Metal AM Vol 2 No 1 Spring 2016

THE MAGAZINE FOR THE METAL ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

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in this issue

PRODUCTION PLANNING IN AM COMPANY VISIT: RENISHAW HANDLING TITANIUM POWDERS

Published by Inovar Communications Ltd www.metal-am.com Co Fe Ni Ti

CM MY Metal Powders for Additive Manufacturing CY

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K At Praxair Surface Technologies, AM powders are not a commodity – they are a specialty. We operate an industry-leading powder manufacturing facility with superior technology, unmatched capacity and quality dedicated to additive manufacturing.

• Approved aerospace grade • Spherical free-flowing and fully dense powder • Standard and custom AM sizing and chemistries • Large lot sizes and R&D volumes

Supporting your needs in the growing AM marketplace:

Aerospace • Automotive • Industrial • Medical

praxairsurfacetechnologies.com/am Publisher & Editorial Offices Inovar Communications Ltd METAL 2 The Rural Enterprise Centre Battlefield Enterprise Park Shrewsbury SY1 3FE, United Kingdom ADDITIVE Tel: +44 1743 454990 Fax: +44 1743 469909 Email: [email protected] MANUFACTURING www.metal-am.com

Managing Director, Features Editor Nick Williams Tel: +44 1743 454991 Email: [email protected]

Publishing Director, News Editor Paul Whittaker Tel: +44 1743 454992 Email: [email protected] Additive Manufacturing: Advertising Jon Craxford, Advertising Sales Director An industry and a community Tel: +44 207 1939 749 Fax: +44 1743 469909 Email: [email protected] Writing this editorial it’s hard to believe that this is only the second year of Metal AM magazine. Our first year exceeded Production all our expectations and this was directly as a result of the Hugo Ribeiro, Production Manager Tel: +44 (0)1743 454990 enthusiastic support and encouragement that we received Fax: +44 (0)1743 469909 from those in the industry. As a publishing company long Email: [email protected] focused on the processing of metal powders into finished components, we have tracked the rise of metal Additive Subscriptions Manufacturing for a number of years. Today, we are both Metal Additive Manufacturing is published excited and privileged to have been so warmly welcomed into on a quarterly basis as either a free digital this community. publication or via a paid print subscription. The annual print subscription charge for four issues For an industry that is relatively young, AM already has a is £95.00 including shipping. Rates in € and US$ are available on application. number of unique and highly respected institutions. One such institution is the Additive Manufacturing Users Group (AMUG), Accuracy of contents whose annual conference takes place in St Louis, Missouri, Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the USA, from April 3-7. Over a thousand people are expected to accuracy of the information in this publication, attend and Metal AM magazine will be there for the first time. the publisher accepts no responsibility for We are thrilled to be able to attend an event that is held in errors or omissions or for any consequences such high regard by so many in the industry. arising there from. Inovar Communications Ltd cannot be held responsible for views or claims Looking further ahead, this issue of Metal AM magazine expressed by contributors or advertisers, which will also be distributed at a number of other important are not necessarily those of the publisher. international events including Hannover Messe, Rapid 2016, Advertisements PM China 2016 and AMPM2016, the Additive Manufacturing Although all advertising material is expected with Powder Metallurgy conference. The latter, co-located to conform to ethical standards, inclusion in with the long running annual POWDERMET conference and this publication does not constitute a guarantee exhibition, is establishing itself as a key conference for the or endorsement of the quality or value of presentation of the latest technical papers relating to the such product or of the claims made by its powder-based metal AM technologies. manufacturer. The Metal AM team hopes to see you in 2016! Reproduction, storage and usage Single photocopies of articles may be made Nick Williams for personal use in accordance with national copyright laws. All rights reserved. Except as Managing Director outlined above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, modified or extracted in any form or by any means without prior permission of the publisher and copyright owner. Cover image Lattice test structures built on Printed by Renishaw AM250 metal AM system Cambrian Printers, Aberystwyth, UK at The University of Nottingham, as part of the Aluminium Lightweight ISSN 2057-3014 (print edition) Structures via Additive Manufacturing (ALSAM) project (Image Renishaw plc) ISSN 2055-7183 (digital edition)

MEDICAL

AEROSPACE

Hoeganaes Corporation, a world leader in the development of metal powders, has been the driving force behind the growth in the Powder Metallurgy industry for over 65 years. Hoeganaes has fueled that growth with successive waves of technology, expanding the use of metal powders for a wide variety of applications.

AncorTi™ • Spherical Titanium Powder for Additive Manufacturing • Particle Size Engineered for Selective Laser Melting (SLM) and Electron Beam ENGINEERING THAT MOVES THE WORLD Melting (EBM) • Rigorous Quality Testing FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA AT: MOBILE DEVICE APPS NOW AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD @HoeganaesCorp

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Surface Technologies, Inc., review best practice Contents when handling and storing titanium powders for AM. Titanium powder can be safely produced, processed, stored and shipped using appropriate precautions, 5 Industry News however under certain conditions it can become quite hazardous. 39 Planning, preparing and producing: Walking the tightrope between additive and 73 Process and quality control for AM: Sigma subtractive manufacturing Labs PrintRite3D® methodology for overall Delcam’s Kelvin Hamilton explores the current quality assurance possibilities for design, topology optimisation, simula- Despite the outstanding promise of metal AM tion, process planning and process preparation in technologies, inconsistent quality, process reliability metal AM. Exploring the three Ps, Plan, Prepare and and speed are currently holding back industry growth Produce, all the processes involved in transforming and impacting on the cost-effectiveness of new three airbrake bracket designs into final products are applications. In the following article Sigma Labs’ Dr revealed. Vivek R Dave and Mark J Cola review the technical challenges that are faced in enabling metal AM to 59 Renishaw: Global Solutions Centres offer reach its full potential and the systems that are end-users an alternative route to develop currently available to address a number of critical new metal AM applications issues. This year the UK’s Renishaw plc will further expand its global network of Solutions Centres for metal AM. The 81 Metal AM in Finland: VTT optimises centres are designed specifically to provide a secure industrial valve block for Additive environment for end-users to trial the company’s Manufacturing metal powder bed fusion technology and establish the VTT, based in Espoo, Finland, is one of Europe’s viability of a project before committing to major capital largest research and technology centres with a long investments. We report on a recent visit to Renishaw’s track record in metal powder processing technolo- flagship Solutions Centre in Stone, Staffordshire. gies. The centre’s Erin Komi reviews the develop-

ment of an AM valve block for demanding industrial 67 Titanium powder pyrophoricity, passivation and applications. The project looked at the optimisation handling for safe production and processing of the valve block in terms of size reduction, weight As AM moves out of the prototyping space and into saving and performance gains.. production facilities with multiple machines, the importance of handling and processing powders, 87 Events guide particularly titanium, becomes ever more relevant. Dr Andrew Heidloff and Dr Joel Rieken, from Praxair 88 Advertisers’ index

See us at these US events: AMUG, Diamond 3 and Rapid, booth 555

Renishaw Solutions Centres provide a secure development environment in which you can build your knowledge and conﬁ dence using additive manufacturing (AM) technology.

Equipped with the latest AM systems and staffed with knowledgeable engineers, Renishaw Solutions Centres offer you a fast and accessible way to rapidly deploy this exciting technology in your business.

Highlights include:

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Find out more at www.renishaw.com/solutionscentres

Renishaw plc Brooms Road, Stone Business Park, Stone, Staffordshire, ST15 0SH, United Kingdom T +44 (0)1785 285000 F +44 (0)1785 285001 E [email protected] www.renishaw.com

Sciaky introduces innovative closed- loop process control for its Electron Beam Additive Manufacturing systems

Sciaky, Inc., a subsidiary of Phillips a variety of metals such as titanium, Service Industries, Inc. based in tantalum, niobium, tungsten, Chicago, Illinois, USA, has announced molybdenum, Inconel, aluminium, it has introduced a patented closed- stainless steels, nickel alloys and loop control system for its Electron more. Sciaky can produce parts Beam Additive Manufacturing (EBAM) ranging from 203 mm to 5.79 metres systems. The Interlayer Real-time in length. Imaging and Sensing System (IRISS) EBAM is currently the fastest provides consistent process control deposition process in the metal for part geometry, mechanical Additive Manufacturing market, with properties, microstructure and metal gross deposition rates ranging from chemistry for large-scale AM parts. 3.18 to 9.07 kg of metal per hour. The This innovative closed-loop control, process also allows the use of a dual Sciaky has introduced a closed-loop which is claimed to be exclusive to wire-feed option, where it combines control system for its Electron Beam Sciaky EBAM systems, monitors two different metal alloys into a single Additive Manufacturing systems the metal deposition process in real melt pool to create custom alloy time and makes adjustments to the parts or ingots. In addition, users can Riesen, General Manager of Sciaky, process parameters that compensate change the mixture ratio of the two Inc. “It is a big reason why EBAM is for variation throughout the build materials to create graded parts or the most advanced metal Additive process. structures. Manufacturing processes in the Sciaky’s EBAM systems utilise “Sciaky’s IRISS closed-loop control market for large-scale parts.” wire feedstock which is available in is in a class by itself,” stated Mike www.sciaky.com

Airbus as our first customer to we are able to simultaneously Airbus APWorks further develop the process, new improve the product consistency and purchases first materials and applications as well lower the cost price for metal Additive as verifying the performance of the Manufacturing,” added Joachim MetalFAB1 system MetalFAB1 system. Their commit- Zettler, Managing Director of Airbus ment emphasises the potential of our APWorks. Airbus APWorks, a 100% subsidiary new metal Additive Manufacturing www.additiveindustries.com of the Airbus Group, has placed an system for industrial order with Additive Industries for series production its first industrial metal AM system, of functional parts,” MetalFAB1. Airbus APWorks is the stated Daan Kersten, first confirmed Beta customer for co-founder and CEO Additive Industries and brings a of Additive Industries. broad range of experience with metal “With the Additive Manufacturing. integrated MetalFAB1 “We are proud to team up with solution, we believe

Hoeganaes Corporation Optomec partners with announces AS9100C Dragonfly to expand Italian Certification Additive Manufacturing market Hoeganaes Corporation, Cinnaminson, New Jersey, USA, FOR has achieved AS9100C Quality Management System certi- MACHINE SOLUTIONS Optomec, a global supplier of production grade metal fication for its Innovation Center facility in Cinnaminson. Additive Manufacturing systems based in Albuquerque, The AS9100C Quality Management System provides the New Mexico, USA, has announced it signed a distribution ADDITIVE METAL MANUFACTURING basic quality framework necessary to address both civil agreement with Dragonfly to expand sales of its products and military aviation and aerospace needs. into Italy. This enhancement to Hoeganaes’s quality systems Optomec LENS printers use the energy from a follows a multimillion-dollar investment in 2015 for the high-power laser to build up structures one layer at a commercialisation of advanced powders for AM. The time directly from powdered metals. The LENS process production, design and distribution of its AncorTi™ range • Design for Production can completely build new metal parts or add material of gas atomised titanium powders are now certified under to existing metal components for repair and hybrid • Multilaser Technology the scope of this rigorous aerospace quality standard. manufacturing applications. LENS technology is available “The attainment of AS9100C certification further demon- in standalone system configurations or as a modular • Industry-leading strates our long term commitment to delivering high print engine for integration with existing CNC automation performance powders for AM to world class customers Machine Safety platforms and robots. operating in aerospace markets,” stated Mike Marucci, “We are very excited about our partnership with Global VP, Advanced Technology. Hoeganaes continues to • Easy and Convenient Dragonfly to expand sales of Optomec products in Italy,” be certified under the ISO/TS 16949 for automotive quality stated Michael Kardos, Optomec Vice President of World Operation management, ISO 14001 environmental management and Wide Sales. “Dragonfly is solely focused on the Additive OHSAS 18001 safety management systems. Manufacturing sector and a perfect fit for introducing • Real-Time Meltpool www.hoeganaes.com innovative products such as our LENS and Aerosol Jet Monitoring systems to an untapped marketplace in Italy. Their consultative approach and experienced team will help ensure a successful customer base.” www.optomec.com XJet secures $25 million investment

XJet, based in Rehovot, Israel, has secured a further $25 million investment in its nanoparticle metal Additive Manufacturing technology from private equity fund Catalyst CEL and design software company Autodesk through its Spark Investment Fund. XJet’s technology is claimed to bring new levels of detail to the production of metal parts. The company’s patented NanoParticle Jetting™ technology makes use of solid metal nanoparticles within a liquid suspension. The system’s print heads deposit an ultra-fine layer of these liquid droplets onto the system build-tray. Inside the system’s build envelope, extremely high temperatures cause the liquid ‘jacket’ around the metal Concept Laser is the global leader in the design and nanoparticles to evaporate. This results in strong binding manufacture of powderbed-based laser metal additive of the metal with what is stated to be virtually the same manufacturing systems. With over 15 years of design metallurgy as traditionally-made metal parts. In addition, production experience, Concept Laser has the right solution the metal part needs to undergo a sintering process, with for your laser metal manufacturing needs. the supports removed simply and with almost no manual intervention. Join Concept Laser at: The current round of funding will be used to complete AMUG RAPID 2016 IMTS 2016 April 3-7, 2016 May 17-19, 2016 September 12-17, 2016 the development of XJet products and launch them into Diamond Suite 2 Booth #755 North Building - N-6798 main international markets. www.xjet3d.com Concept Laser Inc (USA) Concept Laser GmbH [email protected] [email protected] T: + 1 (817) 328-6500 T. +49 (0) 9571 1679-0 6 Metal Additive Manufacturing | Spring 2016 © 2016 Inovar Communications Ltd Vol. 2 No. 1 www.conceptlaserinc.com www.concept-laser.de © 2015 Concept Laser Inc. LaserCUSING is a registered trademark of Concept Laser.

