VBN demonstrates hybrid AM for wear-resistant slurry pumps
VBN Components, based in Uppsala, Sweden, has partnered with an unnamed pump manufacturer to demonstrate a method for integrating Additive Manufacturing cemented carbide into large-scale cast components. By casting directly onto Vibenite 480, the approach enables increased wear resistance in slurry pumps and other cast equipment, without the need to additively manufacture full-size components.
The development is based on the introduction of a Vibenite Nucleation Net Zone (VNNZ) during the Additive Manufacturing process. This engineered interface enables high-chromium cast iron to form a metallurgical bond with the wear-resistant Vibenite 480 during casting.
Wear testing in representative slurry pump environments indicates that Vibenite 480 offers erosive wear resistance approximately ten times greater than high-chromium cast iron and around one hundred times greater than hardened steel plate, according to the company.
While these material properties are established, the size limitations of current metal AM machines make it impractical to produce metre-scale pump housings using AM alone. As a result, a hybrid approach has been developed, in which smaller, strategically designed AM-produced components are positioned in high-wear regions within a casting mould.
Without the VNNZ, molten cast iron can melt or intermix with the AM inserts, affecting both geometry and performance. The VNNZ is designed to prevent this, supporting structural integrity and consistent bonding during casting.
Following initial trials, the technology is expected to be validated in full-scale slurry pump housings, focusing on the most critical wear areas. The approach allows the integration of wear components with complex geometries, rather than being limited to flat surfaces.
By enabling the targeted use of Vibenite 480 only where required, the method offers a scalable and cost-efficient route to extending component lifetime in demanding, high-cost applications.
“This is an exciting development for our Additive Manufacturing technology,” stated Dr Ulrik Beste, CTO of VBN Components. “We are demonstrating how the superior wear resistance of Vibenite 480 can be integrated into large industrial components in a practical and scalable way – combining material performance with the design freedom of AM. It opens up significant new business opportunities.”
