Two worlds collide in Additive Manufacturing. Consider that a Laser Beam Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB) machine completes its job fully automatically over many hours. Yet, before and after that, a multitude of manual tasks often still need to be completed. Employees may be required to perform these tasks while wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect themselves from metal dust, compounded by the high labour costs that this manual work incurs. Is this the future of cost-efficient, 24/7 production? Christian Mittmann and Manuel Henser, from Volkmann GmbH, believe that the real solution can be found in the complete automation of powder handling.
... Read more »
The growth of metal Additive Manufacturing has been held back, believes Oqton’s Dr Ben Schrauwen, by a specific set of challenges: repeatability, cost, and the need for a high level of expertise. This article considers how next-generation software solutions that leverage Artificial Intelligence, cloud computing, and hybrid modelling are improving metal AM workflows. By addressing all three challenges, Schrauwen believes that metal AM can achieve faster and deeper adoption, leading to a more efficient and innovative future.
... Read more »
3D Systems, based in Rock Hill, South Carolina, USA, and Oerlikon AM, Pfäffikon, Schwyz, Switzerland, have announced a collaboration agreement said to further scale metal Additive Manufacturing
... Read more »
Tekna Holding ASA, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada, reports it has secured three orders for its plasma systems, amounting to around €1.36 million (CA $2 million) in total. The orders came from three different
... Read more »
Metal Additive Manufacturing is on a long journey, from the early technology concepts of several decades ago to its current usage in a relatively small number of markets with specific, highly-specialised application requirements. If the journey leads to the widespread adoption of metal AM technology by industry, can we ask, ‘Are we there yet?’ Dr Maximilian Munsch, Dr Eric Wycisk, and Matthias Schmidt-Lehr, from strategy consultancy and AM market analysis specialist AMPOWER, delve into the evolution, current status, and future prospects for the industry, seeking to uncover the true extent of its potential.
... Read more »
3D Systems, Rock Hill, South Carolina, USA, has announced a further enhanced offer to combine with Stratasys Ltd, following its initial bid submitted in May and an increased bid submitted later in June were rejected
... Read more »
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) is the world leader in the design and manufacture of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). The company is no stranger to AM, with its Additive Design and Manufacturing Center of Excellence being integral to the qualification of more than 300 AM flight components and the installation of more than 10,000 AM parts on its aircraft. Now, it is working to identify and partner with some of the most innovative players in the industry in order to further leverage the capabilities of the technology. Divergent Technologies, the company behind Czinger Vehicles, is one such company. Jeff Kerns reports for Metal AM magazine.
... Read more »
Bright Laser Technologies (BLT), Xi’an, China, has signed a distributor agreement with ORIX Rentec Corporation, Shinagawa City, near Tokyo, Japan, reported to be one of Japan’s largest providers of rental
... Read more »
Incus GmbH, based in Vienna, Austria, has announced the successful completion of a joint 18-month project with the European Space Agency (ESA), OHB System AG, in Bremen, Germany, and Lithoz GmbH
... Read more »
The European Powder Metallurgy Association (EPMA) has announced the recipients of its 2023 Keynote Paper Awards, which will be presented during the Euro PM2023 Congress & Exhibition, scheduled to take
... Read more »
Kennametal is a particularly interesting company when it comes to the adoption of Additive Manufacturing. It is a dynamic global producer of tooling and industrial materials with sales of $2 billion in 2022, yet its roots are very much in ‘old school’ sinter-based PM processes. It is, therefore, no surprise that the company was an early adopter of AM, leveraging its materials and sintering expertise, as well as its broad customer base, to develop a leading position in the AM of hardmetals and steels. Bernard North, who fortuitously happens to be a past VP Industrial Technology at Kennametal, visited the company’s AM operation and reports for Metal AM magazine.
... Read more »
Senvol, located in New York City, USA, has demonstrated a machine learning approach to developing material allowables. This approach was reportedly shown to be more flexible, cost-effective
... Read more »
Join 40,000+ other AM professionals – follow us online