GE Additive to assist General Dynamics Land Systems with metal Additive Manufacturing incorporation

News
June 3, 2019

June 3, 2019

GE Additive to assist General Dynamics Land Systems with metal Additive Manufacturing incorporation

An additively manufactured titanium cable guard has been transitioned to production by General Dynamics Land Systems, and will be produced at GE Additive’s facility in Pittsburgh (Courtesy GE Additive)

 

GE Additive has been awarded a contract by General Dynamics Land Systems, a division of General Dynamics, located in Sterling Heights, Michigan, USA, for the qualification, production, post-processing and inspection of metal additively manufactured components. General Dynamics Land Systems is reportedly developing applications for Additive Manufacturing on its combat vehicle platforms and has chosen GE Additive to help accelerate incorporation; the companies are currently working together to identify applications in which Additive Manufacturing can provide value through weight reduction, performance optimisation and lead time reduction.

According to General Dynamics, it recently worked with GE Additive to transition a titanium cable guard to production in order to replace an 18-piece welded steel component, yielding an 85% weight saving compared with the existing part. The cable guard will reportedly be the first additively manufactured metal production part on a US ground combat vehicle.

Teams from General Dynamics and GE Additive are expected to focus on detailed process development activities to ensure a seamless transition from prototype to production. This will involve creating a standardised build plate orientation, as well as support structures and quality control plans, to deliver an efficient and repeatable production process.

The companies stated that the cable guards will be additively manufactured for production on GE Additive’s Arcam EBM Q20plus systems, which are reportedly well suited to titanium alloys because the process takes place in a vacuum at elevated temperatures, eliminating residual stress and providing superior material properties.

“General Dynamics is always looking for innovative technologies to enhance our products, and Additive Manufacturing holds real promise in the near term. We’ll continue teaming with leading suppliers such as GE Additive as we uncover additional applications for this exciting technology,” stated Jason Deters, a specialist in Process & Technology Development at General Dynamics.

Bill Vanslembrouck, a specialist in Advanced Products & Technology at General Dynamics, commented, “The GE Additive team has been a great partner during this transition, and we’ve benefited from their expertise on the specific design and qualification requirements for additively manufactured production components.”

“We’re honoured to be working with General Dynamics at this important inflection point in its additive strategy. My team excels at getting organisations from prototype to production as efficiently as possible,” reported Chris Schuppe, General Manager at GE Additive AddWorks. “To do that, we add value by keeping the business case front of mind, building on our additive production experience and offering our customers multiple technology modalities.”

www.ge.com/additive

www.gdls.com

News
June 3, 2019

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.

In the latest issue of Metal AM magazine

Download PDF
 

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

  • Fly-by-wire: How Additive Manufacturing took to the skies with Norsk Titanium
  • Dynamic beam shaping: Unlocking productivity for cost-effective Laser Beam Powder Bed Fusion
  • Enabling the fusion energy revolution: Mastering tungsten with PBF-EB Additive Manufacturing
  • Patents and Additive Manufacturing: What insights can mining PBF-EB data reveal about the industry and the technology?
  • Additive Manufacturing for Semiconductor Capital Equipment: Unlocking critical supply chains
  • Can Additive Manufacturing lower the carbon footprint of parts for the energy and maritime industries?
  • Inspect Additive Manufacturing, stop monitoring: Phase3D’s unit-based, in-process inspection solution for powder bed AM

The world of metal AM to your inbox

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

Sign up

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
View online

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