Additive Manufacturing promises huge benefits for industry, but exploiting these in practice can prove difficult. For example, although truss-like component forms will often be found to be much more structurally efficient than traditional forms, identifying these has thus far been laborious and time-consuming. However, a new optimisation approach means that engineers can now directly identify optimised truss forms for AM components, saving time and effort. Prof. Matthew Gilbert of LimitState and the Advanced Additive Manufacturing (AdAM) Centre at the University of Sheffield outlines the technology and its application [First published in Metal AM Vol. 3 No. 1, Spring 2017]
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At the World PM2016 Congress, held in Hamburg, Germany, 9-13 October, 2016, two papers discussed the potential for the replacement of gas-atomised powders with water-atomised powders as the raw material for Selective Laser Melting of different alloy types. Dr David Whittaker reports on the work undertaken to assess the viability of the water atomisation process for these materials which could, in turn, offer significant cost savings [First published in Metal AM Vol. 3 No. 1, Spring 2017]
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One of the most promising aspects of Additive Manufacturing is the design freedom it enables. One manifestation of this design freedom lies in our ability to manufacture cellular structures such as lattices and honeycombs. Implementing cellular structures with AM, however, poses a range of design and manufacturing challenges. In this article Dr Dhruv Bhate, from Phoenix Analysis & Design Technologies, Inc. (PADT), focuses on a key area connecting design and manufacturing to final part implementation – the mechanical behaviour of these structures and the challenges and approaches to developing a reliable way to predict it [First published in Metal AM Vol. 2 No. 4, Winter 2016]
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Additive Manufacturing gives industrial designers the freedom to create ever more complex and customised products. However, with the increasing adoption of the technology by sectors such as aerospace, where product failure can have catastrophic consequences, component verification is becoming a critical issue. In the following article Dr Chris Hole, from the UK’s TTP Group plc, reviews the challenges of verification in an industry that is associated with low volume runs of complex, often highly customised components with sophisticated hidden internal structures [First published in Metal AM Vol. 2 No. 4, Winter 2016]
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There is no doubt that the Additive Manufacturing of series components is quickly becoming a reality. From high-profile applications in the aerospace industry to performance components for the automotive sector, there are now numerous examples of the successful implementation of metal AM. However, the route that a company chooses in order to adopt AM technology could have a significant impact on a component’s development time and cost. As Nick Williams reports, Germany’s FIT AG sees opportunities in leveraging its expertise to supporting companies with the outsourcing of component development and production. To achieve this, the company has created a model AM factory that it plans to replicate worldwide [First published in Metal AM Vol. 2 No. 3, Autumn 2016]
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As the metal Additive Manufacturing industry continues to grow at a rapid pace, aluminium and aluminium alloy powders are gaining ever more attention. Component and equipment manufacturers are deploying immense efforts in exploring advanced aluminium alloys in order to target more complex applications that demand higher mechanical performance. As they move forward, the selection and optimisation of powders is becoming increasingly important. In this article, Jessu Joys and colleagues from United States Metal Powders, Inc. (USMP), identify the most popular aluminium alloy grades for AM technology and discuss the unique properties of each powder [First published in Metal AM Vol. 2 No. 3, Autumn 2016]
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For the third consecutive year, the Metal Powder Industries Federation’s Additive Manufacturing with Powder Metallurgy (AMPM) conference was held in parallel with its long established POWDERMET conference. This year’s event took place in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, from June 5-8, 2016. In the first of our reports Dr David Whittaker reviews three presentations that focused on the binder jetting process [First published in Metal AM Vol. 2 No. 3, Autumn 2016]
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As the metal Additive Manufacturing industry moves towards industrial production, the need for international standards covering all aspects of the technology becomes ever more pressing. In the following exclusive report for Metal Additive Manufacturing magazine, Fraunhofer IFAM’s Claus Aumund-Kopp and Frank Petzoldt review international progress to-date, summarise existing standards for metal AM and consider the challenges that lie ahead [First published in Metal AM Vol. 2 No. 2, Summer 2016]
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GKN Sinter Metals, with more than 6,000 employees at 30 locations worldwide, is the world’s leading Powder Metallurgy group. The company produces 11 million PM parts per day, with around 80% going into the automotive industry. The company started its metal Additive Manufacturing activities at its Innovation Centre in Radevormwald, Germany, in 2013. Dr Georg Schlieper visited the centre on behalf of Metal AM magazine and reports on the company’s AM activities and ambitions [First published in Metal AM Vol. 2 No. 2, Summer 2016]
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As one of the first major markets for metal additively manufactured products, the importance of the tooling industry has long been recognised. There is still, however, limited information available on what mechanical properties can be expected for the various materials used. This report by Harish Irrinki, Brenton Barmore, Kunal H Kate and Sundar V Atre reviews the published data on various steel powders and processing conditions as well as the mechanical properties that have been obtained using the Selective Laser Melting process [First published in Metal AM Vol. 2 No. 2, Summer 2016]
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In the following article Delcam’s Kelvin Hamilton explores the current possibilities for design, topology optimisation, simulation, process planning and process preparation in metal Additive Manufacturing (AM). Exploring the three Ps, Plan, Prepare and Produce, all the processes involved in transforming three airbrake bracket designs into final products are revealed. As well as explaining how important it is to appreciate and plan for the significant amount of subtractive manufacturing in metal AM, a number of the lessons learnt in this project are discussed as the author reflects on the experience of planning, preparing and producing parts [First published in Metal AM Vol. 2 No. 1, Spring 2016]
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This year the UK’s Renishaw plc will further expand its global network of Solutions Centres for metal Additive Manufacturing. The centres are designed specifically to provide a secure environment for end-users to trial the company’s metal powder bed fusion technology and establish the viability of a project before committing to major capital investments. Metal Additive Manufacturing magazine’s Nick Williams reports on a recent visit to Renishaw’s flagship Solutions Centre in Stone, Staffordshire [First published in Metal AM Vol. 2 No. 1, Spring 2016]
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