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Concept Laser Inc (USA) Concept Laser GmbH [email protected] [email protected] T: + 1 (817) 328-6500 T. +49 (0) 9571 1679-0 www.conceptlaserinc.com www.concept-laser.de © 2015 Concept Laser Inc. LaserCUSING is a registered trademark of Concept Laser.

AP&C adds new atomisers and plans to triple capacity

Arcam AB, Sweden, has announced that its metal powder manufacturing subsidiary AP&C in Montreal, Canada, is significantly expanding its capacity with the commissioning of three new plasma atomisers. It was stated that the investment follows a surge in demand for AP&C’s titanium powders and, when completed, production capacity will reach at least 500 tons per year. Experts in “With this investment we are committing to supply our present and future customers with superior quality materials to meet the high manufacturing standards of Additive Metal the biomedical and aerospace industries. With the new reactors and atomising technology advancements, AP&C Manufactruring will triple production capacity in 2016,” stated Alain Dupont, President of AP&C. Plasma atomisation produces spherical powders of reactive and high melting point materials such as titanium. 3D Metal Printing The process offers the highest purity possible and can produce powders of particle size distribution ranging up to 250 µm with highly spherical particles and minimal • Titanium T64 satellite content. “The need for high end titanium powder is driven by • Inconel 718 the fast growth and adoption of AM. Arcam is determined • Inconel 625 to serve the industry through cost efficient solutions thus converting traditional manufacturing into AM. A requisite • Cobalt Chrome is to offer highest quality powder for production at competitive cost,” added Magnus René, CEO of Arcam. • Aluminum AlSi10Mg www.advancedpowders.com | www.arcam.com • 17-4 Stainless Steel • Maraging Steel MS1 GE Global Research latest to join 3MF consortium

The 3MF Consortium has announced that GE Global Research is the latest company to join the operating software development group. Scientists and engineers at GE have developed a number of AM components made with metals and ceramics. The company currently has production AM parts in two different jet engine platforms and is the world’s largest user of metal AM technologies. “With the successful integration of 3D printed metal parts in two different jet engine platforms and the construction of GE Aviation’s $50 million state-of-the-art high-volume additive production plant in Auburn, Alabama, we achieved major milestones with our additive program in 2015,” stated Prabhjot Singh, Manager of the AM Lab at GE Global Research. “But we have only scratched the surface on additive’s potential. With even better design tools, machines and new materials, we can dramatically expand the additive industry’s footprint in manufacturing. That 810 Flightline Boulevard future will arrive faster through the strong ecosystem that DeLand, FL 32724 Phone: (386) 626.0001 3MF is building to bring the right stakeholders together to accelerate new innovations and breakthroughs in this www.3dmaterialtech.com space.” www.geglobalresearch.com | www.3mf.io

Metal Powders for 3D printing

Two technologies – one provider

Cooksongold launches platinum metal powder for Metals Additive the jewellery industry

Manufacturing Cooksongold, Birmingham, UK, has announced it has for Aerospace added platinum to its range of metal powders suitable for the Additive Manu- & Autosport facturing of jewellery. By combining the new 950Pt/ Ru (platinum) metal powder Nickel superalloys including: with the company’s estab- CM247LC, Inconel 625, lished Direct Precious Metal Additive Manufacturing 713 Titanium alloys, system, the Precious M 080, Maraging steel, Stainless steels Cooksongold has enabled AM technology to become The Precious M 080 is a viable commercial equipped with a 100-watt opportunity for the platinum fibre laser and a powder jewellery industry for the management process first time. developed for the jewellery Launched in collabora- and watchmaking industries tion with the Platinum Guild International (PGI), an organisation funded by leading South African platinum producers and refiners, Cook- songold’s Pt/Ru alloy has been specifically developed for Additive Manufacturing. This ensures that once the designs have been printed in the Precious M 080 they can be post processed, milled and polished to the high standards required without any of the common problems associated with other Pt alloys. 2016 CAPACITY David Fletcher, Business Development Manager at Cooksongold, stated “This is one of the most revolu- 9 × EOS 250×250mm tionary developments for the 3D printing technology. Helping to eliminate the common problems associated 2 × EOS 400×400mm with casting platinum, it will become vital for bespoke and low volume platinum jewellery production.” The 950 Pt/Ru powder will be added to Cooksongold’s existing portfolio, which consists of 18k 3N yellow gold, AS9100 Rev C 18k white gold, 18k 5N red gold and Brilliante 925 silver. & Major Approvals Further new powders, such as base metals and other carat gold alloys, are currently being developed and scheduled for release during 2016. Cooksongold’s advanced metal powders have been optimised to work with the Precious M 080 system from EOS, which in turn has been developed with two key criteria in mind: accountability of materials and quick changeover times between jobs and materials. The powder range is also suitable for a number of other applications including Metal Injection Moulding (MIM) and press and sinter Powder Metallurgy. Cooksongold is part of the Heimerle + Meule Group, +44 (0)1905 732160 one of Europe’s largest refiners and processors of www.materialssolutions.co.uk precious metals. www.cooksongold-emanufacturing.com

2016 Inovar Communications Ltd Materials Solutions10 2.indd Metal 1 Additive Manufacturing | Spring 201611/03/2016 16:03 © Vol. 2 No. 1 VISIT US AT

BOOTH 448

On the leading edge of metal powder manufacture

With over 35 years’ experience in gas atomisation, Sandvik Osprey offers an extensive range of high quality, spherical metal powders for use in Additive Manufacturing. Our products are used in an increasingly diverse range of applications including automotive, dental, medical, tooling and aerospace.

Our extensive product range includes stainless steels, nickel based superalloys, maraging steel, tool steels, cobalt alloys, low alloy steels and binary alloys.

Using gas atomised powders can enhance your productivity and profitability: contact our technical sales team today for more information.

Sandvik Osprey Limited Milland Road Neath SA11 1NJ UK Phone: +44 (0)1639 634121 Fax: +44 (0)1639 630100 www.smt.sandvik.com/metalpowder e-mail: [email protected]

Cryoclean Snow for Compressed air cleaning AM parts

Liquid CO2 (LIC) BOC, the UK’s largest supplier of Nozzle movement industrial gases and medical gases, ® officially launched its Cryoclean CO2 snow Snow+ industrial cleaning process particles at the company’s Manufacturing Compressed air Technology Centre in Wolverhampton. Low velocity Developed by BOC and its parent, Object with soiled surface Low velocity The Linde Group, Cryoclean is a completely dry cleaning process in Snow particles are shot onto the surface with compressed air which liquid CO2 is pressurised to 60 bar, creating tiny dry ice crystals Manufacturing sector, where it can chemically altered or even corroded known as snow. When the snow is be used to remove oxides from the zones. accelerated onto the component, surfaces of a number of materials “BOC is delighted to introduce using compressed air, contaminants including steels and aluminium along Cryoclean® snow+ to the UK and become brittle. The gas jet then with the removal of unfused metal Ireland industrial cleaning market. permeates cracks and lifts the powders. This innovative new technology contaminant off the surface, after By changing the ratio of CO2 and delivers the same standard of which it is expelled through exhaust abrasive material, the operator can cleaning faster and more efficiently systems. adjust the intensity of the cleaning than traditional wet cleaning. It is also As well as being used to clean process to match the condition of the more environmentally friendly and industrial products such as surface. This is particularly useful requires a smaller footprint,” stated machinery, process equipment and where cleaning challenges vary within Stuart Wilders, BOC’s Market Sector conveyor belts, Cryoclean Snow+ is a process flow, with relatively clean Manager for Advanced Manufacturing. also finding application in the Additive areas followed by heavily soiled, www.boconline.co.uk

cartech.com/powderproducts

• Clean, spherical, gas atomized powders • Consistent chemistries and particle sizes • Uniform products and production ow rates

Carpenter Powder Products is one of the largest global producers of prealloyed, gas atomized, spherical metal powders and leads the way as a supplier for Additive Manufacturing, Metal Injection Molding, Surface Enhancement, and Near Net Shapes/Hot Isostatic Pressing processes.

Dr Markus Rechlin. “We are planning SLM Solutions to begin aluminium a total production capacity of more powder production than 100 tonnes of aluminium powder per year for Additive Manufacturing SLM Solutions Group AG, a provider solutions in the consumables area. purposes. We aim to offer other of metal-based additive manufac- Together with TLS’s main share- materials than aluminium at a later turing systems based in Luebeck, holder, we will invest a mid-range, point in time.” Germany, has announced it is single-digit million euro amount to SLM Solutions intends to bundle entering into a cooperation venture this end.” the powder business within a with PKM Future Holding GmbH to The development, production and separate organisational unit, together manufacture aluminium powders. distribution of aluminium alloys for with further services for the Additive PKM is the main shareholder of TLS metal-based Additive Manufacturing Manufacturing of metal components Technik GmbH & Co Spezialpulver systems is intended to form the core such as training, consulting and KG, a manufacturer of gas atomised of the cooperation between PKM financing, in order to take the metal powders in Bitterfeld, Future Holding GmbH and SLM Solu- particularities of the business into Germany. tions Group AG, within a joint venture account. “At the time of our IPO we had that will be formed. According to the “By generating continuous clearly stated our three-column contract, SLM Solutions intends to sales over the course of the year, growth strategy: alongside acquire 51% of the share capital of expanding the powder business research and development, as well this planned joint venture. should help us offset the strong as distribution and service, the “We are starting off with seasonality of our system business,” planned expansion of our metallic aluminium, an important material added Bögershausen. “Over and powder business was to represent a for us, and we are planning – along beyond this, the consumables area decisive building block,” stated SLM with actual production – to also is also interesting for us due to the Solutions’ CFO Uwe Bögershausen implement refining steps for the fact that attractive margins can be “We are pleased to have now found powder. This will enable us to achieved through developing and the right partner in PKM, enabling adapt consumables even better to marketing metallic powders.” us to offer our customers tailored customer requirements,” stated CEO www.slm-solutions.com w

14 Metal Additive Manufacturing | Spring 2016 © 2016 Inovar Communications Ltd Vol. 2 No. 1 Materials • Aluminum (AlSi9Cu3, AlSi10Mg, AlSi7Mg) • Aluminum - Scalmalloy®RP (AlMgSc) • Cobalt Chrome (CoCr) • Copper Alloy (CuNi2SiCr) • Inconel (IN625, IN718) • Stainless Steel (1.4404, 1.4542, 1.4859) • Tool Steel (1.2709) • Titanium (TiAl6V4) Industry News | contents page | news | events | advertisers’ index | contact |

Carpenter expands Prodways and Nexteam to form metal metal powder AM business for aerospace sector

facility France’s Prodways Group has Philippe Laude, Deputy Managing announced the signing of a major Director of Prodways Group, stressed Carpenter Technology Corporation, partnership agreement with Nexteam the partnership “reflects Prodways’ Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, USA, is Group to develop a metal AM business aim to become the leader in the reported to be spending an additional for the aerospace sector. The partner- design and production of mechanical $23 million to add titanium furnace ship will lead to the creation of a joint aerospace parts using 3D printing. equipment to its new superalloy company called Prodways-Nexteam. This partnership with Nexteam Group, powder facility in Limestone County, Nexteam Group is a key player in which will provide its expertise in the Alabama. The purchase will raise the machining of complex and hard areas of machining and finalisation, Carpenter’s investment in the plant to metal parts for the aerospace market, will ensure that we can scale up $61 million. with operations in France, Poland and our manufacturing processes to The new plant’s titanium powder Romania. The group boasts expertise an industrial level that meets the product offering will increase in the design, manufacture, assembly technical requirements of the major Carpenter’s reach into aerospace and and maintenance of both large and players in the aerospace market.” medical markets and offer growth small precision mechanical parts in Ludovic Asquini, Chairman of opportunities in transportation, Tony all types of metal alloys meeting the Nexteam Group, stated, “With this R. Thene, Carpenter President, Chief demands of the aerospace sector. agreement, we are adding a new Executive Officer told the Decatur Prodways Group has 20 years’ skill that will enable us to offer our Daily. Carpenter is close to completing experience in the manufacture of customers an integrated range of its second Limestone County plant. parts for the aerospace industry using products and robust optimisation The company’s first Limestone County Additive Manufacturing, through its solutions, backed by a leading player plant, a $518 million superalloy metal INITIAL subsidiary, and has a fleet in the sector.” plant, began production in early 2014. of around ten machines covering all www.prodways.com www.cartech.com metal AM technologies. www.nexteam-group.com

You design it...... we’ll make it.

