some much-needed 3D printed primate skulls for class, and Melissa Ng of Lumecluster recently attended the New York Comic Con with some 3D printed armor.
MatterHackers Introducing MatterControl 2.0
This year, the development team at MatterHackers has been working hard to make a new and improved version of its free, open source, All-In-One design/slice/print software MatterControl. Now, the company has announced that MatterControl 2.0 is finally here.
“Loaded with lots of new features and tools to create, slice, and control your 3D printer, MatterControl has more capabilities than ever for newcomers and advanced users alike,” MatterHackers wrote on its website. “While some updates are behind-the-scenes like how the slicer operates, there are some major changes within the interface.”
MatterControl 2.0, which includes new features like Print Recovery, Re-Slice, and Software Bed-Leveling, is a unique 3D printing software that’s able to integrate design, preparation, and 3D printing all into a single, simple platform. MatterControl 2.0 features pre-configured 3D printer and material profiles for easy set-up, and offers users with endless customization options, thanks to integrated Design Apps and Design Tools. MatterControl 2.0 is now available for download on both the Windows and Mac operating systems.
Digital Alloys Defines Metal 3D Printing Application Criteria
Massachusetts 3D printing company Digital Alloys, which introduced its Joule Printing for metals this summer, also has its own blog. Earlier this month, the company published the first part of a two-blog series that focused on finding the highest value applications for metal 3D printing; this week, the second post was published. Titled “Digital Alloys’ Guide to Metal Additive Manufacturing,” the company looks to help readers define application requirements for metal 3D printing “in a way that easily maps to the capabilities of the various metal AM technology options.”
“As is true for any manufacturing process, each metal AM technology has its own set of capabilities, strengths, and weaknesses which dictate when and where it is useful,” the post reads. “Applications for metal AM have specific requirements. Using a structured framework helps determine whether these requirements can all be met by a particular technology.”
The post continues on to provide application criteria, such as materials and part specifications, that users should consider when choosing the best metal 3D printing method for their product, and details about the criteria. To learn more, check out the Digital Alloys blog post.
3D Printing Primate Skull Replicas
While teaching a biology class about primates, University of North Georgia (UNG) faculty member Dr. Jessica “Jess” Hartel was in need of some specimens, so that her students would be able to compare differences between the various species; unfortunately, the biology department did not have a collection of primate skulls. But rather than ordering expensive replica skulls, Dr. Hartel was directed by Dr. Nancy Dalman, the head of UNG’s biology department, to the UNG MakerBot Innovation Center. Together with Dr. Jon Mehlferber, professor of visual arts at UNG, Dr. Hartel worked out a way to use some of the 32 3D printers in the center to replicate a variety of detailed primate skulls for a lot less money…the most expensive print of the bunch only cost $20.
Dr. Mehlferber explained, “We had to get permission from the Smithsonian Institution to use their digital scans to create the skulls, and then we were able to make the primate skulls for Dr. Hartel.”
The MakerBot Innovation Center – the only one located in Georgia – has been on UNG’s Dahlonega campus for four semesters now, thanks to a Presidential Incentive Award allocated by UNG’s President Bonita Jacobs. The award was granted after Dr. Mehlferber, Technology Integration Assistant Director Enes Aganovic, former UNG physical therapy faculty members, and UNG graduate students received funding for a research project that used 3D printing to create devices for children with disabilities.
3D Printed Cosplay Armor by Melissa Ng
L-R: Melissa Ng cosplaying as Edward Elric and Megan Dellario cosplaying as Winry Rockbell from Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.
If there’s one thing that my favorite maker Melissa Ng excels at…and that’s silly because there are so many things, but go with me…it’s how to combine 3D printing with cosplay. Self-taught 3D artist, designer, and dreamer Ng sells and showcases her amazing designs on her Lumecluster blog, and while she has previously worn her own designs in public, the recent New York Comic Con (NYCC) was her first foray into interpreting a character from an existing fandom – specifically Edward Elric from the popular anime series Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. Not only was Ng nervous about cosplaying for the first time, but the decision was also last minute, as she decided to create and 3D print a fully articulated interpretation of Elric’s automail arm in just five days, with an already full schedule.
“A sensible person would have probably skipped the cosplay…but I don’t like backing out once I’ve decided to do something,” Ng wrote on Lumecluster. “I’m stubborn like that. So, suffer I did! For art!”
