Sustainability has risen to the top of the global manufacturing agenda. Whilst metal AM has long been considered a green technology because of its net-shape capabilities, it is far from being a process absent of environmental impact. Here, Martin McMahon explores how global efforts are being made to improve this through the use of more sustainable metal powders, combined with a greater focus on powder reuse and recycling. Inextricably linked to this are, of course, economic gains and, in terms of supply chain, national security benefits.
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The growing use of titanium Additive Manufacturing for the production of medical implants is a major success story for the industry. With this growth, however, come vast volumes of process data which need to be monitored to ensure compliance with tight regulatory requirements. Here, Peter Lindecke, amsight GmbH, explains how holistic analysis software can be used to monitor the impact of powder reuse strategies in Electron Beam Powder Fusion to ensure the best possible outcomes.
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The future of Additive Manufacturing lies in part production at scale. Innovation must, therefore, focus on how to reduce part cost and improve performance. Unlike other manufacturing processes, weight is time in AM – and time is money; raw material costs take a back seat when it comes to overall part cost. Here, Jonathan Meyer (APWORKS) and John Barnes (Metal Powder Works/The Barnes Global Advisors) explore the case for scandium-based aluminium alloys for AM from both technical and economic perspectives.
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Additive Manufacturing conferences rarely attract as many industry CEOs as New York’s Additive Manufacturing Strategies event, let alone persuade them to share the stage for panel discussions. AMS2024 was no exception. On the back of a turbulent financial year for many of the industry’s leading companies, how do those very CEOs see the state of the industry now, and what do they see as the biggest challenges ahead? Rachael Dalton-Taggart reports for Metal AM magazine.
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UK-based Wayland Additive is convinced that, when it comes to metal Additive Manufacturing, Electron Beam Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-EB) has a bright future ahead. Whilst laser-based PBF is the most widely commercialised AM technology, it has inherent limitations that electron beam-based innovations such as Wayland’s NeuBeam process promise to overcome. Rachel Park reports on how the technology could open up the AM market by enabling users of the Calibur3 machine to rapidly develop and commercialise a wider range of industrial materials.
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For Additive Manufacturing to mature as an industrial production process, believe Tommaso Tamarozzi (Oqton) and Juan Carlos Flores (Baker Hughes), it needs to be faster, simpler, and more reliable. This article reports on a step toward this goal through the development of an end-to-end AM workflow for the serial production of a Variable Resistance Trim (VRT) component. Built on a fully digital framework, it includes simulation, real-time process monitoring, anomaly analysis, and data preparation automation, thus laying the foundation for an AM workflow that delivers consistent quality and the documentation necessary for certification.
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The frenzy of media attention surrounding Artificial Intelligence (AI) dwarfs the past hype surrounding Additive Manufacturing (AM). Whether you look to the future with fear or excitement, there is no escaping the wave of change that is coming. Whilst we once again hear words like ‘revolution’ being used – to which so many have become immune – Dr Omar Fergani believes that we are now at a crucial point of convergence for AM and AI. Here, he explains why AM is in an especially strong position to leverage the potential of AI, with the power to transform many areas of our industry, from part design to machine operation, quality management and beyond.
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Across the world, a new wave of aerospace engineers are designing and building the next generation of aero engines and systems around the revolutionary capabilities of Additive Manufacturing. Twenty years ago this was a vision, but today it is a reality. From fuel nozzles to Stage 5 and Stage 6 low pressure turbine (LPT) blades, housings to structural elements, in this article Metal AM magazine’s Technical Consultant Martin McMahon reviews the progress that has been made, shining a light on selected applications that offer insight to those in the aerospace industry who want to get up to speed with progress.
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The new space race is powered by metal Additive Manufacturing. In turn, the Additive Manufacturing of rocket engines is powered by advanced alloys. Of these, NASA’s GRCop family has found use in numerous critical applications. In this article, Austin Whitt and David Ellis, NASA Glenn Research Center, and Paul Gradl, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, dig deep into the history, production, processing and maturation of these unique materials. As the authors reveal, there is good reason why Additive Manufacturing of GRCop begins by understanding the process-microstructure-property-performance relationship.
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Metal AM offers the jewellery industry significant creative and commercial opportunities. One such opportunity is the production of platinum and titanium jewellery by Laser Beam Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB), a process described as a “match made in heaven” for these metals. This technology offers jewellery designers advantages that include greater creative freedom, the precise control of weight, and a path to scale-up production. Here, Michela Ferraro explores the status of AM for jewellery manufacturers and highlights innovative and critically acclaimed pieces produced by the technology.
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In the digital world of Additive Manufacturing, just how cybersecure are your operations and your customers’ critical parts? A survey of AM producers has suggested that the answer is probably not secure enough. In this article, Auburn University’s Prof Mark Yampolskiy, and industry analyst Joseph Kowen, present a high-altitude overview of the security threats facing those in the AM community. Cybersecurity, they suggest, should be considered as no less important than metallurgy or ‘Design for AM’ and, with the development of AM-specific standards and third-party security solutions, it need not be an overwhelming task.
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When it comes to presenting a review of the world’s largest international exhibition for AM, one can go about it in two ways: very broad generalisations about the state of the industry or a more focused review of a handful of noteworthy developments. Given the 859 exhibitors at Formnext 2023, spread over some 54,000 m2, this review by Dr Martin McMahon takes the latter approach, offering broader context where possible. Whilst many more press announcements are covered in the industry news section of this issue, the following report provides an overview of how – and where – AM is evolving and maturing into a credible and dynamic technology.
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