In 2016 SAP and UPS announced their collaboration to develop a supply chain management solution that spans the complete AM process chain, from component evaluation and design to delivery of the final product. Leading US-based AM service provider Linear AMS, a Moog company, is one of several manufacturers involved in the venture. Linear AMS’s Bruce Colter and Moog’s George Small review the drivers behind on-demand manufacturing and present recent developments in materials, applications and component verification.
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Within the technical sessions dedicated to Additive Manufacturing research at the World PM2016 Congress a number of papers focused on materials new to Powder Bed Fusion and assessed the ability to process these materials. Dr David Whittaker reviews three papers that report on investigations into Inconel 625 superalloy produced by EBM, Metal Matrix Composites with ceramic reinforcement and the direct metal printing of zinc.
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The Additive Manufacturing of light alloys was the focus of three separate technical sessions at the World PM2016 Congress, held in Hamburg, Germany, from 9-13 October, 2016. The event, which was organised by the European Powder Metallurgy Association (EPMA), covered all aspects of metal powder processing technologies. This report reviews three of the key papers from these sessions, two relating to the AM of aluminium alloys and the third to the AM of a magnesium alloy.
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In the second of our reports from the Metal Powder Industries Federation’s Additive Manufacturing with Powder Metallurgy (AMPM) conference, Dr David Whittaker reports on three presentations that highlighted developments in the processing of novel AM materials. These include tungsten for nuclear fusion applications and copper alloys for applications which require high electrical conductivity.
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The aerospace sector has been a key driver in the commercial development of metal Additive Manufacturing. Whilst some of the major application announcements of recent years can be looked back upon as milestones for the industry, numerous lower profile developments continue to demonstrate how metal AM has the capability to increase efficiency and add value in a multitude of application areas. We review a paper published in the Journal of the Minerals, Metals & Materials Society highlighting the potential for an innovative oil-gas separation rotor for aero-engine applications.
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In part two of our report on technical advances in metal AM at the Euro PM2015 Congress, Reims, France, October 4-7 2015, Dr David Whittaker reports on six further papers presented at the conference’s very well attended metal AM sessions. These papers cover the heat treatment of IN939 superalloy parts, the production of Ni718 superalloy powder, advances in inkjet-based metal AM and the production of gears by Laser Metal Deposition (LMD).
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For readers who have not yet discovered the annual conference of the European Powder Metallurgy Association (EPMA), the Euro PM conference series has grown to become a rich source of technical information on the latest advances in powder-based metal AM. The Euro PM2015 Congress, held in Reims, France, 4-7 October 2015, was no exception and Dr David Whittaker reports on a number of key technical presentations made during the first two Additive Manufacturing sessions at the congress.
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The AMPM conference series, sponsored by the Metal Powder Industries Federation (MPIF), was initiated in 2014 and ran in parallel with the PM2014 World Congress in Orlando, Florida. The second conference in the series was held in San Diego, California, from May 17-20, 2015. In this exclusive report for Metal AM magazine Dr David Whittaker reviews a number of key papers from the conference, ranging from a presentation on the activities of America Makes to developments in the production and characterisation of metal powders for AM.
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More than 150 participants from 19 countries attended the Metal Additive Manufacturing Conference (MAMC), Vienna, November 20-21, 2014. The conference, organised by the Austrian Society for Metallurgy and Metals (ASMET) and voestalpine Edelstahl, reviewed the latest developments along the entire processing chain as well as novel applications. Prof. Bruno Buchmayr, Montanuniversität Leoben, and Prof. Juergen Stampfl, TU Wien, present an introduction to Additive Manufacturing and report on highlights from the MAMC 2014 conference.