“Needless to say, it was truly an experience that challenged all my expectations.”
Luckily, Ng had help from her friend Megan Dellario and sister Fiona Ng, and got to work, drawing inspiration for the automail arm from a different armor styles. She modeled the arm in Blender, 3D printed the parts out of flexible materials on her Form 2 and TAZ 6 3D printers, spent a lot of time finishing the plates, and then riveted them all together. Needless to say, Ng’s cosplay went over famously at NYCC. You can learn more about her experience in the video below:
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We’re starting with some business news in today’s 3D Printing News Briefs, and then moving on to an award. A British company is the first automotive consumer retail brand built entirely around 3D printing, which is a pretty big deal. Oerlikon has a new online instant quoting and tracking tool, while MakePrintable has released some new updates and Additive Industries is launching a new center in Singapore. Finally, the SMS Group has won a prestigious award.
First Automotive Consumer Retail Brand Built Around 3D Printing
Leeds-based digital manufacturing company Carbon Performance uses 3D printing, artificial intelligence, and blockchain to design and fabricate lightweight, next-generation automotive components that are environmentally sustainable. Recently, the company designed an suspension upright for a Lotus Elise sports car that was 3D printed in aluminum. The part, with an organic design, ended up being 25% more lightweight and was consolidated from a total of nine parts into just one.
But what really sets Carbon Performance apart is that it packages up its 3D printed automotive components and retails them to end customers, which technically makes the company the first automotive consumer retail brand in the world that’s built entirely around 3D printing. Take a look at its short promo video below:
Oerlikon Offering New Online Tool
Swiss technology and engineering group Oerlikon is now offering a new online tool to help its customers save time with their on-demand manufacturing and rapid prototyping needs. The company is offering an online instant quoting and tracking tool that’s capable of handling a large variety of metal and polymer part needs.
The tool is easy to use – just upload your CAD file and prepare your part for 3D printing by choosing from available options. Then, Oerlikon will 3D print your part, and you can track the order until it’s sent quickly right to your door. The company is even offering a discount for the first order you place in its new service through December 31st, 2018. Simply enter the promo code AMFIRST in the Oerlikon AM online quoting tool to take advantage of the deal.
MakePrintable Releases New Updates
Speaking of tools, the MakePrintable service launched by San Francisco startup Mixed Dimensions back in 2014 has just released a few major updates. It already offers such services as easy, automated 3D file fixing and better user efficiency in 3D printing, and is now rolling out its latest – a pay per download service and a full color 3D printing service. The first lets customers repair files, then pay if they’re pleased with the quality, without having to purchase a subscription, while the latter service is able to produce “unmatched quality prints at competitive pricing compared to others in the industry.”
“When we designed our printing service we focused heavily on all pillars (quality, speed and cost) as we know how much expensive and problematic it is to get quality prints and even to get past most 3D printing services checkout process,” Baha Abunojaim, Co-Founder and CTO of Mixed Dimensions, told 3DPrint.com. “At MakePrintable we guarantee our users a smooth and fast experience with a competitive pricing point while also leveling up the quality thanks to our years of research and robust file preparation technology.”
Additive Industries Announces New Center in Singapore
After an official State Visit from Mdm Halimah Yacob, the President of the Republic of Singapore, to its Eindhoven headquarters, Additive Industries announced that it would be building a Process & Application Development (PAD) Center in Singapore. The company plans to build its newly launched PAD Center up into a regional Asia Pacific hub for customer support and local development. The PAD Center will also serve as a competence center for the industrialization of metal 3D printing within the company itself, with special market focus on important regional verticals like semiconductor equipment and aerospace applications.
“Singapore is an ideal stepping stone for Additive Industries’ growth ambitions in the Asia-Pacific region,” said Daan Kersten, the CEO of Additive Industries. “It is a natural hub with great infrastructure, it’s an excellent fit with our target markets and the governmental support accelerates our execution.”
