GKN Powder Metallurgy: Digital future in serial Metal Additive Manufacturing

News
February 10, 2017

February 10, 2017

GKN Powder Metallurgy: Digital future in serial Metal Additive Manufacturing

GKN Powder Metallurgy has announced further steps in its course towards Industry 4.0 with a new dedicated digital area for Metal Additive Manufacturing during an event at its plant in Bonn, Germany.

During a recent meeting with key customers and partners, the world’s largest producer of precision powder metallurgy products shared plans to start a Metal AM digital enterprise in Q2 2017 using best-in-class workflow, taking the most important aspects of the Industry 4.0 agenda from theory to practice.

Based on intelligent, connected systems, it will benefit from reduced lead times, enabling stronger customisation of products. On the process side, business partners will be much more involved in development and production.

GKN is working to drive innovations across the whole Metal AM value chain, from production of metal powder materials, AM design and manufacturing services. It will also provide the first fully digitised AM process chain in serial production for automotive, industrial and consumer products.

“As an innovation leader in Metal AM serial production, we are fully committed to taking a pioneering role in the industry in terms of digitalising our company and our offers. We will actively shape the future and demonstrate that we can do this with the next step we take with our Metal AM serial production plant,” stated Guido Degen, Senior Vice President Business Development & Advanced Technology.

 

Benefitting the complete value chain

It was stated that by concentrating on the implementation of digital and production processes, all work steps along the entire value chain will be substantially leaner and more efficient in the future. For example, this promises a noticeable reduction in development and production times in prototype construction in the automotive area. In addition, digital processes allow for considerable advantages compared to conventional process chain and production methods. GKN Powder Metallurgy added that the plant in Bonn will fulfil the ISO 16949 (automotive), AS 9100 (aerospace) and ISO 13485 (medical devices) certification norms.

 

Mix of technology and individual consulting

Individual consulting will continue to play a large role in product development and the optimisation of processes. “The combination of personal contact and technical pioneering spirit makes us successful. This is an indispensable part of our corporate DNA and naturally of our new corporate Metal AM strategy,” added Degen.

www.gknsintermetals-blog.com

News
February 10, 2017

In the latest issue of Metal AM magazine

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

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  • An end-to-end production case study: Leveraging data-driven machine learning and autonomous process control in AM
  • Consolidation, competition, and the cost of certification: Insight from New York’s AM Strategies 2024
  • Scandium’s impact on the Additive Manufacturing of aluminium alloys
  • AM for medical implants: An analysis of the impact of powder reuse in Powder Bed Fusion

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