CMY

One Stop ● 10 years experience in 3D printing and manufacturing ● In-house additive and subtractive services ● State-of-the-art machines and facilities ● International team based in China

UL opens Additive Manufacturing educational expertise to not only progress Additive Manufacturing centre at University of Louisville and but also contribute to the future of signs deal to train EOS customers manufacturing transformation.” “We see the intersection of UL, a global safety science organisa- manufacturing campus, the Institute industry information, UL’s training, tion, and the University of Louisville, for Product Realisation (IPR), and certification and safety knowledge have announced the official opening collaborates and shares knowledge and the University’s AM expertise of a newly established Additive with other corporate residents, and academic research creating a Manufacturing training centre named including GE and Local Motors’ manufacturing environment unlike the UL Additive Manufacturing FirstBuild. anything else,” added David Adams, Competency Centre (UL AMCC). “The UL AMCC is a first-of-its- CEO of the IPR. Developed for established AM kind facility with the technical and www.ul.com/amtraining technical and business professionals, the end-to-end training centre, located on the University of Louisville campus, aims to be a hub for advancing AM knowledge and workforce expertise. UL also announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with EOS in which the two companies will collaborate to provide joint AM training, conformity advisory services and facility safety management to EOS customers. The goal of the relationship is stated as being to promote the proper usage and advancement of AM technologies to the manufacturing industry. “As the world-leading industrial 3D-printing solution provider, EOS forms strategic partnerships to strengthen our core competencies of systems, process and materials. Our partnership with UL allows us to join with our customers – both current and future – to push advancements in innovation, safety and quality,” stated Glynn Fletcher, President, EOS of North America, Inc. Selective laser melting, electron The UL AMCC offers hands-on beam melting, laser metal deposition training in Additive Manufacturing for metals and curriculum covering Nickel & Cobalt base superalloys, design set up, design corrections, steels, other specialty alloys machine set up, part production, post-processing and parts inspec- Customized particle size tion, testing and validation. The P E A R L® training will allow professionals to M i c r o understand how to produce metal VIM gas atomization process parts and emerging materials Contact through Additive Manufacturing, and establish safety systems, [email protected] identify hazards from materials and www.aubertduval.com | www.erasteel.com machines and manufacture parts with safety built into designs. The UL AMCC joins the University of Louisville’s global advanced

LPW commences Plasma Pilot plant for the production Spheroidisation of AM metal of nano-structured powders

powders The UK’s Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) and nine other European partners are collaborating in the design, LPW Technology has announced that its Plasma Sphe- scale-up and build of a high energy ball-mill (HEBM) roidisation equipment is now operational and processing pilot plant for the production and validation of innovative metal powders for use in the Additive Manufacturing nanostructured powders. These advanced powders will be industry. The process uses high energy plasma to able to be used in a number of high value manufacturing produce cleaner, highly spherical and dense metallic applications such as cutting tools, medical implants and a powders with greater flowability, reducing down time on range of aerospace and automotive components. the machine and speeding up the manufacturing process. The work is part of a four-year European research and “We are hugely excited to have this next generation development project titled ‘PilotManu’ which began in equipment on site for the benefit of our customers. LPW 2013. The €5.3 million project is partially funded by EU’s are constantly reacting to solve our customers problems Framework Programme Seven (FP7) and involves ten and ensure that we have the right solution to keep them partner organisations. The project partners include CPI on track,” stated Mike Ford, LPW’s Sales Director. “Our alongside MBN Nanomaterialia, IMDEA Materials Institute, Plasma Spheroidisation can produce the best metal +90, Putzier, INOP, Manudirect, IMPACT INNOVATIONS powders on the market. They are more spherical and GmbH, Matres and Diam Edil SA. cleaner than those currently available.” PilotManu is manufacturing the nanostructured The most significant benefit of this novel technology powders using a proprietary high energy ball milling tech- is perfectly spherical powder with no satellites, which nology developed by lead partner MBN Nanomaterialia. increases the flowability and packing density of the The technology will allow for the manufacture of powders powder, especially on AM machines where finer powder with ultrafine crystalline structures, meaning that products is required. Levels of surface contamination, compared to can be optimised to enhance strength, reduce weight or conventional gas atomised powders, are also reduced. provide excellent wear, corrosion or thermal resistance. www.lpwtechnology.com Dr Charanjeet Singh, Innovation Manager at CPI stated, “We are delighted with the progress of the PilotManu project so far. The consortium has been able to design and scale-up the manufacturing process. The pilot plant will come online in the next few months and we anticipate the production of some truly innovative powders which will be validated for their suitability and performance in a number of value adding applications.” “The pilot plant and the associated products developed by the consortium will significantly reduce the current Process Control and Quality Assurance Software for Additive Manufacturing productivity and cost barriers that are in the way of the An integrated, interactive system that market adoption of advanced powders. Once concluded, combines inspection, feedback, data collection and critical analysis. the consortiumFEATURES will demonstrate the technological and Process Control and Quality Assurance Softwareeconomical for Additive viability• Third Manufacturing party of the independent pilot line by QA incorporating the FEATURES powders into• advanced Platform independent materials targeted at a number of applications such as wear resistant coatings, abrasive • Third party independent QA FEATURES• Stand-alone or embedded • Platform independent tools and Additiveinstallations Manufacturing applications.” • Third party independent QA • Stand-alone or embedded installations Project Coordinator• In-process Prof layer Paolo by layer Matteazzi from MBN • In-process layer by layer Nanomaterialia• Platform added, independent “We expect that the High Energy • Stand-alone or embedded Ball Milling pilotBENEFITS plant being developed in the PilotManu BENEFITS installations project will enable• Provides MBN objective Nanomaterialia to overcome the • In-process layer by layer • Provides objective evidence of compliance to productivity andevidence cost barriers of compliance that are currently preventing design intent the commercialisationto design ofintent the advanced nanomaterials. • One system plant-wide The new pilot•BENEFITS manufacturing One system plant-wide line, based on the upscaling • Production optimization of a current HEBM• ProductionProvides facility, objective optimization will increase production by ten An• Early integrated, defect detection interactive system that evidence of compliance times and allow• Early us todefect enter detection the market for three main lines • Scrap reduction and increased yield to design intent combines inspection, feedback, dataof innovative •products Scrap reduction and technologies; and the diamond tool • One system plant-wide industry, CerMetincreased and alloys yield for wear resistant coatings collection and critical analysis. • Production optimization and new mechanical alloyed composites for Additive An integrated, interactive +1 505 system 438 2576 that  The system pairs PrintRite3D® SENSORPAKTM multi-sensors and Manufacturing.”• Early defect detection ® TM ® TM combineshardware with PrintRite3D inspection,INSPECT , feedback,PrintRite3D CONTOUR data www.uk-cpi.com• Scrap reduction and and PrintRite3D® ANALYTICSTM software modules for comprehensive increased yield collectionmanagement of AMand processes. critical analysis.  The system pairs PrintRite3D® SENSORPAKTM multi-sensors and 20 hardwareMetal withAdditive PrintRite3D Manufacturing® INSPECTTM, PrintRite3D | Spring® 2016CONTOURTM © 2016 Inovar Communications Ltd Vol. 2 No. 1 and PrintRite3D® ANALYTICSSensors & TMHardware software modules for comprehensive SENSORPAKmanagement of AM processes. ™ Multi-sensorsSensors and & affiliatedHardware hardware to SENSORPAKcollect real-time data on AM™ processes  Comprises a set of off-axis and on-axis in-process sensors. Multi-sensors When coupled with PrintRite3D and affiliated® INSPECTTM or PrintRite3Dhardware® CONTOUR to TM FEATURES modules, enables part quality assessment during manufacturing. collect real-time data on AM processes • Commercially off-the-  Capable of measuring the true in-process state variables associated with shelf thermal, optical  Comprises a set of off-axis and on-axis in-process sensors. an additive manufacturing process. and spectral sensors  When coupled with PrintRite3D® INSPECTTM or PrintRite3D® CONTOURTM FEATURES modules, enables part quality assessment during manufacturing. • Commercially off-the-  Capable of measuring the true in-process state variables associated with shelf thermal, optical an additive manufacturing process. sigmalabsinc.comand spectral sensors 505.438.2576

sigmalabsinc.com 505.438.2576 To push the envelope for Additive Manufacturing. Just add Arcam

Welcome to Arcam – a pioneer and proven leader in cost-efficient Additive Manufacturing solutions for the production of orthopedic implants and aerospace components. At the heart of our total offer are Arcam EBM® systems, based on cutting-edge electron beam melting technology, that offer freedom in design, excellent material properties and high productivity. The build chamber interior is designed for easy powder handling and fast turn-around times. What’s more, you can rely on our highly competent application engineers to support you from design to production – adding value every step of the way.

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Equispheres to produce metal powders AMPM conference for Additive Manufacturing programme

Equispheres Inc, based in Ontario, “With the successful commis- published Canada, has announced the sioning of our first commercial successful commissioning of the atomisation reactor, we have The third annual AMPM Conference company’s flagship proprietary demonstrated our technology can on Additive Manufacturing with atomisation reactor to produce metal successfully produce metal powders Powder Metallurgy, organised by the powders for Additive Manufacturing with superior performance character- Metal Powder Industries Federation, and metal spray applications. The istics compared to powders currently takes place in Boston, USA, June 5-7, company will begin marketing available in the marketplace,” stated 2016. The popular event will feature spherical metal powders specifically Equispheres’ President and Chief worldwide industry experts presenting engineered for aerospace and defence Executive Officer, Kevin Nicholds the latest developments in metal applications in early 2016. Equispheres intends to be AM. The programme has now been Equispheres states that its patent- producing metal powders in commer- published and includes two days of pending atomisation technology cial quantities by the end of the first technical sessions that cover topics consistently produces free-flowing, quarter 2016. “Once the commis- such as materials, metal powder uniform, monograin, agglomerate- sioning of the reactor is finalised, we production, powder characterisation, free spherical metal powders, which will scale-up production capacity and modelling and processes. bring superior control and perfor- convey materials to our aerospace The event is co-located with mance efficiencies not currently industry partners for further testing POWDERMET2016, MPIF’s available. The company’s metal and validation. Equispheres’ metal International Conference on Powder powders have a narrow particle size powders enable us to better support Metallurgy & Particulate Materials, distribution, excellent sphericity and the manufacturing needs of aerospace and is essential for anyone interested flowability and consistent micro- and other industries,” added Nicholds. in metal components produced via structure as produced without sieving www.equispheres.com metal Additive Manufacturing. or classification. www.ampm2016.org

Introducing New Materials for Binder Jet Printing

Here’s how Stainless Steel BLDRmetal™ J-10 compares to AISI 420 (DIN 1.4021)* 3X wear resistance 3X impact resistance

OUTPERFORM

*both metals infiltrated with bronze

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Discover a new dimension. Proven expertise and customised gas supply solutions for additive manufacturing.

Industrial gases drive additive manufacturing. From powder production through manufacturing to finishing and fine-tuning, industrial gases, process gas mixtures and application know-how play a key role in additive manufacturing.

Linde is shaping the future of additive manufacturing with customised gas supply solutions and process technologies developed in partnership with customers, OEMs and R&D institutes.

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Sinterex opens first metal AM Largest titanium facility in Middle East part from Puris

Sinterex has opened for business as the US when it comes to adopting Puris LLC, based in Bruceton Mills, the first specialist provider of Metal metal Additive Manufacturing. West Virginia, USA, has announced Additive Manufacturing services The region has historically been a that it has successfully produced in the Middle East. From its new trading hub, attitudes towards new what it claims is the largest premises in Ras Al Khaimah, United technologies are often conservative complex additive manufactured Arab Emirates, Sinterex will offer and the last twelve months have titanium part for commercial use. market research, consulting and seen the challenges of low oil prices The part was produced using ExOne manufacturing services to clients in impacting all areas of the economy. binder-jetting technology and the region. However, Sinterex states that it is was processed to 100% density. “We are delighted to commence embracing these challenges. “Metal Measuring an estimated 48 x 48 x operations in the UAE and excited Additive Manufacturing offers a new 28 cm with a cross-section thick- to support clients in the Middle East and compelling value proposition ness of 9.5 mm, the part weighs region with our innovative and high- for companies purchasing metal approximately 14 kg. tech services,” stated Julian Callanan, products and parts in the Middle “There is a lot of activity in this Business Development Director East,” stated Dr Alaa Elwany, arena and larger parts have been at Sinterex. The Middle East was Technical Director at Sinterex. “In printed, but we believe this is the estimated by the IHS World Industry the current slow economic and low largest complex titanium part to be Service to have consumed some $42 oil price environment companies are printed to date,” Puris’ CEO Craig billion of metal products and parts under increasing pressure to identify Kirsch stated. “The milestone was in 2014. This is expected to grow by areas for cost reduction and value achieved by the combination of over 40% to reach $60 billion by 2019. enhancement. These goals can now our team’s deep metallurgical and Despite consuming large volumes of be achieved through metal Additive powder-production expertise and metal products and parts, the Middle Manufacturing.” ExOne binder-jetting technology.” East has lagged behind Europe and www.sinterex.com www.purisllc.com

Complex geometries and assemblies Orbital ATK successfully tests that once required multiple additively manufactured hypersonic components can be simplified to a single, more cost-effective assembly. engine combustor at NASA facility However, since the components are built one layer at a time, it is Orbital ATK, headquartered in Dulles, additively manufactured part would now possible to design features and Virginia, USA, has announced it has be robust enough to meet mission integrated components that could not successfully tested an additively objectives. be easily cast or otherwise machined. manufactured hypersonic engine “Additive Manufacturing opens up Additive Manufacturing is one combustor at NASA’s Langley new possibilities for our designers of several manufacturing methods Research Center. The combustor, and engineers,” stated Pat Nolan, currently being explored by Orbital produced using a powder bed fusion Vice President and General Manager ATK and its technology partners. process, was subjected to a variety of Orbital ATK’s Missile Products Final assembly of the test combustor of high-temperature hypersonic division of the Defence Systems was completed at the company’s flight conditions over the course of Group. “This combustor is a great facilities in Ronkonkoma, New York, twenty days, including one of the example of a component that and Allegany Ballistics Laboratory in longest duration propulsion wind was impossible to build just a few Rocket Center, West Virginia. tunnel tests ever recorded for a unit years ago. This successful test will Orbital ATK was formed in 2015 of this kind. Analysis confirms the encourage our engineers to continue following the merger of Orbital unit met or exceeded all of the test to explore new designs and use these Sciences Corporation and ATK requirements. innovative tools to lower costs and Aerospace and Defence. The company One of the most challenging parts decrease manufacturing time.” designs, builds and delivers space, of the propulsion system, a scramjet The test at Langley was an defence and aviation systems for combustor, houses and maintains important opportunity to challenge customers around the world, both stable combustion within an Orbital ATK’s new combustor design, as a prime contractor and merchant extremely volatile environment. The made possible only through the supplier. tests were, in part, to ensure that the Additive Manufacturing process. www.orbitalatk.com

Visit us at RAPID, booth 847

H.C. Starck offers a wide variety of special gas and water atomized high-alloyed metal powders, such as Fe-, Ni- and Co-based alloys, as well as customized solutions.