3D Printed Spray Header by SMS Group Wins Award
A group of companies that’s internationally active in plant construction and mechanical engineering for the steel and nonferrous metals industry known as the SMS Group just announced that it won the German Design Award 2019, in the Industry category, for its 3D printed spray head for forging plants. This is likely the first time a small machine component like the spray head, which is used to cool dies in forging presses, has won one of these awards, so it’s a pretty big deal. The 3D printed spray head is the result of a joint effort between the group’s Forging Plants Department, Additive Manufacturing Project Team, and simulation technology experts. While it is a small component, it’s certainly mighty – it was designed to fulfill its function in the most efficient way possible. 3D printing helped to make the spray head smaller, less expensive, easily customizable, and made it possible to add flow optimized channels for cooling die heads.
“Winning the Design Award makes us extremely proud. It is recognition of many teams within SMS group whose work is characterized by a highly interdisciplinary approach,” said Axel Roßbach, Research and Development Extrusion and Forging Presses with the SMS group GmbH. “The spray head is a milestone innovation marking a new era in the design of plant and machine components, enabled by the game-changing potential of 3D printing and function-optimized design. The design of a machine part is today no longer limited by the constraints imposed by conventional – process-optimized – forming and machining techniques. Supported by latest software and computer technology, we can now give a component exactly the design that fulfils its designated function in the best possible way. Another important aspect is that we have used new materials. Therefore the Award honors not only a new design, but above all the new way of thinking lived within SMS group, which has materialized in a global approach to Additive Manufacturing.”
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Within the framework of the “Photonic Process Chains” funding initiative by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), several partners – two research institutes and five companies, to be exact – are focusing on 3D printing in the automotive industry. The “Integration of Additive Manufacturing Processes in Automobile Series Production – AutoAdd” research project is coordinated by Daimler AG, and its findings show that by holistically integrating the metallic laser powder bed fusion process (LPBF), also known as SLM and DMLS, developed at the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology (ILT) into automotive series production, unit costs can go way down.
The BMBF has been working on several projects in order to promote the intelligent linking of photon-based manufacturing processes, like metal 3D printing, as a means to produce complex or individualized products. Its aim is to create flexible, conceptual hybrid manufacturing designs, which can then be used for production purposes. But, out of all 14 joint projects in the funding initiative, which began in 2015 and ended in May, AutoAdd should make it easier to use 3D printing in the automotive industry within just three years.
In addition to Fraunhofer ILT and Daimler, the AutoAdd project partners include:
BMW
GKN Sinter Metals Engineering GmbH
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
Netfabb GmbH
TRUMPF Laser- und Systemtechnik GmbH
[Image: TRUMPF]
These partners are working to lower unit costs by integrating the LPBF process chain into the automotive mass production environment, in order to develop a new hybrid process chain. Daimler and the BMW Group worked together to define the necessary requirements for the new additive process chain, and then Fraunhofer ILT and TRUMPF used the chain to create a variety of plant and finishing conceptual designs for 3D printing.
In addition to a modular system architecture that allows for the use of an “interchangeable cylinder principle” and multiple beam sources, potentially production-ready optical designs were created. The AutoAdd partners also analyzed GKN’s novel scalable materials, as well as created some promising post-processing concepts that could be automated, such as support structure removal.
KIT was the partner which ended up evaluating these new factory designs.
According to a Fraunhofer ILT press release, “Using a simulation model, the engineers of the wbk Institute for Production Science visualized an exemplary, conventional process chain, in which they were able to design various possible LPBF plant concepts. With methods such as cost or benchmark analyzes, they were able to compare the new approaches from a technical and economic point of view with previous ones.”
Long-term recording of the contour exposure during 3D printing of a grinding wheel. [Image: MTU Aero Engines AG]
There were several positive effects stemming from the €3.37 million project, at least in terms of academics. There was enough useful content from AutoAdd to fuel four separate dissertations, and this knowledge can also be used for lectures in the future. Next year, a new project, partially based on the AutoAdd results, will launch that’s focused on line-integration of 3D printing to “implement the designed additive process chain.”
The joint project results are interesting and impressive, showing that it is indeed possible to achieve additive mass manufacturing. For instance, the whole process chain can be automated, making it more efficient and cost-effective, as the team discovered that modular cylinders and wet-chemical immersion baths are effective ways to remove, batchwise, components during post-processing. In addition, common metrics for evaluating LPBF manufacturing equipment were developed by the AutoAdd project partners, which can be used to identify popular equipment manufacturers for a large-scale benchmarking exercise.
