In July 2018, Metal Additive Manufacturing magazine’s Emily-Jo Hopson attended the company’s exclusive EOS Technology Days for an advance preview of its new metal Additive Manufacturing system, the EOS M 300, and a look at its vision for AM and the technology’s place in the digital factory of the future. Held at the company’s attractive rural headquarters in Krailling, Germany, the event offered attendees insight into areas that are key to EOS’s current development strategy [First published in Metal AM Vol. 4 No. 3, Autumn 2018]
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What’s happening in metal Additive Manufacturing in China? Quite a lot it seems; however, the extent and nature of this activity, and what can be expected from Chinese systems manufacturers in the coming years, can be unclear to Western observers. In the following report, Joseph Kowen offers a brief look into the current state of the metal AM industry in China. As well as presenting an overview of machine-related activity in this fast growing part of the world, he considers to what extent we can expect to see an increased presence of Chinese suppliers in western countries [First published in Metal AM Vol. 4 No. 3, Autumn 2018]
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In recent years there has been a surge in interest in the use of Binder Jetting and Fused Deposition Modelling for the production of low to medium volumes of metal additively manufactured parts. In the following report, Maximilian Munsch, Matthias Schmidt-Lehr and Eric Wycisk of Ampower GmbH & Co KG, Hamburg, Germany, review how the success of Metal Injection Moulding has enabled these technological innovations. They also compare some of key properties and costs to enable designers to better understand the readiness of these technologies for commercial production [First published in Metal AM Vol. 4 No. 3, Autumn 2018]
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The past decade has seen tremendous growth in metal Additive Manufacturing. To a certain degree, the field has become a victim of its own success, resulting in a number of myths, misconceptions and untruths. Some of these are even becoming detrimental to the further adoption of AM around the world. Olaf Diegel and Terry Wohlers draw on their combined industry experience to address the ten most common misunderstandings and myths relating to AM and present the reality of the technology at its current stage [First published in Metal AM Vol. 4 No. 3, Autumn 2018]
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Over the past few years, metal Additive Manufacturing has received a lot of attention, and with good reason: the technology has the potential to radically alter the design and production of components and products in many industries. Yet in spite of the excitement that surrounds AM, the prospect of wider industrial adoption continues to face significant challenges. Ansys Inc’s Dave Conover explains how simulation, traditionally the domain of product design instead of manufacturing, has swiftly gained recognition as a key technology which can be used to ease the transition from conventional to Additive Manufacturing [First published in Metal AM Vol. 4 No. 3, Autumn 2018]
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In May this year, GE held its first ‘Industry in 3D’ event, gathering several hundred international participants from the world of business to discover the current status of Additive Manufacturing and the opportunities that it presents to industry. Whilst the technology has come on rapidly in recent years, GE recognises that there is still a long way to go to convince many business leaders that ‘the time is now’ for its wider adoption. As Metal Additive Manufacturing magazine’s Nick Williams reports, this event sought, through GE’s story and those of its partners and customers, to make the case for AM [First published in Metal AM Vol. 4 No. 2, Summer 2018]
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In a little over ten years, France’s Poly-Shape has grown into one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of AM components. With more than thirty metal AM systems installed across four plants, the company is a key supplier to top-tier motorsports, from Formula 1 and IndyCar to World Rallycross and the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. In the following article, the company presents a series of case studies highlighting the use of metal AM in this sector, and reveals its approach to the technology and plans for the future [First published in Metal AM Vol. 4 No. 2, Summer 2018]
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LPW Technology, a provider of ultra-clean metal powders for Additive Manufacturing, recently celebrated the official opening of its new purpose-built metal powder manufacturing facility in Widnes, Cheshire, UK. The result of a £20 million investment, the company expects that this new plant will be capable of producing around 1,000 tonnes of gas atomised alloy powders per annum, with complete digital integration of manufacturing control processes. Bernard Williams, Consulting Editor at Metal AM magazine, reports on his visit to the official opening of the 9,700 m2 plant and tour of the new facility. [First published in Metal AM Vol. 4 No. 2, Summer 2018]
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As the Additive Manufacturing industry grows, so does the number of metal powder suppliers and the range of different powder types that are available. In the following article Toby Tingskog presents a beginners’ guide to understanding metal powders for Additive Manufacturing. Topics include powder manufacturing processes, spherocity, chemistry and measurement technologies, as well as considerations in relation to heats, lots and batches. As such, it is hoped that this review will allow for a clearer understanding of powder properties and reduce confusion among end users [First published in Metal AM Vol. 4 No. 2, Summer 2018]
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Designing a component for AM whilst taking advantage of all the opportunities that the technology presents can result in many variables. Even a group of experienced Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) experts will end up with significantly different build strategies for an identical part. In the following article, Olaf Diegel and Terry Wohlers consider how software innovations could further streamline the AM process, from part positioning and stress management to surface finish considerations and quality control
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A number of factors drive the selection of process parameters in Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF). In this invaluable resource Marc Saunders, Renishaw plc’s Director of Global Solutions Centres, details how these parameters define the ‘operating window’ in which AM users must work, and offers advice on identifying the ideal process parameters for metal AM parts. The sensitivity of the process to changes in part geometry is also considered, along with how this may drive part developers towards application-specific parameter choices [First published in Metal AM Vol. 4 No. 2, Summer 2018]
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As the new Formula 1 season gets underway, Additive Manufacturing will have played a vital role in the development and manufacture of the cars on track. Metal AM magazine’s Nick Williams recently visited Sauber Motorsport AG at its headquarters near Zürich, Switzerland, and discovered how a partnership with Dutch AM technology supplier Additive Industries has supported both the development of in-house AM applications and an expansion of Sauber Motorsport’s AM services for third parties [First published in Metal AM Vol. 4 No. 1, Spring 2018]
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