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LINEAR MOLD & ENGINEERING, INC.®

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Subtractive Manufacturing Channeling Additive & Additive Channeling LINEAR AMS, INC. AMS, LINEAR Using Linear’s 10+ year leadership experience in with innovative advanced manufacturing together as conformal applications of technologies such unique solutions in Linear is able to provide cooling, faster production cycle product design while achieving times. Founded in 2003, Linear is the leading provider of an in 2003, Linear Founded Chain (AMSC) that Advanced Manufacturing Supply (AM) and traditional utilizes Additive Manufacturing prototypes and manufacturing to produce metal production parts.

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FKM Sintertechnik orders LaserCUSING systems from Concept Laser

Germany’s FKM Sintertechnik GmbH has announced expansion of its production facility in Biedenkopf and further investment in a number of metal Additive FKM Sintertechnik GmbH based in Biedenkopf Manufacturing systems from Concept Laser. FKM has been a user of Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) systems since 1994 and, according to the company, it is one of the largest providers of additively manufactured products in Europe. Adjacent to its existing 3000 m2 site, a new 700 m2 production hall is being built to meet the growing demand for additive products made of metal. FKM has ordered several machines from Concept Laser in the medium and large build-chamber range. Harald Henkel, Managing Director of FKM Sintertechnik “The market is currently developing toward batch GmbH, and Oliver Edelmann, Vice President Sales & production of 3D metallic products. In addition to Marketing at Concept Laser GmbH, in front of the newly the classic small batches and prototypes, industrial installed M2 cusing Multilaser production lot sizes with a distinctive serial character are appearing now as well. With the strategic expansion of The FKM Sintertechnik facility already features the Mlab our 3D printing capacity, we want to be able to respond cusing and M2 cusing models from Concept Laser, as well to increasing demand in a very flexible way and also to as models from other suppliers. They were accompanied get in on increasing product dimensions,” stated Harald by a new M2 cusing Multilaser last winter and, as Harald Henkel, Managing Director of FKM Sintertechnik GmbH. Henkel explains, there is more to come, “We have ordered another M2 cusing Multilaser for 2016. Build rates and the suitability of Multilaser technology for batch production fit very nicely with our business strategy and we also want to be involved with very large build chambers. A new X line Vibenite®. 2000R from Concept Laser featuring the world’s largest build envelope for powder-bed-based laser melting with Extremely wear-resistant metals will be delivered to us here in Biedenkopf in Q1 metals for light-weight tools. 2016.” The new M2 cusing Multilaser features a fully integrated design, which means that satellite solutions are no longer used for laser sources and filter technology. This Hardness (HRC) closed solution is advantageous to the user thanks to the 80 accessibility of system components and a reduced space 75 requirement. The new M2 cusing also features a new filter 70

65 concept with a filter surface five times greater in size, 2 2 60 having increased from 4 m to 20 m . The new filter module 55 was designed with fixed piping and to be fully integrated 50 into the system. 45 The new X line 2000R from Concept Laser features the 40

35 world’s largest build envelope currently available at 800 x

30 400 x 500 mm (L x W x H) and boasts high build rates using 25 Multilaser technology. HRC 20 H13 Vibenite® 5 Vibenite® 60 The X line 2000R increases build volume in comparison to its predecessor model by nearly 27% from 126 L to 160 L and works with two 1,000-Watt lasers. This enables exposure of the build area from two positions simultaneously. The X line 2000R also has a rotating mechanism which allows two build modules to be used reciprocally, thus guaranteeing constant production with no downtimes. www.fkm-lasersintering.de www.vbncomponents.com www.concept-laser.de

Tantalum used in biomedical implants

Metalysis, based in Rotherham, UK, has collaborated with the UK’s TWI in Cambridge, to demonstrate the feasibility of its tantalum powder in metal Additive Manufacturing for biomedical applications such as bespoke hip joints. The joint study successfully produced both uniform and randomised tantalum lattice structures that are bio-inert, replicate the structural stiffness of bone and allow for extensive integration with bone cells, so that the new joint is readily accepted by the body. “It is tremendous to be partnering with TWI, a company that has so much knowledge in the manufacturing and medical industries. TWI has great expertise, particularly in the use of lasers in Additive Manufacturing, which we hope will help to bring individual joint replacements into the mainstream of mass manufacture,” stated Dion Vaughan, Chief Executive of Metalysis. Metalysis has developed a process that produces metal powders directly from their respective oxides in a single step, lowering the environmental impact of its manufacture. “We have already seen the great success Metalysis has had printing automotive parts. Our analysis suggests these metals are incredibly versatile and highly suited to the medical industry. Metal 3D-printed hip replacements could be a huge step forward, allowing patients to have a tailor-made joint by scanning their other hip and matching it with a metal 3D-printed replacement, rather than being You’ve invested restricted to the choice of standard sizes now available,” in AM technology. added Richard Pargeter, a technology fellow at TWI. The study claims that the durability and inertness of this highly versatile metal are retained through the production Have you invested process. It has demonstrated the significant potential of in AM training? creating lattice structures using selective laser melting for use in hip joints, implants and other new biomedical products that will both benefit patient wellbeing and bring cost savings to the wider market. Since the launch of its UL’s AM commercial plant in 2015, Metalysis has been supplying tantalum powder to its clients globally, working in Training Program collaboration with LPW Technology to serve its Additive Manufacturing customers. is here to help. www.twi-global.com | www.metalysis.com Gain subject specific proficiency or earn UL Professional Certification in AM.

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Numanova Srl to Renishaw and BioHorizons collaborate manufacture metal to offer custom dental abutments powders Renishaw plc has announced collabo- Italian investment group Italeaf ration with dental implant producer has announced it has established BioHorizons to produce custom metal Numanova Srl to produce metal additively manufactured abutments powders suited to a range of Additive known as LaserAbutmentsTM. The Manufacturing and Powder Metallurgy joint initiative enables dentists to offer applications. The production plant will cost effective custom abutments for be located at Italeaf’s facility in Nera restorations, providing exceptional standard porcelains to be bonded to Montoro, Rome. function and aesthetics. the surface without a separate coping/ Investment of some €12 million The process provides a crown, providing a screw-retained has been announced and the company technologically advanced custom crown which can later be temporarily will be equipped with gas atomised abutment made by Renishaw’s hybrid removed for hygienic maintenance or powder production technology. It will manufacturing systems, where the work on adjacent teeth. also use plasma atomisation and total abutment is additively manufactured Using Renishaw Dental Studio production capacity is expected to be to capture fine occlusal details and (RDS) software, dental labs design around 500 tons/year. “The production then precision machined to achieve their abutment in-lab and submit of metal powders and the R&D activity precisely fitting interface geometry for it digitally to Renishaw central to make new alloys are attracting screw-retained implants. manufacturing. LaserAbutments interest and growing expectations Following an ISO 13485 approved are supplied with a pre-polished on the global market,” stated Paolo quality management system, the emergence profile, helping to save Folgarait, Numanova’s Executive abutments are made from CoCr that laboratory time, and with a titanium Director and General Manager. has been biocompatibility tested screw for each abutment. www.italeaf.com according to ISO 10993. This enables www.renishaw.com/dental

VDM ALLOYS B.V. ATOMISED METAL POWDERS for Additive Manufacturing / 3D Printing

Aluminium / Titanium / Stainless Steel / NiCoCr Alloys

VDM Alloys B.V. Haringvliet 349 3011 ZP Rotterdam Tel: +31(0)10-2367427 Fax: +31(0)10-2134841 The Netherlands Email: [email protected] Internet: www.vdm-alloys.com

VDM Alloys half page.indd 1 14/01/2015 13:56

AM watch cases bring life to vintage pocket watches

US watchmaker Vortic Watch Co, design, the case encapsulates based in Fort Collins, Colorado, each movement between two is combining vintage pocket custom made Gorilla Glass watch movements with metal crystals. Each case is additively additively manufactured watch manufactured from stainless steel cases to form a unique collection and bronze and is coated with of wristwatches. The company a patina or plating to provide a claims to be the only watchmaker unique finish. to currently utilise metal Additive An insert in the watch allows Manufacturing for final product the movement to seemingly parts. float inside the case. This part is Each movement in Vortic’s individually designed to fit each American Artisan Series is unique movement and is manufac- salvaged from antique pocket tured using a photopolymer resin watches destined to be scrapped. on Vortic’s own Formlabs Form 1+ The pocket watches were originally stereo-lithographic machine. made in the late 1800s or early All watches are assembled by 1900s by American watch compa- hand at Vortic. After completion, nies such as Elgin, Waltham, the watches are tested on a Hamilton, Illinois, Hampden, etc. professional timing machine for Each case is custom designed accuracy. to fit the antique pocket watch www.vorticwatches.com movements. Using a two-piece

Smit Röntgen offers 3D printed pure tungsten parts for industrial applications

Via Powder Bed Laser Melting we are able to seamlessly accommodate to A few examples are: individual customer needs for both existing and new products. With our • Radiation shielding / collimation solutions in-house technical know-how we support you in optimizing your product • Beam shaping design for additive manufacturing. Our 8 year exclusive focus on pure tungsten • Thermal applications 3D printing ensures superb accuracy, reliability, product exibility and quality. • Balance weights • Non-magnetic parts and many more... We strive to create added value for the Metal Additive Manufacturing industry by remaining highly focused on innovative product and process development. Smit Röntgen is the rst EOS GmbH service provider for pure tungsten parts.

Powder Bed Laser Melting offers great freedom of design and facilitates geometric complexity and exibility. Therefore part variations are endless.

You can contact us directly via email or telephone: [email protected] / + 31 40 27 62 707 For more information, please visit us at: www.smitroentgen.com

United States Metal Powders, WORLDWIDE Incorporated Global manufacturer of standard and custom aluminum alloy powders for AM. 408 U.S. Highway 202, Flemington, New Jersey 08822 USA Standard grades include: Tel: +1 (908) 782 5454 AlSi10Mg, AlSi10, AlSi12, AlSi14, 2024, 6061, 7075, F357/A357. Fax: +1 (908) 782 3489 [email protected] FEATURES Europe only www.poudres-hermillon.com Highly spherical inert gas atomized aluminum alloy powder with excellent ROW www.ampal-inc.com flowability and narrow span specifically designed for the 3D printing industry. ALUMINUM POWDERS FOR | contents page | news | events | advertisers’ index | contact | Industry News ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING MADE BY UNITED STATES METAL POWDERS, INC. GE turboprop engine to include additive manufactured structural components

GE Aviation has unveiled a new reflects the best fit for the mission of turboprop engine aimed at business the aircraft and our commitment to and general aviation that will achieve reliably deliver best-in-class perfor- The new turboprop engine is the up to 20% lower fuel burn and 10% mance capabilities to our customers,” same size as its peers but produces higher cruise power compared to stated Christi Tannahill, Senior Vice nearly double the overall pressure other engines in its class. GE states President, Turboprops and Interior ratio (Image GE Aviation) that a key feature of the new engine is Design at Textron Aviation. that it includes additive manufactured GE state that new design and “For the past five years, GE structural components that reduce manufacturing technologies conducted design studies and actively weight and improve durability. The developed for its latest military and researched the turboprop market new 1,300 shaft horse power (SHP) commercial engines, such as Additive to identify and integrate the best rated turboprop engine has been Manufacturing capabilities pioneered of our next-gen commercial and selected by Textron Aviation Inc., the by the CFM LEAP turbofan, will help military technologies at the lowest world’s largest maker of business the advanced turboprop to extend time cost and risk to our business aviation propeller planes, to power its single between maintenance overhauls by customers,” stated Brad Mottier, VP engine turboprop (SETP). GE expects up to 30% more than existing engines. and General Manager of GE Aviation’s to conduct the detailed design Development, testing and production Business & General Aviation and review for the new turboprop in 2017 of the new turboprop engine will occur Integrated Systems division. “We’re followed by the first full engine test at GE Aviation’s recently announced honoured to be selected by Textron in 2018. turboprop Centre of Excellence to be Aviation for its newest turboprop “Our single engine turboprop will located in Europe. The new facility program and look forward to growing combine the best of both clean-sheet will represent an investment of over aircraft applications in the coming aircraft and new engine designs. $400 million and ultimately support up years with our new turboprop engine.” Selecting GE as our engine partner to 1,000 new jobs. www.ge.com

United States Metal Powders, WORLDWIDE Incorporated Global manufacturer of standard and custom aluminum alloy powders for AM. 408 U.S. Highway 202, Flemington, New Jersey 08822 USA Standard grades include: Tel: +1 (908) 782 5454 AlSi10Mg, AlSi10, AlSi12, AlSi14, 2024, 6061, 7075, F357/A357. Fax: +1 (908) 782 3489 [email protected] FEATURES Europe only www.poudres-hermillon.com Highly spherical inert gas atomized aluminum alloy powder with excellent ROW www.ampal-inc.com flowability and narrow span specifically designed for the 3D printing industry. AMA113 PMRAdPATHS.indd 1 4/10/15 4:44 PM Vol. 2 No. 1 © 2016 Inovar Communications Ltd Metal Additive Manufacturing | Spring 2016 33 Industry News | contents page | news | events | advertisers’ index | contact |

Northwestern team develop innovative method for metal Titanium Powder Additive Manufacturing