“By using standardized benchmark jobs with different test specimens, industrial users can now calculate transferable key figures with which they will be able to find the most economical system for their purposes,” the press release noted.
One of the most, if not the most, important points the AutoAdd team needed in order to make 3D printing ready for series production was the ability to reproduce mechanical properties. The partners took an important fundamental step by demonstrating and evaluating this feature in multiple facilities – showing that it is possible to integrate an economic additive process chain in automotive mass production.
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Wipro is an $8 billion 164,000 employee Indian technology company. The company runs large outsourcing and technology implementation projects, and is one of the world’s largest IT firms. May may be surprised that Wirpro has a 3D printing arm. Moreover, Wipro 3D was set up in 2012. Wipro 3D has grown to be a metal 3D printing service provider that also offers 3D printing consulting, 3D printing engineering services, research services. The company is aiming to be a full spectrum player for 3D printing offering everything from sketch to the setting up of complete 3D printing service centers. We were very curious to see what Wipro 3D was up to and spoke to Ajay Parikh the VP and Business Head, Wipro 3D to find out more about the company’s plans.
Why is Wipro active in 3D Printing?
“Additive Manufacturing and related know-how is going to play a dominant role in how we conceive, design, produce and use objects. AM is going to push the limits of material science, and allow us to explore frontiers, never before imagined and disrupt manufacturing and supply chain processes globally. Wipro3D is Wipro’s initiative to be part of the future of manufacturing.
If we go by numbers, leading analysts had assessed the size of the additive manufacturing Market at USD 6 Bn in 2016, and expect it to grow to USD 16 -20 Bn in 2020 at a growth rate of 27%. They attribute this growth to the Metal AM market owing to an increase in its industrial applications. The growth of Metal AM is expected to be 42% with Aerospace, Automotive and Medical segments driving the growth.”
Is adoption on the rise?
“We assess adaption maturity of new tech essentially based on type and extent of end-use adaption, the ecosystem maturity and how rate at which the technology is evolving. If we look at the rate of enterprise adaption across the globe, it’s been pretty rapid in the last few years, metal 3D printing being the highlight. The entry and investments of large players like GE, HP in addition to entrenched incumbents such as EOS, Stratasys etc, further reinforces confidence. Besides a select set of full suite solution providers with global aspirations offer services ranging from Additive Consulting, Engineering, Manufacturing and R&D to turnkey solutions are driving up adaption.”
How do your consultants work with customers to help them get into 3D printing?
“Our Consultants study the client context, analyse opportunities and identify use cases that deliver the maximum benefit of Additive Manufacturing. We work with clients to design, redesign and adapt new and existing designs and geometries to 3D printing, work on material solutions, as well as end use prove outs, as well as process capability to reach regular and predictable use of additive manufacturing in their business operations. The central consideration in our engagement will customers is the business value that we can generate for the customer with 3d printing.”
Are you primarily focused on metal printing?
“Yes. Our focus is metal 3D printing and we see merit in offering complete suite of services such as Additive Consulting, Additive Product Engineering, Reverse Engineering, Series production of parts using Additive Manufacturing, R&D solutions as well as design, set up and operations of captive centres. We also offer process capability improvement programs. Given Wipro’s strength in business solutions, we can offer an integrated digital manufacturing solution including automation and iot use cases working closely with other businesses of Wipro.”
How do you work with customers in a design and engineering capacity?
“3D printing allows designers and engineers to completely rethink the way they approach product engineering. Given our strong background in product as well as additive engineering, we work with customers to analyse existing geometries, conceptualize products to take advantage of the freedom of design and manufacturing that 3d printing brings, and design the entire manufacturing process to assure repeatability and reliable , functional performance of the product in service conditions. These services are based on our deep understanding of various aspects of the technology. We thoroughly understand the deep interconnect between Additive Engineering, product engineering, materials science, pre-build, build and post-build strategies, to finally prove-out components that meet customers’ production and service condition needs. Design offerings are offered either as a standalone service, or as a part of the complete component realization solution.”
You also have 3D printing capacity in-house? In which technologies?