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Metal AM exists in a potentially confusing place between the world of 3D printing and its ‘maker’ movement, and Industry 4.0, with its drive towards new economic models. Here, Dr Jennifer Johns, Reader in International Business at the University of Bristol, UK, contextualises metal AM within broader narratives around technological change and economic development, Industry 4.0 and the Factory of the Future to give us a better understanding of what the outside world expects. Drawing on recent empirical research, different and often contradictory viewpoints are presented on the key issues facing the move to volume manufacturing and the geographies of production. [First published in Metal AM Vol. 6 No. 1, Spring 2020]
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In an industry driven by innovation, start-ups play a vital role in creating the next generation of AM technologies, applications, software solutions and materials. However, only a small percentage of these start-ups will survive, and even fewer will thrive. Arno Held, Chief Venture Officer at AM Ventures Holding GmbH, presents a statistical analysis of start-ups across the AM sector, including success rates, geographic distribution and key areas of focus, and offers his insight into venture capital as it relates to the Additive Manufacturing industry. [First published in Metal AM Vol. 6 No. 1, Spring 2020]
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The high cost of metal powders for Additive Manufacturing makes them a primary focus for cost management. Learning how to treat and store such powders in order to maintain and optimise their performance and value is one way to improve production economics. Here, Dr Rajeev Dattani, from Freeman Technology, UK, and Dr Animesh Bose, Desktop Metal, USA, review how to test powders in order to develop this knowledge, and examine treatment and storage regimes that can be beneficial. [First published in Metal AM Vol. 6 No. 1, Spring 2020]
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Additive Manufacturing has been heralded as a game-changing technology of the future. But while many ‘green’ and ecological initiatives have bloomed from the AM movement, the question remains: “Is AM environmentally friendly?” As Olaf Diegel, Ray Huff, and Terry Wohlers explain, the short answer is: it can be, in the hands of good designers and well-informed manufacturers. As with any tool or process, knowledge and experience are key. It is important to explore the many ways AM is applied in sustainable ways and whether it is improving. [First published in Metal AM Vol. 6 No. 1, Spring 2020]
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Now in its third year, the Munich Technology Conference series has achieved a remarkable status in its short history. It is recognised not only for bringing together the most powerful and influential minds in the international AM community, but for engaging them in open and broad-ranging discussions on the future of the industry. It is also an event that unashamedly ‘wears its heart on its sleeve’, having grown from the optimism of MTC1 to MTC2’s call for vital collaboration, and a ‘reality check’ in the face of economic uncertainty at MTC3. Metal AM magazine’s Emily-Jo Hopson reports. [First published in Metal AM Vol. 5 No. 4, Winter 2019]
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Metal Additive Manufacturing is a complex technology in which users struggle with materials reliability and quality on a daily basis. Here, William Herbert, Director Technology and R&D – Carpenter Additive, a division of Carpenter Technology, looks at how the company combines a 130-year heritage as a leader in speciality alloys with modern, digital solutions for powder management and material traceability, and supports the AM supply chain end-to-end by developing advanced materials, improving process economics and quality, and reducing risk in production applications. [First published in Metal AM Vol. 5 No. 4, Winter 2019]
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This is a challenging and exciting time for producers of metal powders. Talk of the industrialisation of Additive Manufacturing is everywhere and key pieces of the AM jigsaw such as standards, quality systems and installed production capacity are falling into place. The nature of the companies which are looking to take advantage of the anticipated feast is, however, surprisingly diverse. In this article, Alex Kingsbury and Dayton Horvarth highlight how long-established metal powder giants are adapting to AM and how agile start-ups are carving out niches in the powder marketplace. [First published in Metal AM Vol. 5 No. 4, Winter 2019]
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There is no shortage of Additive Manufacturing machines humming away in research laboratories, producing test pieces and exhibits for trade shows, but the hard truth is that relatively few are making components for serial production. In part, this is because the world is still waiting for materials which enable the technology to fulfil its true potential. In this article, Rebecca Gingell and colleagues from OxMet Technologies, Oxford, UK, explain how the company is approaching the design of novel alloys for AM, and reflect on its progress so far. [First published in Metal AM Vol. 5 No. 4, Winter 2019]
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Additive Manufacturing is arguably the ideal production method for numerous aerospace applications, particularly where lightweighting and part consolidation are concerns – yet no other industry takes such a cautious approach to embracing new manufacturing methods and imposes so many hurdles on the path to certification. In this article, Germany’s Trumpf GmbH + Co. KG tracks the production journey of one part for Spain’s Ramem S.A., as well as looking at further cases from the aerospace industry. [First published in Metal AM Vol. 5 No. 4, Winter 2019]
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In powder bed Additive Manufacturing processes, the recoater system is responsible for spreading a fine and even layer of powder for each layer of a build. This system typically uses wipers to create the necessary surface, with the variants of wipers used being almost as diverse as the number of AM machines on the market. Olaf Diegel and Terry Wohlers explain why it is not only machine operators, but also designers and engineers, who need to be aware of the weird and wonderful world of wipers. [First published in Metal AM Vol. 5 No. 4, Winter 2019]
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In May 2019, US-based Sintavia, LLC opened a state-of-the-art facility in Hollywood, Florida, dedicated to the volume production of metal additively manufactured components for the aerospace and defence sector, marking a significant expansion of the company’s production capacity. Debbie Sniderman visited the new facility on behalf of Metal Additive Manufacturing magazine and reports on the company’s ambitious plans and its management’s views on the ongoing evolution of the industry.
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