A team of engineers at Northwestern University, Unlimited Capacity for the Illinois, USA, has reportedly created a new way to print Additive Manufacturing Industry three-dimensional metallic objects using rust and metal Made in Canada since 2005 powders. The new rapid method is said to expand the type 500 MT/year 2016 and adding as required of metals, alloys and architectures that can be additively manufactured. The new process involves a liquid ink Optimized for Laser made of metal or mixed metal powders, solvents and an elastomer binder which then allows rapid printing densely Powder Bed systems packed powder structures using a simple syringe-extru- Low Oxygen sion process, in which ink dispenses through a nozzle, at Superior powder bed integrity room temperature. Despite starting with a liquid ink, the • High Flow Rate extruded material instantaneously solidifies and fuses with • High apparent and tap densities previously extruded material, enabling very large objects • No Argon induced porosity to be quickly created and immediately handled. The part is then sintered, allowing the powders to fuse together TRL 9 without melting. • AP&C powder is manufactured from high The research is described in a paper published in the quality wrought titanium alloy raw material for journal Advanced Functional Materials. The researchers’ controlled chemistry and traceability. process open doors for more sophisticated and uniform • Powder is atomized with AP&C’s proprietary architectures that are faster to create and easier to scale Advanced Plasma Atomization process. The up than existing processes. After the object is printed, but APA process is a “minimum affect” conversion before it is sintered, it is flexible due to the elastic polymer binder containing unbonded metallic powders. “We used that preserves ingot chemistry with no a biomedical polymer that is commonly used in clinical unwanted artifacts like ceramic inclusions or products, such as sutures,” stated Ramille Shah, Assistant Argon hollows. Professor of Materials Science and Engineering in the • AP&C powder is used in TRL 9 applications in McCormick School of Engineering and of surgery in the Aerospace and Medical industry. Feinberg School of Medicine, who led the study. “When Products we use it as a binder, it makes green bodies that are very robust despite the fact that they still comprise a majority of Titanium 6Al-4V Grade 5 and 23 powder with very little binder. They’re foldable, bendable, Titanium Grade 1 and can be hundreds of layers thick without crumbling. Ti 6-2-4-2 Other binders don’t give those properties to resulting 3D IN718 printed objects. Ours can be manipulated before being Special Ti and Ni alloys fired. It allows us to create a lot of different architectures that haven’t really been seen in metal 3D printing.” Another innovative component of their process is that it can be used to print metal oxides, such as iron oxide (rust), which can then be reduced into metal. Rust powder is lighter, more stable, cheaper and safer to handle than pure iron powders. The team discovered that they could first 3D print structures with rust and other metallic oxides 22 and then use hydrogen to turn the green bodies into the respective metal before sintering in the furnace. Ti47.867 Titanium “It might seem like we are needlessly complicating www.advancedpowders.com things by adding a third reduction step where we turn rust into iron,” David Dunand, Professor of Materials [email protected] Science and Engineering, added. “But this opens up Tel: +1 450.434.1004 possibilities for using very cheap oxide powders rather than corresponding expensive metal powders. It’s hard to find something cheaper than rust.”

ISO 9001 : 2008 / AS 9100C www.mccormick.northwestern.edu

BioArchitects receives approval for Methods 3D AM titanium cranial implant expands its

BioArchitects has announced the resulting from trauma, disease, or technical centres 510(k) clearance by the US Food and congenital abnormalities. As each Methods 3D, Inc., based in Sudbury, Drug Administration for the compa- device is specific to the individual, Massachusetts, USA, has announced ny’s additive manufactured patient its construction begins with the the addition of the new ProXTM DMP specific titanium cranial/craniofacial taking of a CT scan or MRI of the 320 from 3D Systems to its growing plate implant. Designed for the repair affected area. The scan or image line of metal AM machines. The of defects in the non-loadbearing is then imported into a computer company is installing the ProXTM bones of the head and face, each design program which is used to within multiple technology centres custom plate is permanently attached create a template of the repair that across the US to provide product to the skull and/or face with self- becomes the model from which the demonstration, training, support and tapping titanium screws. AM system produces the titanium development of customer products. As the first of its kind in the US, plate. Methods 3D is a newly formed the implant takes advantage of the “BioArchitects is a prime subsidiary of Methods Machine Tools, light weight and high tensile strength example of how innovative organisa- Inc. a supplier of machine tools, properties of the biocompatible tions are using EBM technology Additive Manufacturing technology, titanium alloy and is made using to advance biomedical surgeries automation and accessories. Methods Arcam’s EBM technology. “We are that truly affect people’s lives,” Machine Tools, Inc., has been in extremely proud to contribute to what stated Magnus Rene, CEO of Arcam operation for over 55 years and we consider another major advance Group. “Arcam has been a strategic provides applications engineering in the trend toward personalised supplier to the orthopaedic market support, installation, parts, service medicine.” stated Mark Ulrich, CEO of for over a decade and tens of and training through a network of BioArchitects USA. thousands of implants are made large technology centres and dealers Devices of this kind are typically yearly from our EBM systems.” throughout North America. used in the repair of bone defects www.bioarchitects.com www.methodsmachine.com

Croft Additive Manufacturing to develop spacecraft mechanisms with ESR Space Croft Additive Manufacturing based synergies in the key skills it has in Warrington, UK, has teamed up developed as a business. It was an with ESR Space, also located in obvious choice to harness the process Warrington, to conduct a study into developments in this programme of the use of AM to develop custom work since Croft is well aligned with spacecraft components. the technical objectives set out at the The research, funded by Centre start of the programme,” stated Grant for Earth Observation Instrumenta- Munro, Project Manager at ESR Space. tion and Space Technology, aimed In space applications there are a Manufacturing, stated, “It is always to exploit recent developments number of disadvantages to using advised to have several options when in manufacturing technology and a liquid or grease-based lubricant, seeking to identify a bespoke solu- create innovative, high-performance such as low temperature viscosity, tion using innovative technologies. components for use in demanding evaporation, loss of lubricant and Following the creation and analysis of mechanism applications. While contamination of other parts of the the two prototypes in this instance, it the main emphasis of the study spacecraft. To address these issues, was deemed more valuable to develop was on spacecraft applications, it two concept designs were developed the lubricant retaining cage further.” also supported the development of using Croft’s Realiser SLM-250 While it is likely that the compo- supply chain capability in AM and machine. These were both focused nent developed will be initially used the suitability of such processes in a on managing the lubricant within the for spacecraft applications, the use range of markets, including telecom- bearing system more effectively, with a of the technology in other industries munications, science and robotics. particular emphasis on the challenges such as nuclear, aerospace and “During early discussions with of the space environment. medical will be explored in parallel. Croft, we identified a number of Neil Burns, Director at Croft Additive www.croftam.co.uk Ti Alloys powders SPECIALIZED in AM Metal Materials Product Series

Cobalt-Chrome Alloys Powders Titanium & Titanium Alloys Powders Stainless Steel Powders SUS Nickel based Alloys Powders powders

Ni Tel: +86-(0)20-31040619 Email: [email protected] www.mt-innov.com Alloys powders

Materialise tour to promote Powder flow measurement metal AM across Europe kit available from LPW

Materialise NV, based in Leuven, Belgium, has LPW Technology has announced announced a series of events to promote metal Additive the launch of a new powder flow Manufacturing across Europe. With the Materialise Metal measurement kit that allows the Tour, the company states that it aims to educate engineers quick and full characterisation of and designers on the added value of metal AM. The tour powder flow to a number of ASTM started in March and will pass through ten European standards. Aimed at those in the cities. metal Additive Manufacturing The Materialise Metal Tour is part of Materialise’s industry, LPW’s POWDERFLOW™ 3DP ACADEMY, a series of half-day workshops providing kit will help to distinguish between powder and machine in-depth information on technologies, materials and problems, resulting in significant time and cost savings. applications for AM. With the technology maturing and Measuring powder flow allows the user to determine demand for metal parts growing worldwide, Materialise whether or not the powder is changing within the AM states that the timing is ideal to address engineers with a process. The new kit allows operators to determine focused series of seminars on metal AM and how to make apparent density (ASTM B212), angle of repose, Hall flow the most of it. (ASTM B213) and Carney flow (ASTM B964). “At Materialise, we strongly believe that awareness of “LPW has produced this comprehensive kit to enable the possibilities and a deep understanding of design and its customers to monitor the health of the powder they engineering for AM is the key to success,” stated Jurgen are using in their Additive Manufacturing processes, Laudus, Director Materialise Manufacturing. “With these quickly, simply and cost effectively. I’m sure all users of events we want to provide engineers with the necessary metal powders will find the POWDERFLOW™ kit a useful know-how to find and develop the right applications for addition to their testing regime,” stated Phil Kilburn, metal 3D Printing.” LPW Commercial Director. www.materialise.com/metaltour www.lpwtechnology.com

Formnext on track for successful 2016 event

Formnext powered by tct, the international Additive Manufacturing and tool making show, will take place in Frankfurt, Germany, November 15-18, 2016. With over 70% of the previous year’s exhibition space already COMPLEX booked, the organisers are on track for another highly successful event in 2016. “This enthusiastic response from PARTS WANTED our exhibitors is a continuation of formnext’s outstanding Metal Laser Melting at toolcraft development, which we laid the foundation for at our debut exhibition in 2015,” stated Sascha F Wenzler, Vice President of formnext at Mesago Messe Frankfurt. An array of key international companies have already TOOLCRAFT – YOUR PARTNER committed to attending formnext 2016, including 3D FOR TOTAL SOLUTIONS Systems, Additive Industries, Alphacam, Arburg, Autodesk, IN METAL LASER MELTING Bikar, EOS, Heraeus, Hermle, Knarr, Listemann, Materi- ++ Proven in high-end markets such as aerospace and alise, Realizer, SLM Solutions and many more. motor sport. ++ For even the most complex geometries. Formnext is also proving popular with newcomers to ++ From super alloys of all kinds, including high-strength the exhibition state the organisers. Those set to attend for Scalmalloy®. ++ No tooling, time saving and energy the first time in 2016 represent a wide range of topics and efficient. ++ Now also with multi-laser equipment for include exhibitors from China, France, Germany, Italy, the enhanced productivity. Netherlands and the United States. The 2015 exhibition attracted a large number of More details and brochure: decision-makers and developers from all over the globe www.toolcraft.de/en/metal-laser-melting with visitors from many world market leaders, renowned OEMs and key suppliers. www.formnext.com

Accelerating and Advancing AM Technology 2016 AMUG CONFERENCE April 3 - 7, 2016 AMUG For Users, By Users St. Louis Union Station Additive Manufacturing Users Group (AMUG) Education and Training Conference brings St. Louis, Missouri together engineers, designers, managers, and educators from around the world to share expertise, best practices, challenges, and application developments in additive REGISTRATION INCLUDES manufacturing. The users group is dedicated to the owners and operators of commercially > Conference (4 days) available additive manufacturing equipment and professional applications of 3D printing > AMUGexpo (2 nights) technologies. Join us in 2016! > Keynote Presentations LEARN EXPLORE > Innovator Showcase In-depth education and training AMUG provides access to a variety of > General Sessions sessions by AM industry experts and metal and plastic technologies: > Technical Sessions OEM representatives. > 3D Printing (3DP) > Workshops > AMUG Awards Banquet > Direct Metal Deposition (DMD) NETWORK > Technical Competition > Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) AMUG network provides attendees > Student Poster Session > Direct Metal Laser Melting (DMLM) access to users with 25+ years > Networking Lunches expereience in the industry. Attendees > Electron Beam Melting (EBM) > All Meals and Beverages network with AM-dedicated OEMs and > Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) vendors. > Laser Sintering (LS) REGISTER TODAY! > Multi-Jet Modeling (MJM) WHO SHOULD ATTEND www.am-ug.com > Multi-Jet Printing (MJP) Click on the orange button Those that have access to, use, or > PolyJet to register operate AM equipment > Selective Laser Melting (SLM) > Operators > Engineers > Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) For more information on > Technicians > Designers > Stereolithography (SL) attending, exhibiting or > Managers > Educators > and many others sponsoring, visit the AMUG website: www.am-ug.com

2016 Diamond Sponsors For a current list of all sponsors visit www.am-ug.com

Planning, preparing and producing: Walking the tightrope between additive and subtractive manufacturing

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.

If you ask anyone involved with and build preparation stages must tools available within Delcam and metal Additive Manufacturing, they be built into the process plan. Autodesk to see how we can best will tell you that producing quality For the parts discussed here, we incorporate this exciting process parts always requires some kind started by looking at the role of in anticipation of what the World of post-processing operation. AM software within the process chain. Economic Forum calls the fourth should therefore be understood as More specifically, we looked at the industrial revolution [2]. one of the many processes that can be utilised to manufacture a part, not an end-to-end solution that stands alone. At Delcam, we have been involved with the production of metal AM parts for some time. Yet, time and again, we see the same Design 2: Traditional mistakes preventing manufacturers CAD design inspired by from achieving the part geometry the optimised topology that they are trying to create. Our experience tells us that the key to successfully producing quality metal AM parts lies in Original bracket Design 1: Optimised creating a comprehensive process topology plan [1]. This requires expertise Design 3: Shape and not only in Additive Manufacturing, weight optimised with but in every process required to stricter manufactur- manufacture the finished parts. ability considerations Understanding how to account for subtractive implications on the additive process at both the design Fig. 1 Overview of the evolution of the airbrake hinge bracket