“We have a fully integrated Additive Manufacturing Centre in Bangalore, India catering to domestic and international customers, adhering to best practices and standards in Additive Manufacturing. We have a full-fledged design studio, best in class industrial grade metal 3D printers, a comprehensive post-processing shop as well as full-fledged materials characterization lab. While we currently use powder bed fusion as the default additive manufacturing technology, we are in the process of including various other technologies to suit specific industry applications. We are also in the process of manufacturing a purpose built machine to meet the demanding needs of customers.”
Do you focus on a particular market, vertical or application at all?
“Aerospace, Space, Defence, Energy, Automotive and specific applications in Healthcare are some of the sectors that we currently serve with a domain led focus.”
What are some examples of 3D printed parts that really add value?
“An appropriate selection of components and AM technology to address specific business case is important for a sustainable AM program within an enterprise. Wipro3D has a structured and systematic consulting framework that helps customers design an entire roadmap.
For a “successful” use case, the AM intervention needs either improve functional performance, improve manufacturing efficacy, reduce time to market or address supply chain issues.”
Wipro3D assists the space, aerospace and Défense with mission critical service ready components, that are proven out including components that are in space. We also offer industry For Healthcare too we offer optimized components that result in improve system design as well as performance. The Automotive industry is under constant pressure to release new products and Wipro 3D is helping compress their time to market with high fidelity prototypes for automobile and two-wheeler manufacturers in various subsystems. The Injection Moulding industry has benefitted from the freedom of design and manufacture afforded by AM with the freedom of design that AM offers.”
In which industries do you see 3D printing becoming strong in the immediate future?
“As you know, Aerospace, Space, Defence and Healthcare are at the forefront of AM adoption We feel major growth in usage of AM will also come from Automotive, Oil & Gas, and Industrial sectors employing different variants of metal AM technologies.”
Do you think that clusters of desktop systems will compete with industrial systems in manufacturing?
“Both systems have unique and mutually exclusive use cases and as such we see them coexisting.”
Do you think that one particular technology will win out over others?
All 3D printing technologies will co-exist with each other given the variety of applications, engineering needs and service conditions across industries.
What is Wipro’s ambition in 3D printing?
“We aim to be among the leading global full suite players in metal and advanced materials additive manufacturing solutions.”
What would be your top tips to a large company wanting to explore 3D printing? What are some of the roadblocks for manufacturers when switching to 3D printing?
“It is critical to find the right applications within the enterprise and identify the right type of additive manufacturing technology to create proper use and business cases. Enterprises need to work with the right Additive Manufacturing solution provider, which whom the enterprise can co-create and execute a long term adaption roadmap A systematic adaption roadmap is key. A good AM solution provider can make a big difference. Another aspect is executive sponsorship. If this is not on the board’s agenda, there is pretty good chance it’s going to be limited to prototyping. Moreover, you need high resilience. When it comes to enterprise adaption, certainly Return on Capital Employed, Utilization, Service life, comparison to conventionally manufactured components in terms of mechanical properties are top of the mind considerations. As in any case, early adopters face a steep learning curve, but one which is to come in handy, as the technology matures and use cases grow. Start now, with a strong business outcome objective, ideally working with a strategic solutions partner.
“Many efforts have been done to optimize or improve the mechanical properties of AM parts by investigating various process parameters, scan strategies and building orientation effects,” the researchers state. “Shielding gas has been introduced as another significant parameter which affects not only the thermo-physical but also the mechanical properties of fabricated parts.The shielding gas is responsible for the removal of reactive gases surrounding the melt pool to prevent detrimental effects of reaction with atmospheric gases like oxygen. Various factors such as the base material and chemical-metallurgical reactions of the gas with the melt pool must be considered for choosing the appropriate shielding gas.”
Effects of various shielding gases such as nitrogen, argon and helium have been studied on the behaviors of different materials such as carbon steels, stainless steels and aluminum alloys. The researchers focus in this study on “modeling the thermal response of 17-4 PH SS by simulating a single track during typical L-PBF conditions while considering convection heat transfer for different shielding gases.”
A numerical study was performed to obtain the temperature, temperature gradient and cooling rates of parts fabricated under argon and nitrogen shielding gases during laser powder bed fusion. Micro-hardness testing and tensile tests were carried out to determine the mechanical performance of the 3D printed parts under the different shielding gases. The following conclusions were reached:
The nitrogen atmosphere introduces slightly lower temperatures and temperature gradients along tracks while the cooling rate is higher than that of the argon atmosphere. The researchers attribute this to the higher thermal conductivity of nitrogen gas.
