Fraunhofer IFAM uses EB-PBF for AM of copper components

November 30, 2019

News
November 30, 2019
Fraunhofer IFAM uses EB-PBF for AM of copper components
Fraunhoer IFAM’s technology demonstrator ‘Flow-Field XXL’ (Courtesy Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials (IFAM)

The Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials (IFAM), Dresden, Germany, has succeeded in using Electron Beam Powder Bed Fusion (EB-PBF), which it refers to as Selective Electron Beam Melting (SEBM), to additively manufacture copper components that have not previously been possible using this process.

According to Fraunhofer IFAM, the technology demonstrator ‘Flow-Field XXL’ recently succeeded in the production of a number of pure copper components by EB-PBF on a stainless steel build plate. A total of almost 200 pins with a height of 20 mm, in nine different designs, were produced in eighteen hours on a GE Additive Arcam Q20 + machine. 

EB-PBF is said to produce completely dense structures which can achieve the necessary conductivities for use as heat exchangers, a major application for pure copper. To ensure the details in the design would be  visible, the demonstrator pins were manufactured with thicknesses of 6–12 mm, but Fraunhofer IFAM noted that smaller structures of up to 600 μm are possible, expanding the spectrum of potential applications.

www.ifam.fraunhofer.de

News
November 30, 2019

In the latest issue of Metal AM magazine

Download PDF
 

Extensive AM industry news coverage, as well as the following exclusive deep-dive articles:

  • Back to the future: A decade of Additive Manufacturing innovation and growth at Materials Solutions
  • Win or lose: A CEO’s reflections on Artificial Intelligence and Additive Manufacturing
  • AMS 2025 New York: A reality check for the Additive Manufacturing industry
  • Optimising powder removal in PBF-LB Additive Manufacturing: A Digital Twin approach
  • ValCUN’s MMD: A robust, wire-based aluminium AM technology for defence and industrial applications
  • Enhancing quality and reliability in metal Additive Manufacturing: The role of laser calibration

Join 40,000+ other AM professionals – follow us online

Don’t miss a thing – register for our newsletter

Don't miss any new issue of Metal AM magazine, and get the latest industry news. Sign up to our twice weekly newsletter.

Register now

Looking for AM machines, metal powders or part manufacturing services?

Discover suppliers of these and more in our comprehensive advertisers’ index and buyer’s guide, available in the back of Metal AM magazine.

  • AM machines
  • Process monitoring & calibration
  • Heat treatment & sintering
  • HIP systems & services
  • Pre- & post-processing technology
  • Powders, powder production and analysis
  • Part manufacturers
  • Consulting, training & market data
Find suppliers

About Metal Additive Manufacturing magazine

Metal AM magazine, published quarterly in digital and print formats, is read by a rapidly expanding international audience.

Our audience includes component manufacturers, end-users, materials and equipment suppliers, analysts, researchers and more.

In addition to providing extensive industry news coverage, Metal AM magazine is known for exclusive, in-depth articles and technical reports.

Our focus is the entire metal AM process from design to application.

Each issue is available as an easy-to-navigate digital edition and a high-quality print publication.

Discover our magazine archive…

The free to access Metal Additive Manufacturing magazine archive offers unparalleled insight into the world of metal Additive Manufacturing from a commercial and technological perspective through:

  • Reports on visits to leading metal AM part manufacturers and industry suppliers
  • Articles on technology and application trends
  • Information on materials developments
  • Reviews of key technical presentations from the international conference circuit
  • International industry news

All past issues are available to download as free PDFs or view in your browser.

Browse the archive

Share via
Copy link
Powered by Social Snap