Consequently, the Opti-Opti shape Why an airbrake hinge bracket? was used as a design template to produce a geometry that is more The airbrake hinge bracket acceptable for manufacture. This designed and built in this project resulted in the Opti-Trad (Design 2), was inspired by Bloodhound SSC, a traditional CAD design using a unique, high-technology project topology optimisation to explore to design and build a car that will design concepts (Fig. 2, bottom). break the 1,000 mph speed barrier. Inventor’s mechanical analysis and The bracket produced in our project simulation tools were again used to was completed independently of verify that the new design meets load the Bloodhound team [3]. and stress requirements. Image: Flock and Siemens The as-designed mass of What is an airbrake? Opti-Trad was 438.3 g, a 2% increase Commonly found on aeroplanes, an airbrake is simply a movable flap that compared to the machined-from- helps to reduce the speed of a moving object. In order to stop the Blood- solid bracket. Although the shape hound car within a distance of 5.5 miles, the brakes must virtually double inspiration of the optimised design the cross-sectional area and drag of the car. Consequently, Bloodhound’s has been kept, the Opti-Trad airbrakes are the biggest ever seen in land speed racing. The original part foregoes all the mass saving initially was milled from a solid block of titanium. seen. There certainly is a happy middle ground to be achieved and this is discussed over the following Reaction forces: pages. > 800 mph wind, > X: 128.3 lb force / 46.73 lb force in, > Y: -87.02 lb force / With our final designs approved 31.37 lb force in, > Z: 93.16 lb force / -34.63 lb force in for manufacture, we moved on to process planning, manufacturing preparation and production. These are iterative phases: you cannot define a process plan in isolation Objectives Working with colleagues at Autodesk, before moving on to preparation a topologically optimised shape and production. If only it were that In order to understand the possibili- was created using Inventor’s Shape simple. In reality, the process plan ties and limitations of the wide range Generator tool. The redesigned must be adapted to reflect the real of tools available to us, we took a part, called Opti-Opti (Design 1), decisions and compromises that known geometry from design all respects the weight and stiffness have to be made as you consult the way through to manufacture constraints required by the airbrake with individual process experts and and post-processing. The aim was (Fig. 2, middle). The shape was embark on each step. to explore whether the design smoothed and re-simulated against Inexperience is, without doubt, and manufacturing software and the original loads using Fusion the worst enemy of anyone who is processes available today could be Simulation to verify the lightweight starting to combine AM with other used coherently to enable the additive design, which must hold while the manufacturing processes. We were and subtractive manufacture of brakes are being applied at 850 mph. not immune to this and our learning quality metal parts. The optimised design, when realised, was accompanied by some painful At worst, we would identify would deliver a 22% mass saving experiences. Ultimately, as we roadblocks that prevent coherent compared to the original, machined- gain more experience of combining workflows and explore how we from-solid bracket. AM into the mix of manufacturing could facilitate seamless workflows However, with its crow’s feet processes and as more CAE software between design, preparation and design and cavities, it is not an ideal tools become available, we will see post-processing. shape for manufacture. A number more sharing of best practices and of the surfaces cannot be machined, the normalisation of these iterative The part meaning that some of the AM steps. support fixtures would be impossible As a side note, the mindset We took the design load cases and to remove and it would be difficult and the actions involved in this part requirements of an existing to achieve the required surface iterative process of planning and hinge bracket for an airbrake (see finish. Additional thought about the manufacturing preparation will Fig. 2, top). The current design manufacturability of the optimised differ slightly, depending on which weighs 430.3 g and was convention- shape and its effects on downstream material (titanium vs. aluminium ally machined from solid titanium. processes was therefore required. vs. steel, etc.) you are working

with, which AM technology (SLM, EBM, DED etc.) is being used, the quantities, and the strictness of the industry standards with respect to part and process quality (aerospace vs. Formula 1 etc.).

Process planning

Process planning is without doubt the most important step. We have identified eight key issues that the Original machined bracket process planner must consider. This is not an exhaustive list but it is a good starting point for any project. Planning is iterative and a comprehensive process plan emerges only by consulting with individual process experts and thinking about how each step in the process affects every other step. The principle of ‘rinse and repeat’ applies here. The key considerations of process planning include:

1. Manufacturing and product Design 1: Opti-Opti requirements What standards does the product have to conform to? This can include, but is not restricted to, material, quantities, tolerances, mechanical and surface properties.

2. Technology choice What technologies are required to realise the requirements - additive, subtractive, or other processes in some combination?

3. Process choice Design 2: Opti-Trad What processes are needed for each technology? This can be AM-powder bed, milling, turning, wire EDM or Fig. 2 Top: the existing bracket. Middle: Design 1, the Opti-Opti bracket, a full other processes such as thermal and topology optimisation of the original part. Bottom: Design 2, the Opti-Trad surface treatments. bracket, shape inspired by the topology optimised bracket

4. Machine choice What machines are needed and 6. Setups Alternatively, special machining available for each process choice? What set-up does each machine, fixtures may be required. This can be laser/EBM-based powder process and sub-process need? For 8. Execution sequencing bed AM, 3-5 axis milling, mill-turn, example, three setups on a 3-axis What is the execution order of each turn and/or submerged wire EDM mill or only one if a 5-axis machine is operation? It could be: first build machine. used. on a powder bed machine, then 5. Sub-processes 7. Work holding clean excess powder, then machine What sub-processes are involved for How will the part be held and fixtured holes with the parts still on the each of the process choices? This can in each setup? Perhaps the baseplate baseplate, then wire EDM a profile, be face or surface milling, drilling, or some surfaces on the part itself or some other more complex mix of boring, threading, wire cutting, are suitable, or it may be the case operations. powder and support removal etc. that standard clamps are enough.

Conversely, we could have decided to wire EDM the parts from the baseplate before machining. In such a case, we would have had to worry about how to hold the parts and how to obtain datum references. It may even have necessitated the production of special machining fixtures to hold the parts. This highlights how seemingly simple decisions have significant downstream impacts on the preparation stage and on subsequent processes. There are also cost implications to consider. In some cases, alterations to the original design may be required to accommodate the chosen manufacturing process. Fig. 3 A typical metal AM project plan Decisions about post-build processes need to be made as early as possible, even as early as the With these considerations in mind, Compromises are always design stage. A true understanding our starting point for Designs 1 and 2 required and this activity highlights of how each decision will affect the was to build both brackets, heat treat where these compromises had to build means that involving each to relieve stresses, machine only be made. For example, if we had member of the supply chain, from the interfaces and holes while on decided to machine while the parts the designer right through to those the baseplate, wire EDM the bottom were still attached to the baseplate, involved in the finishing processes, profile and clean up. This is just the this would have implications on the is critical to success. Unfortunately, high-level view of the manufacturing downstream processes. Surfaces there is currently a lack of cross- processes that we would have to of the baseplate could be used for pollination and interaction between use. It does not provide the level of clamping during machining, but we AM experts and other manufacturing detail necessary for a comprehensive had to think about how the parts experts, which makes this process plan. To achieve this, we had to walk would be nested relative to the more difficult. Our final process plan through each process to see where baseplate, which surfaces could is shown in Table 1. things overlap and where potential be used as datum references, tool problems might occur. access and so forth.

Steps Description

1 Manufacturing preparation Create the deposition model

2 AM preparation Create platform layout/nesting, orientation, fixturing, laser paths & export

3 AM build Build the brackets

4 Stress relief heat treatment Reduce residual stresses 5 3D scan inspection Confirm part dimensions after AM build and heat treatment 6 Milling preparation Create machining data, cutting trajectories and instructions

7 Machining Achieve the required dimensions and surface finish of mating faces and holes

8 Wire EDM preparation Create wire EDM cut profiles, machining data and instructions

9 Wire EDM Cut parts from baseplate and shape final geometry, remove support fixtures

10 Fixture removal & clean-up Remove remaining support fixtures

11 Vapor blasting Smooth out the surface and achieve a uniform finish

Table 1 The final process plan

following: creating the deposition Manufacturing preparation Creation of deposition model models, preparing for wire EDM, There are many parallels to be drawn milling, additive, work holding and Feature suppression between what is typically done for other processes. castings and what is needed for eg removing holes AM. Since cast parts always require Deposition model further processing, one of the golden Creating the NNS is often Feature modi cation rules of casting is to consult with overlooked - or only done partially eg over / undersizing each process expert before finalising by those using AM to create metal the design for manufacture. parts. What is more, it is not clear Feature addition Many casting foundries have who should be responsible for doing eg clamping, xturing etc complementary processes in-house, this – the designer/customer or the since processes such as heat machine operators. Any build project Structure creation on part delity, eg shrinkage on part delity, eg datum references treatment, shot blasting, machining, needs to clarify this responsibility Consider the impact of each step tooling, polishing and coating, as and confirm its completion. Fig. 4 Actions to perform when well as non-destructive testing, To make another parallel with creating the deposition model are commonly used in combination casting, typically the final part with casting to produce finished geometry is created by the customer products. It has taken years to build needing the part. Subsequently, the this expertise and production is relevant MfM rules are applied to other processes. As we go through guided by industry standards and best create a NNS that accommodates the preparation for each process practices, allowing casting to sit as a the needs of casting and subsequent below, it will become clear where fundamental manufacturing process. processes. This can mean adding these actions are performed and in The same expertise and excess stock material for machining, which context. understanding of multiple processes draft angles and part identification, EDM preparation is required by those involved in defining parting lines, managing Preparing for wire EDM is challenging producing metal AM parts, particu- hot spots and compensating for because there are strict conditions larly when we speak about manufac- shrinkage, to name but a few. that must be satisfied, leading us to turing preparation. Manufacturing If the customer has the ask ourselves the following questions: preparation means thinking about capabilities and expertise, they will each process and sub-process in the undertake this activity. Otherwise • Is there enough additional stock planning phase to visualise how they it is done in collaboration with the material to cut through without impact the final part. These impacts casting foundry. Consultation is key damaging the parts? here; otherwise, the likelihood of are countered by applying design for • Are the surfaces appropriate for mistakes is very high. MfM rules manufacture and manufacturability EDM? principles. must also be applied to create the At Delcam, we call this activity NNS for AM. However, such rules • What setups are necessary? Modelling for Manufacturing (MfM). are scarce or incomplete and typi- • How do we orientate the parts so This activity has a pivotal role in cally are not sufficiently far reaching that cutting does not damage the minimising throughput time, the to cover the complex multi-process baseplate or other parts on the number of setups and the pitfalls requirements of combining AM with platform? of each process, while maximising other manufacturing processes. • What cutting profiles are needed? part fidelity and the benefits of each In our experience, creating process. Practically speaking, this the NNS for AM typically involves • How can datum references be can mean transforming the final CAD the four actions outlined in Fig. 4. obtained and how reliable will geometry into a deposition model, These actions cannot be carried they be? which is typically called the near net out in isolation but must occur in • Will any loose powder be released shape (NNS). This transformation the context of each process and that could interrupt the cut? usually involves simplifying or sub-process involved and considera- • How can cutting information suppressing features that cannot be tion given to their interaction. For and surfaces be communicated created satisfactorily using AM and these brackets, we used our MfM effectively? adding features such as fixtures and software, PowerSHAPE, to complete datum references to aid downstream the required direct modelling tasks, The answer to some of these ques- processes. such as feature suppression and tions will have a significant impact on Consideration must also be given feature modification. The deposition how the AM preparation is performed, to platform layout, part orientation models emerged as a combination particularly part orientation and and the data export from the prepara- of all the impacts and decisions nesting. This demonstrates how the tion environment to the machine. For taken while preparing for wire EDM, individual processes are intricately our brackets, preparation involved the milling, additive, work holding and linked.

Asking these questions for our brackets led us to add 0.2 mm stock allowance to surfaces that would be cut by wire EDM. These surfaces are shown in orange in Fig. 5. The cut profiles, shown in relation to the reference datum bar, will create the shape of the final part. This step will also remove a large amount of the support fixtures (Fig. 6). As can be seen in Fig. 6, long rectangular bars were added to the baseplate as datum references for wire EDM. They were also used to set XY alignment of the part. These reference bars are aligned with the parts rather than the baseplate, meaning the part can be machined correctly even if the baseplate is misaligned. Of course, side effects of AM such as shrinkage should be accounted for, as these could change the dimensional accuracy and invalidate the datum references. This is discussed in more detail later. Finally, the wire cut path should be carefully defined with thought given to the order of operations. This should prevent additional geometries such as datum bars from being damaged or accidentally cut before they need to be used by another process.

Fig. 5 Wire EDM preparation: the orange lines are the cut lines and orange Milling preparation surfaces are stock additions To mill these brackets, we used a 5-axis machine with standard clamping and PowerMILL CAM software to generate the toolpaths for milling the surfaces and drilling the holes. ‘Gentle’ machining was specified for the part as we were uncertain how the support fixtures would react to machining. The fixtures might be strong enough to withstand machining loads in the z-axis but might not be strong enough when the loads are in the x-axis or y-axis. The main considerations that were of concern to us in relation to machining were:

• Is there enough additional stock material to cut through without damaging the part? • What is the material condition and will it cut properly? Fig. 6 The wire EDM process removes a number of the AM fixtures from the • What machine tool and cutting bracket tools are necessary/available?

• What setups are necessary? • How will the parts be held (work holding)? • What cutting strategies (toolpaths) are necessary? • Are the toolpaths safe and collision-free? • What data are necessary for the machine?

We machined the interfaces and holes while the part remained attached to the baseplate. These surfaces are highlighted in yellow in Fig. 7. For the holes, we added 1.5 mm of additional stock and 1 mm was added to the planar faces.