More energy should dissipate from the track to the environment when nitrogen is used as the shielding gas. This is due to the higher cooling rate provided when using nitrogen gas.
The hardness of specimens fabricated under nitrogen shielding gas is slightly higher than the fabricated specimens under argon gas. This is attributed to the finer microstructure obtained due to the higher cooling rates provided while under the nitrogen atmosphere.
“The HT-Ar/Ar specimens have higher hardness than HT-Ar/N2 ones. This is due to the higher capability of precipitation hardening in the martensitic microstructure compared to the austenitic matrix as a result of fabricating under Argon atmosphere.”
There is minimal variation in tensile behavior under all of the tested conditions. However, the specimens 3D printed under the nitrogen atmosphere have slightly higher strength and ductility.
This research may provide valuable insight into how better to avoid defects in additively manufactured parts, such as porosity and lack of fusion. Metal additive manufacturing in particular is a very precise science that involves a great deal of chemical knowledge and mathematical calculations in order to create the optimal conditions for 3D printing. Based on the researchers’ study, manufacturers may be able to alter the conditions under which they 3D print parts, allowing for better overall final components.
Authors of the paper include Pooriya Dastranjy Nezhadfar, Mohammad Masoomi, Scott Thompson, Nam Pham and Nima Shamsaei.
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At formnext, which took place in Frankfurt, Germany last week, several 3D printers were unveiled or premiered. One of the printers seeing its world premiere was TRUMPF’s TruPrint 5000, designed to 3D print numerous metals including high-carbon steel and titanium alloys without cracking or warping. The 3D printer is pre-heated to 500°C to accommodate the challenging metals.
“Tool and mold makers can now easily print forming tools, punches and dies. Previously, without preheating, that wasn’t possible,” said Tobias Baur, TRUMPF General Manager Additive Manufacturing with responsibility for technology.
The TruPrint 5000 also features a new green laser with a pulse function, which allows for the 3D printing of pure copper and precious metals.
“This makes it attractive for use in mechanical and plant engineering, as pure copper can be used to print particularly conductive inductors and heat exchangers,” continued Baur.
The 3D printer should also hold some appeal for the jewelry industry, as the green laser enables the 3D printing of individual unique gold pieces on demand. It doesn’t waste expensive gold or silver, making it more economical than milling or casting, which involves a loss of material.
Certain tool steels favored by tool and mold makers could not previously be 3D printed because they would crack during the printing process.
“The laser beam melts the component surface, which subsequently cools back down to room temperature,” explained Baur. “The components weren’t able to withstand this temperature drop, and cracks formed.”
The preheating function of the TruPrint 5000, however, lessens the temperature drop following laser melting.
“The material quality and surface of carbon steels are significantly better than without preheating, preventing fractures in the components,” said Baur.
In addition to tooling, the TruPrint 5000 is also well-suited for the 3D printing of prosthetic devices and implants.
“When the ambient temperature drops too sharply, the parts warp and we have to rework them,” said Baur. “In addition, we often require support structures that are difficult to set up and take down.”
Because the preheating function of the TruPrint 5000 reduces stresses, it not only improves processing quality but also frequently eliminates the need for support structures at all. In addition, it often reduces the need for downstream heat treatment, as well as making the titanium more resilient and the implants more durable.
To achieve the 3D printing of copper and precious metals using the green laser, the TruPrint 5000’s developers connected the new TruDisk 1020 disk laser with the TruPrint 1000 3D printer.
“Conventional systems use an infrared laser as the beam source, but its wavelength is too long and it can’t weld highly reflective materials such as copper and gold. This can be done with laser light in the green wavelength spectrum,” said Thomas Fehn, TRUMPF General Manager Additive Manufacturing with responsibility for sales.
Fehn predicts that this will open up new applications for 3D printing, such as in the electronics and automotive industries.
You can learn more about the TRUMPF TruPrint 5000 or request a quote here.
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“Link3D is humbled to have its Additive MES solution selected by EOS North America to power its metal benchmarking facilities,” said Shane M. Fox, the CEO of Link3D. “We are excited to help increase EOS North America’s operational efficiencies and have our technology integrated into their ecosystem to enable their customer experience.”
