MetalWorm introduces its range of robotic wire-arc Additive Manufacturing machines
May 16, 2023
MetalWorm Additive Manufacturing Technologies Inc, a spin-off of Intecro Robotics Inc, based in Ankara, Türkiye, has announced two primary Additive Manufacturing systems built around its wire-arc Directed Energy Deposition technology. Together, these two AM machines – the MetalWorm Compact System and MetalWorm Special System – provide the base for eleven computer-controlled robotic AM options.
The company has also developed proprietary software that enables the generation of different toolpath strategies and robot codes for various geometries and materials. MetalWorm’s process parameter library currently includes frameworks for producing steel, stainless steel, and aluminium alloys. The company is also developing parameters for additional alloys, including titanium, Inconel and armour steels.
The MetalWorm machines are customisable and include a range of monitoring and controlling options to meet the specific needs of clients, such as those using advanced digital twin technologies. The machines also features:
- Active Cooling Technology that utilises a cooling table to promote heat transmission to the substrate and reduce high heat accumulation. It also allows manufacturing parts on thinner substrates, reducing substrate waste and costs. The AM process can also be accelerated by cutting down on inter-layer cooling time, increasing the deposition rate.
- Active Heating Technology can eliminate thermal gradients and homogenises temperature distribution, preventing cracking, residual stresses, and high distortion.
- Vibration Technology is intended to prevent the development of coarse and columnar grains, promoting the transition of coarse columnar grains into refined and equiaxed grains, thus improving mechanical characteristics.
- Arc Voltage Control allows the robot to adjust the torch’s height automatically during the process based on the height difference between the torch and the component. This technology reputedly ensures a consistent and precise deposition, improving the overall quality of the final product.
The MetalWorm Compact System is marketed as a plug-and-play, user-friendly, AM machine with integrated components and technologies all designed in a single cell. The company’s MetalWorm Special System is designed to provide robotic solutions for the manufacture of larger parts. MetalWorm also offers custom designed systems for those with specific requirements.