AM preparation Preparing for AM in this multi-stage process typically requires numerous iterations. The interactions of the processes culminate here because this is where every aspect needs to come together and be accounted for before the build starts. If anything needs to be changed after the part has started or finished building, this could mean scrapping the part. In order to prepare for AM and its interaction with the other processes, we asked ourselves the following Fig. 7 Net shapes with the surfaces that require machining shown in yellow and questions: additional stock material in orange • What is the build orientation of the parts? • How will the part be exposed? Thinking about machining issues Important parameters include such as clamping and cutting tool • How should parts be nested scan strategy, laser paths/power/ access forced us to use two half (i.e. positioned relative to one focus/speed baseplates, of 250 x 125 mm each, another)? • What data format does the AM instead of the standard single 250 x • How does nesting affect dosing machine need? 250 mm baseplate. This allowed us factors and powder utilisation? to build each part on its own plate, • What type of recoater blade is to PartBuilder, our AM preparation simplifying heat treatment, machining be used and how will that affect software, was used for orientation, tool access and clamping as well as the parts and support fixtures? nesting, fixturing, the creation workpiece handling. of reference data points and the The next task was to create general • What additional geometries need exposure data for the laser (slicing support fixturing. PartBuilder can to be built - datum references, and hatching). It was also used for determine where fixtures are neces- travel specimen etc? exporting build data specific to the sary, so we used it to automatically • What type of support fixtures are machine used. The process plan tells generate the majority of support needed and where? Important us to machine Design 1 and 2 parts on fixtures (approx. 80%) required for the considerations when designing the baseplate, so this means the part build (Fig. 8). For this build, we were support fixtures include the orientation is already constrained. working with titanium, a hard recoater type of process and material, Due to the size of the parts and the blade and machining on the baseplate. the size of the part, managing build envelope of the machine we However, the software cannot yet heat/distortion/stress, melt used, only two parts could be placed account for these variables. This pool stability and managing part on the platform. This determined the requires manual intervention from geometric fidelity part nesting. an engineer with an understanding

For machining Designs 1 and 2, only a single setup was used to machine all the holes and interfaces on the 5-axis milling machine. The baseplate was directly used for clamping, so no additional preparation was necessary. It is also important to think about the sequence of operations with respect to work holding, as compromises could be necessary. For example, the nesting decision for AM will affect how and where clamps for milling can be placed if the baseplate is to be used. In this case, nesting should not interfere with clamping surfaces. Subsequently, and more importantly, when a part is Fig. 8 Fixtures are added as the parts are prepared for additive manufacture separated from its baseplate, special care should be taken to ensure that clamping surfaces are available on the part and that there are surfaces appropriate for use as datum references. If the part has to be separated from its baseplate and is not a regular prismatic shape, then special machining fixtures will be required to hold the part.

Other processes The remaining ancillary processes include heat treatment, surface treatment, manual fixture removal and any other steps identified in the process plan. Though they may not require Fig. 9 Managing recoater contact and distortion any preparation, it is important to consider them and ask what additional geometry or data is necessary of the nuances of both AM and the Work holding preparation for these processes, and how should subtractive processes to identify Work holding for each set-up and each important information and work where problems could occur and take process should be given particular instructions be communicated. measures to prevent them. attention in order to avoid unexpected Our process plan called for vapor Anticipating distortion and how this surprises. For each process, sub- blasting of the surfaces, so we had might impede the recoating action, process and their associated set-up, to communicate that machined special bracing support fixtures we needed to consider the following: surfaces should be masked to prevent were added to critical areas (Fig. 9). damaging the as-machined surface At the layer height shown in Fig. 9 • What type of work holding/ finish. there were a number of individual clamping do we need and where The NNS that emerged for the overhanging material islands which do we put them? Opti-Trad bracket after all the had to be treated independently to • Do we need to build additional preparation steps had been followed prevent distortion. The number and geometries using AM, specifically is shown in Fig. 10. The final platform size of exposed sharp edges in the for clamping? layout after nesting is shown in recoating direction changes as the • Do we need to design and Fig. 11. Bracket Designs 1 and 2 are part is exposed and before individual fabricate special machining now ready to be built. islands of material join up. Therefore, fixtures? additional cylindrical fixtures were Preparing design 3 added at key locations (the red • What impact do these additions As stated earlier, the Opti-Trad columns in Fig. 8) to counteract have on upstream and down- bracket is slightly heavier than cutting forces during machining. stream processes? the original bracket after applying

traditional CAD design techniques. Going further than simply using the optimised bracket as a shape inspiration, stricter MfM and manufacturability considerations were applied while maintaining the weight saving benefits of the topology optimised bracket. To arrive at this particular design, we started with the Opti-Trad bracket (as shown in Fig. 2, bottom) and changed the manufacturing objective from machine only the interfaces and holes while on the baseplate to machine all surfaces. This strict requirement means that all geometric elements added Fig. 10 Final deposition model for Opti-Trad including all transformations during the preparation stage must be removed. It also highlights the need for compromises in the part design stage to account for the limitations of the AM process. Design changes were necessary to account for some of the manufacturability concerns. The purple additions shown in Fig. 12 are extra geometries constructed to eliminate the need for support fixtures in those areas as well as to close hollow cavities, which will be impossible to clean up. The final result is shown in Fig. 13. Accounting for performance, shape and mass gains originally obtained by topology optimisation achieves a 19% mass reduction compared to the original machined-from-solid part. Adding a high manufactur- Fig. 11 Final platform nesting with datum blocks for wire EDM and support fixtures ability constraint forced us to think for additive and subtractive even more about the end to end processes. The final platform layout after nesting is shown in Fig. 14. Bracket Design 3 is now ready to be built. A question asked when casting was maturing and which is very relevant today about AM is: can we define best practices/rules for experts and non-experts to make effective and impactful changes to part geometries without compro- mising part fidelity or negatively impacting manufacturability? The activities performed before the AM build began, along with supporting software, are summarised in Fig. 15. This process includes design, topology optimisation, simulation, planning and all preparation activities. Fig. 12 Design changes to improve manufacturability

Fig. 13 Design 3, mass optimised with strict Fig. 14 Final deposition model for Design 3 including all manufacturability considerations transformations

Production Metrology and machining

Production of the brackets revolved around physical • 3D scan inspection: controlling part dimensions with actions to realise the process plan. Actions included 3D optical scanning (Fig. 19). setting up each machine, obtaining appropriate datum • Machine setup & Fixturing: Setting up the milling references and alignment, performing the necessary machine by defining part position and alignment, actions such as cutting or scanning until the final products clamping and programs before cutting (Fig. 20). emerged. Figs. 16-26 show the production stages for Designs 1 and 2 only. • Machining & On-Machine Verification/Inspection: Machining interfaces and holes, verifying and control- Additive build and heat treatment ling part dimensions (Fig. 21).

• AM machine set-up: manually installing and checking flatness of baseplate, manually cleaning the glass Wire EDM aperture of the laser, manually filling in powder and • Machine setup & Fixturing: Setting up the wire EDM filling in ‘holes’ between the baseplate (Fig. 16) machine by defining part position and alignment • AM build and reveal: manually removing powder with a before cutting (Fig. 22). vacuum to reveal the parts (Fig. 17) • Wire EDM to separate the part from the baseplate, • Post heat treatment: brackets after heat treatment remove the support fixtures and achieve final part with a plastic mock-up of the original bracket (Fig. 18) dimensions on some surfaces (Fig. 23).

Design specs reuirement Design, optimisation, simulation, planning and Topolog optimiation preparation activities rough reAD

Simulation to derive forces Initial design Shape generation Templating Simulation to prove design ire DM preparation Manufacturing ReCAD M preparation Pro le curve creation AM preparation Import & setup de nition Import to FeatureCAM Machine & tool creation WCS setup Import & le repair Trajectory generation Trajectory generation Modeling for Part nesting / orientation Simulation / veri cation Simulation / veri cation ng. reAD manufacture Datum structures NC code generation NC code generation 3 Fixture generation Export for machine tool Export for wireEDM Plan Manufacturability Deposition model Trajectory generation ReCAD creation Export for AM Manufacturing process planning PartBuilder

Fig. 15 Schematic of design, optimisation, simulation, planning and preparation activities used

Fig. 16 Machine setup. Top left, manually installing and checking flatness of Fig. 17 Manually removing powder baseplate; Top right, manually cleaning the glass aperture of the laser; bottom left, with a vacuum cleaner to reveal the manually filling in powder; bottom right, filling in ‘holes’ between the baseplate parts

Fig. 18 The brackets after heat treatment with a plastic mock-up of the Fig. 19 3D optical scanning original part

Fig. 20 Machine setup and fixturing: setting up the milling machine by defining part position and alignment, clamping and programs before cutting

Fig. 21 Machining interfaces and holes, verifying and controlling part dimensions

Fig. 22 Wire EDM setup and fixturing: Fig. 23 Wire EDM to separate the part from the baseplate, remove the support setting up the wire EDM machine by fixtures and achieve final part dimensions on some surfaces defining part position and alignment before cutting

Fig. 24 Clean-up: manual fixture removal and clean-up of witness marks

Fig. 25 Vapour blasting to produce a uniform surface finish. Machined surfaces and holes are masked to protect them

Clean-up and surface treatment • Manual fixture removal and clean-up of witness marks (Fig. 24)

• Vapor blasting to produce a uniform surface finish. Machined surfaces and holes are masked to protect them (Fig. 25).

The final parts are shown in Fig. 26. The activities performed during the production/execution stage are best Fig. 26 The final parts summarised by Fig. 27, along with the supporting software tools used. with conventional touch probing and adjust the downstream processes Reflections on the process optical 3D scanning, this revealed accordingly. Without absolute non-uniform shrinkage in some certainty, cutting the parts could have Our experience in designing, areas. Scanning also confirmed the resulted in costly damage. Looking optimising, preparing and manu- extent of delamination illustrated in at the planarity of the three holes facturing these brackets has left Fig. 29. This could have been as a shown in Fig. 28, had we machined us with many topics to discuss and result of the scaling factor used and/ without first verifying positions, these reflect on. The following examples or the heat treatment. Regardless features would have been incorrectly illustrate the need to consider how of the cause, one thing is clear – at machined. seemingly small decisions taken this stage in the development of Until we are at a point where at each step of the process can metal AM technology, we need to we can reliably predict the shape affect the later stages. Until we can introduce more measurements and of parts, such measurement freely share and understand the quality operations into the production activities are critical. We must black arts and artisanal secrets of process in order to understand what follow quality assurance guidelines AM, the process will not become is happening to the part and how each offered by committees formulating a standard technique within the process affects the shape. Since we manufacturing standards as well as manufacturing family alongside only scanned these brackets fully discussing openly how to account casting, forging etc. after heat treatment, we do not know for the peculiarities of Additive what the geometric fidelity was like Manufacturing. Metrology and quality assurance immediately after building. Additional Following the build, we heat measurements steps before heat AM build: issues observed treated the parts in a vacuum to treatment and after machining Currently, support fixture generation reduce residual thermal stresses. would have allowed us to track the is one of the black arts of metal AM. When the parts were inspected shape changes more accurately and Depending on the material, only the

Schematic of manufacturing steps

utractive milling Additive process Machine setup Machine setup Fixturing utractive wireDM utractive manual AM build Metrolog OMV inspection inal surface treatment Remove from machine Machining 3 Machine setup Clean up loose powder Parameter setup tress relief 3D scan inspection Initial inspection Manual Fixture heat treatment WireEDM Removal & clean up Vapour blasting

Fig. 27 Schematic of manufacturing steps from additive build to machining and finishing

(SCFs) can be applied in order to change the nominal dimensions of the entire part. In casting there are established SCFs that are applied, depending on material, geometry and other considerations. However, as the complexity of cast parts increases, application of SCF becomes more complicated and requires careful consideration. Generally, experience, some guidelines and trial and error are frequently used. The emergence of casting simulation software to predict the extent of shrinkage and other thermal effects is helping to give more insight. It is not yet clear whether the factors and methods Fig. 28 The 3D optical scan results used in casting are directly applicable to Additive Manufacturing. Currently, the shrinkage compen- most experienced and knowledgeable they would be strong enough to sation factors used in AM and how AM practitioners are doing this withstand the machining loads while they are determined is one of the successfully and even they have no the holes were drilled into the solid other black arts and artisanal secrets. way of knowing whether what they material. As a compromise, the holes Usually the assumption is that there have prepared is going to work. At were undersized in the NNS before is homogenous shape deviation for a Delcam, we are acutely aware of building, meaning that they could particular direction and therefore only this issue and it is in the industry’s be milled to the correct size rather a single SCF is applied to the nominal interest to find a pragmatic solution. than drilled into the solid material. dimension in a given direction. This Despite considering a number of Additional stiffening fixtures were method is problematic because potentially problematic areas during also added after understanding the the effects of different geometric the preparation of these brackets, we operators’ concerns. This is particu- features, their sizes, locations and still encountered problems. “Titanium larly important because using block orientations are not taken into always finds a way to surprise” is a supports is commonplace in AM, as account. SCF based solely on the statement we hear often. is the practice of removing features thermal expansion characteristics The support fixtures of our as-built such as holes to achieve more of additive materials are known to parts were generally sufficient except accurate positioning and tolerances. be insufficient when dealing with around the back pivot hole where a If parts are to be machined while still complex AM parts. separation between the part and its on their baseplates, the strength of For shrinkage, the solution might support fixtures can be seen (Fig. 29, these supporting structures should be, as proposed by Ning [4] ,to bottom). This could be the result be assessed and provisions made to compensate by changing process of high residual thermal stresses account for machining loads. parameters or improved simulation due to the shape of the part, uneven and modelling tools, or applying cooling rates and/or the large mass of Compensation factors: build careful distortion compensation. material in this region. This fault had accuracy Whatever the solution, we need better a number of downstream impacts. How accurately parts are built understanding of the problem before Firstly, a cosmetic error in the form of depends on a number of factors. new methods can be developed to a horizontal line was observed on the Through this process, we have rectify it. Opti-Opti part (Fig. 29, top). Secondly, uncovered a number of relevant Secondly, depending on how the the part physically moved, directly factors for which published informa- machine has been calibrated, part affecting milling and wire EDM datum tion is scarce. dimensions can vary. Calibration references as well as the positions of Firstly, as a part is built, powder factors, typically applied to XY important features. is transformed from loose powder dimensions per layer, depend on Additionally, consultation with to molten metal before solidifying. the machine and the defined build the machine operators during the In each stage, there is a negative tolerance. Factors can also be varied preparation phase raised questions volume change that occurs, called from build to build, depending on the about the efficacy of the trees shrinkage. This is a known thermal as-built dimensional requirements and column support fixtures. The phenomenon. To counteract this, of a part. Since the part can be built operators were not confident that shrinkage compensation factors slightly over- or undersized or exactly

to CAD, special care and attention must be paid to dimensional accuracy requirements so that the part is built within tolerances. Thirdly, the build strategy (and therefore the path that the laser follows as it builds the external and internal boundary contours of each layer) can have a substantial effect on the dimensional accuracy of the part. As each line is traced and melted by the laser, there is an effective welded track width. On these boundary contours, the part dimensions can be slightly over- or undersized or exactly to CAD depending on the build strategy and a parameter referred to as beam offset or beam compensation. Again, special care and attention must be paid to dimensional accuracy so that the part is built within the required tolerances. Knowing about and discussing these important compensation factors can have a marked impact on the achieved dimensional accuracies of parts. For a machinist, for example, knowing the condition of supply of a part is paramount if they are to perform their precision finishing task well.

