The story of Atherton Bikes stands out as a shining example of how metal Additive Manufacturing can be successfully embraced and commercialised by a small, dedicated team of people. In the case of the Atherton family, the technology has not only enabled them to maximise their performance at the pinnacle of professional mountain biking, but has also opened a path to commercial bike production in an industry where frame manufacturing is dominated by Taiwan and China. In an article that will appeal to anyone considering the use of metal AM, the Atherton Bikes team shares its experiences with Robin Weston. [First published in Metal AM Vol. 6 No. 3, Autumn/Fall 2020]
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It is far too easy to overuse superlatives when speaking about hypercars or Additive Manufacturing. When the discussion combines both – Bugatti’s new driver-focused Chiron Pur Sport and a high-performance AM component that truly pushes today’s processes to their limits – the result is worthy of a closer look. In the following in-depth case study, Bugatti and APWORKS explain the requirements, development and production of the Chiron Pur Sport’s exhaust finisher and share insight into some of its hidden details, from lattice structures to nature-inspired honeycomb reinforcements. [First published in Metal AM Vol. 6 No. 2, Summer 2020]
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A new wave of AM machine manufacturers focused on Electron Beam Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-EB) is looking to capitalise on what is perceived as a process with significant untapped market potential. One of the most prominent of these newcomers is Freemelt AB, a developer of open source machines designed to help broaden the PBF-EB material portfolio and application areas. As Metal AM magazine’s Emily-Jo Hopson-VandenBos reports, co-founders Ulric Ljungblad and Ulf Ackelid have no doubt as to the opportunities ahead. [First published in Metal AM Vol. 6 No. 2, Summer 2020]
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In recent years, Australia’s SPEE3D has made waves in the AM industry with its Cold Spray-based metal Additive Manufacturing systems. Following successful projects with the US and Australian military, and multiple installations at one of Europe’s most experienced metal AM parts manufacturers, the world is starting to take note. Alex Kingsbury visited the company at its Melbourne base for Metal AM magazine and spoke with its founders and newly expanded management team about its technology and international expansion. [First published in Metal AM Vol. 6 No. 1, Spring 2020]
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Metal Additive Manufacturing is a complex technology in which users struggle with materials reliability and quality on a daily basis. Here, William Herbert, Director Technology and R&D – Carpenter Additive, a division of Carpenter Technology, looks at how the company combines a 130-year heritage as a leader in speciality alloys with modern, digital solutions for powder management and material traceability, and supports the AM supply chain end-to-end by developing advanced materials, improving process economics and quality, and reducing risk in production applications. [First published in Metal AM Vol. 5 No. 4, Winter 2019]
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Additive Manufacturing is arguably the ideal production method for numerous aerospace applications, particularly where lightweighting and part consolidation are concerns – yet no other industry takes such a cautious approach to embracing new manufacturing methods and imposes so many hurdles on the path to certification. In this article, Germany’s Trumpf GmbH + Co. KG tracks the production journey of one part for Spain’s Ramem S.A., as well as looking at further cases from the aerospace industry. [First published in Metal AM Vol. 5 No. 4, Winter 2019]
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In May 2019, US-based Sintavia, LLC opened a state-of-the-art facility in Hollywood, Florida, dedicated to the volume production of metal additively manufactured components for the aerospace and defence sector, marking a significant expansion of the company’s production capacity. Debbie Sniderman visited the new facility on behalf of Metal Additive Manufacturing magazine and reports on the company’s ambitious plans and its management’s views on the ongoing evolution of the industry.
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With its Sapphire machine and Flow build preparation software capable of highly-controlled, virtually support-free Additive Manufacturing, Velo3D is pushing the limits of what is possible with Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF). Since launching its first machine in 2018, the California-based company has seen success with a range of highly complex parts which would challenge even the most experienced AM engineer. In this article, Zach Murphree, Velo3D’s Vice President of Technical Partnerships, explains the key factors which set the company’s process apart from the wider AM market. [First published in Metal AM Vol. 5 No. 3, Autumn 2019]
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United Technologies Corp (UTC), through its Pratt & Whitney and Collins Aerospace businesses, has a long history of innovation in aerospace engineering. As Venkat Vedula, Executive Director of UTC’s Additive Manufacturing Center of Expertise (AMCoE), and Vijay Jagdale, the centre’s Principal Engineer, explain, this tradition is today being continued through the corporation’s cutting-edge Additive Manufacturing activities. This report highlights, with the support of an in-depth case study, the centre’s core areas of activity and UTC’s vision for the future of AM.
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On June 12th, HP Inc. formally opened its new 3D Printing and Digital Manufacturing Center of Excellence at its campus in Barcelona, Spain. Metal AM magazine’s Emily-Jo Hopson attended the event and here reports on the 14,000 m2 facility’s opening and the company’s rapid rise in the world of Additive Manufacturing. She reveals how, whilst the company is not traditionally associated with equipment for industrial manufacturing, many of its core technologies directly lend themselves to a new generation of metal binder jetting systems. [First published in Metal AM Vol. 5 No. 2, Summer 2019]
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Sweden’s VBN Components AB has successfully combined the design freedoms offered by Additive Manufacturing with innovative process and material developments to create a new generation of high-strength, carbide-rich tool materials. These unique, patented alloys are transforming tool and wear component performance across a range of applications, from gear cutting hobs to food processing and the mining sector. Isabelle Bodén reports on the company’s development and the unique properties of its products. [First published in Metal AM Vol. 5 No. 2, Summer 2019]
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With two decades of experience in part production using Additive Manufacturing technologies, 3T Additive Manufacturing Ltd, based in Newbury, UK, today enjoys a strong position as an international developer and supplier of cutting edge metal AM components. At a time of transition for the company, Metal AM magazine’s Nick Williams and Emily-Jo Hopson met with outgoing CEO Ian Halliday and his successor, Nigel Robinson, to discuss the evolution of the metal AM industry to date and the business’s plans for further expansion [First published in Metal AM Vol. 5 No. 1, Spring 2019]
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