Sintavia develops process for additively manufacturing F357 aluminium
January 23, 2017
Sintavia, LLC, based in Florida, USA, has announced that it has developed full end-to-end parameters for producing additively manufactured parts in F357 aluminium, as well as other Al-Si alloys, for use in precision manufacturing. Sintavia’s proprietary process for printing F357 aluminium powder is said to have been developed specifically to address aerospace and automotive industry needs for components with low density, good processability and heat conductivity.
Though most aluminium alloy parts are manufactured using traditional casting practices, Sintavia is looking to attract industries wanting to expand beyond traditional manufacturing in foundry-grade aluminium alloys.
“We are seeing an increased demand for additively manufactured Al-Si parts from both the aerospace and automotive industries,” stated Doug Hedges, Sintavia’s President and COO. “With Sintavia’s comprehensive manufacturing capabilities, we have developed processes to make F357 aluminium specimens and quickly test them to demonstrate they meet or exceed these industries’ strict validation parameters.”
Sintavia’s exclusive processes are designed to meet critical engineering requirements at every step. By establishing a procedure that not only includes pre-build material analysis but also post-production heat treatment and stress relief, the company claims it is able to produce AM components proven to exceed original design strength by up to 125% at net densities of near 100%. Through the performance of strength validation at ambient, elevated, and subzero temperatures, Sintavia is capable of part validation in all critical environments.
With an increasing demand from OEMs for reduced cycle times and improved quality from their manufacturing supply chains, Sintavia states that it is leveraging the speed benefits of AM while offering elite powder analysis, post-processing and mechanical testing on-site. The company states that this combination of end-to-end speed, data security and quality allows it to offer unprecedented manufacturing services to these important industries.