Part nesting: which way is up? Everyone in the chain has their own priorities and is thinking about their individual step in isolation. In these bracket examples, the nesting angle of the parts (Fig. 30) was changed because the AM machine operator was not sure if he had enough titanium powder to complete the job. Consequently, the operator rotated the part 180° around its vertical axis as a means of bringing the highest portion of the part closer to the start of the recoater blade’s course. This change was not communicated and therefore the process plan was not updated. Such changes are commonly made by machine operators when powder levels are running low. After all, titanium powder is expensive and having unnecessary powder stockpiles represents a substantial investment for sub-contractors. This important build decision was Fig. 29 Build issues observed

Fig. 30 Rotated parts, as-prepared vs. as-built

taken without consideration of the what the concerns are of each actor problem is the fact that the machine downstream processes and resulted in the supply chain. It is only then we were using, a top-of-the-range in a number of issues. that they would be able to mitigate metal powder bed machine, cannot First, during machining, surfaces any potential problems. Otherwise recover unused powder from its over- that were required for clamping and the actor will only do what makes flow bin during a build. Running out work holding were noticeably reduced their own lives easier, which may or of raw material mid-build could mean (Fig. 31). Compromises had to be may not be in line with the process the part would have to be scrapped if made while setting up the milling plan. an identical batch of powder cannot machine to rectify this unexpected The concern of the AM machine be obtained. When a suitable powder issue. The risk of collisions between operator and his decision stemmed is available, stopping the machine the cutting tool and the clamps was from the fact that he has no reliable to restock powder levels can cause suddenly increased because the CAD way to know and effectively control cosmetic errors, such as the visible file and the machining work instruc- powder use. There is a lack of tools horizontal line that formed across our tions no longer match the physical to determine how much powder part (Fig. 29). The commercial impact part. will be required for the entire build of lost production time and rebuilding Second, during preparation, it and to properly cover the exposure parts could be costly. was anticipated that a hard recoater area of each layer without over or blade would be used. As such, if there under dispensing powder. This is Datum references and education was any distortion, there might be the dosage factor and some of the Additive parts are near net shapes collision between the recoater blade advanced systems available today and machining such parts is akin and the part. To prevent this, special are still only reactive, meaning that to machining castings or forgings, bracing support fixtures were added. they compensate if powder is over or processes that also produce near net During manufacture, however, a soft under dosed. Preparation software, shapes. On such shapes, there are recoater blade was used to ensure such as PartBuilder could potentially many ways to obtain datum references a high probability of a successful be used to determine setpoints for setup and part alignment, but build (the tree support fixtures used for the dosage factor of each layer typically it is best if datum surfaces were not known to the AM machine and thus estimate powder need. are features on the part. This operator and he had doubts about Conversely, if the AM slice formats ensures the highest reliability of their effectiveness). Consequently, and machines were updated to the datum references. There is a lot the parts were over-fixtured, resulting support such setpoint parameters, of thought that goes into defining in additional material needing to be this could improve the estimation datum references and the associated used and later cleaned up. of powder required for a build. Until work holding. These two important It is clear that, in any build project, the machines are able to do this aspects are sometimes overlooked the project manager (what we call or machines with powder conveyor for AM and, even when they are not the orchestrator) and the process systems are more commonplace, overlooked, they are incompletely planning team must be well versed the machine operators have to provided. The cost associated with in the ins and outs of AM and the guess and use their experience to such oversight can be shocking. other manufacturing processes. It is determine what dosage factors to For datum references, an observed important to know and understand apply and when. Compounding this practice in AM is to add blocks which

are additional geometries built directly on the baseplate as seen in Fig. 6. To machine these brackets, we followed this same practice to see how different actors in our supply chain would deal with them. For machining, we used Delcam’s Advanced Manufacturing Facility in Birmingham, UK. The operators there refused to use these surfaces because they did not trust them. This was simply because they were not attached to the parts and this was an unfamiliar technique for them. The operators involved have not been exposed to many additive parts. They simply used their tried and trusted Fig. 31 Here the clamping area for the build plate has been noticeably reduced conventional methods i.e. touch probing the holes in the part and orthogonal surfaces for alignment Hardware: build volume ourselves included, follow a trial and and positioning to achieve the best The quoted AM machine build volume, error approach. First build a part, see fit to CAD. For wire EDM, these particularly the build height, is not what goes wrong and apply lessons blocks were used for alignment and a static value. Depending on the learnt to improve the next build. To positioning without question. The material that is to be processed, the quote Steve Hobbs, Development operators here are relatively more thickness of the baseplate might need Director at Delcam, “It’s not accept- familiar with cutting additive parts. to be changed to prevent distortion able to make four parts and get only Where possible, any part that is when working with bulky titanium one good one. We need to be able to be produced by AM and further parts for example. This increase in to do better than that.” This is not processed with other conventional baseplate thickness reduces the only wasteful and inefficient, but it techniques should ensure that effective build height of the machine. represents a huge obstacle to taking proper work holding and datum Properly communicating this change AM beyond rapid prototyping. It is clear references are considered. If the part in size to customers will go a long that, as an industry, we need more to be machined is non-prismatic, one way to preventing unwanted surprises effort and tools to identify potential benefit of AM is that datum blocks such as preparing a large part only to problems. could potentially be added during find out that the maximum part height It is encouraging to see groups like preparation and built with the part. cannot be attained due to the thicker 3DSIM, Additive Industries and Sigma Once the blocks serve their purpose, baseplate. Doing this will increase Labs [5] working on addressing known they will need to be removed. transparency between machine quality assurance problems across It would go a long way in fitting vendors and machine users. the AM process chain. Indeed, we do AM into the manufacturing family not have years to wait for answers to if we all spoke a familiar language. Predictability & repeatability these issues. We must take a realistic Where necessary, existing geometric There are many variables to consider look at the problems to come up with dimensioning and tolerancing when working with metal additive pragmatic, reliable solutions for them. standards (GD&T), such as ASME processes from planning and prepara- The lack of process understanding and Y14.5, should be applied to minimise tion decisions to laser exposure other issues precluding metal AM from misinterpretations and mistakes. parameters, material sourcing, widespread use are difficult enough, Traditional supply chain actors thermal impacts and the limitations but, when we add the complexity of may never have processed additive of AM machines. These factors multi-process production, the picture parts, so they will simply apply together have a marked effect on the appears daunting. It is going to take conventional thinking and familiar predictability and repeatability (P&R) an industrial effort to realise the true methods. Decisions taken during of the as-built additive parts. Without potential of this exciting technology. preparation must either be carefully measurable P&R, more uncertainty is Everyone from process experts, communicated with them or already introduced for later stage processes planners, designers, machine makers, be in line with what they expect to like wire EDM and machining. Even CAD-CAM vendors, supply chain actors see. As we grow as an industry, if problems are not easily corrected, and standards bodies are going to it is to the benefit of the existing being able to consistently reproduce have to play their part. From what we manufacturing actors and the new and quantify them is very important. have learnt, we know that Delcam and actors to educate each other. Currently many AM practitioners, Autodesk also have a part to play.

Software Conclusion ranging from aerospace and automo- Going through the complete chain, tive to toys and sports equipment. The from design and simulation to We started by looking at the role company has more than 30 offices planning, preparation and produc- of software within the process worldwide and approximately 700 tion, shows that the current tools chain. By working with various employees. www.delcam.com can enable additive and subtractive bracket shapes from design all the manufacture of quality metal parts. way through to manufacture and Autodesk There is still work to be done to post-processing, we explored what is Autodesk is a leader in 3D design, improve some of the workflows currently possible with the available engineering and entertainment along the data chain to make them tools and processes at our disposal. software and acquired Delcam in 2014 more coherent and seamless. The potential of how software can as part of its expansion into manufac- This coherence is essential in be used to enable the additive and turing and fabrication. From additive order to increase productivity and subtractive manufacture of produc- to subtractive manufacturing and quality assurance. We want to give tion quality metal parts is discussed other related technologies, Autodesk practitioners the ability to realise and the primary conclusion that we now has the pieces needed to truly their designs and ideas. If those can draw is that there is still some realize the Future Of Making Things designs are to reach production, work to be done if Additive Manufac- for everyone from a maker to a major they must be verified and prepared turing is to reach its full potential. manufacturer. www.autodesk.com digitally in a safe environment. Everyone from process experts, planners, designers, machine They should be able to predict References problems and resolve them before makers, CAD-CAM vendors, supply chain actors and standards bodies ever going onto a machine. It is [1] 10 Valuable Lessons from an are going to have to be involved to better that they see the failure in a Additive Metal Part, Article From: truly enable this exciting technology. software environment than in real 10/30/2015 Additive Manufacturing, life, where costs and consequences Peter Zelinski , Editor-in-Chief, www. are much higher. Author additivemanufacturing.media/articles/ Thinking beyond AM, CAD [2] [http://goo.gl/xTUFFK – link to and design, which are being Kelvin Hamilton WEF report] covered by the 3D Manufacturing Project Engineer R&D Projects [3] For more information about the Format Consortium (3MF), it Delcam, Birmingham, UK Bloodhound SSC’s air brakes, see raises the question: what about Email: [email protected] www.bloodhoundssc.com/news/ the interaction of AM with other airbrake-motion manufacturing processes? Drawing Delcam an analogy with the building and Delcam is one of the world’s leading [4] Ning Y, Wong Y, Fuh JY, Loh HT. An construction industry and the suppliers of advanced computer- approach to minimize build errors in revolution seen there with the aided manufacturing (CAM) software. direct metal laser sintering. Autom widespread use of BIM (Building Headquartered in Birmingham, UK, Sci Eng IEEE, Trans On 2006;3:73–80. Information Modelling), the Delcam’s range of design, manu- [5] www.3dprint.com/73525/ author wonders if manufacturing, facturing and inspection software metalfab1-quality-assurance/ including additive, needs its own provides automated CAD/CAM information model? solutions for a variety of industries,

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Renishaw: Global Solutions Centres offer end-users an alternative route to develop new metal AM applications

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.

Headquartered in Wotton-under- The acquisition of was billed as component production. At the time of Edge, Gloucestershire, UK Renishaw a natural fit for Renishaw, most the acquisition, Renishaw was already plc is one of the world’s leading notably because of the company’s a user of AM technology for the engineering, science and technology leading market position in the world manufacture of dental restorations, companies, with more than 70 of metrology and process control, bringing both an understanding of offices in 35 countries employing both complementary and necessary the status of the technology and an over 4,000 people. The company areas of expertise for anyone looking awareness of its challenges and the is also an established and high to enter the market for metal AM potential. profile metal Additive Manufacturing machine manufacturer. It was following the acquisition of MTT Technologies Ltd (MTT) in April 2011 that Renishaw made the move into metal AM equipment production. Upon completion of the acquisition MTT was incorporated into a new Additive Manufacturing Products Division at Renishaw with a specific focus on the development and further commercialisation of metal AM technologies. MTT’s heritage stretches back to the earliest days of the commercial development of metal AM with the first sales of systems in the UK in 2004. Since the acquisition the division has grown from 35 staff to Fig. 1 Rows of Renishaw AM250 machines building parts for customers in the over 250 AM employees. customer builds and applications area in Stone, Staffordshire

Fig. 2 Robin Weston, Marketing Fig. 4 A Renishaw EquatorTM comparative measurement and inspection system Manager for Renishaw’s Additive in the laboratory at the Stone Solutions Centre manufacturing operations (Image Renishaw plc)

Centre at Wotton-under-Edge and materials including aluminium, by software teams in Pune, India, steels, superalloys and titanium and manufacturing teams in Cardiff, alloys. Given the production capacity Wales. The Solutions Centre in Stone in the hall and the expertise on-site, encompasses the division’s offices Renishaw’s Stone facility could rightly and R&D facilities and covers some be considered as the UK’s largest 9000 m2 of floor space. metal AM facility. Air quality is monitored to help The role of Renishaw’s understand the environmental impact of metal AM operations and powder Solutions Centres handling is extremely carefully Renishaw’s strategy for the develop- controlled, with dedicated storage ment of its AM business is the and handling rooms for each material establishment of metal AM solutions type. Operators, when handling centres worldwide. Whilst not all will powders, wear advanced protective be the size of the facility in Stone, masks with powered air filtering they will all serve the common systems for protection from powder inhalation. Fig. 3 An Instron tensile testing purpose of providing an environment Explaining the motivation behind machine in the laboratory at for potential and existing customers the Solutions Centre programme, Renishaw’s Stone Solutions Centre to develop and prove the viability of a specific metal AM application in which will see a number of additional a secure, confidential environment locations opening up worldwide When Metal Additive Manufac- with the close support of Renishaw’s this year, Robin Weston, Marketing turing magazine visited the Renishaw technical experts. Manager for Renishaw’s AM opera- facility in Stone, Staffordshire, in To this end, the Stone facility today tions, (Fig. 2), stated, “For companies January it was nearly five years since operates as a fully fledged metal who want to be able to manufacture the acquisition and over this period AM manufacturing and development a small number of components the company’s AM operations have centre. Walking into the impressive by metal AM, a service bureau experienced dramatic growth. It main metal AM production hall is can be a cost effective solution. was also a year to the day that the in many regards a glimpse of what However, if your aim is to move company acquired the building that is one imagines the factory of the towards developing in-house AM now home to the Renishaw’s Additive future might look like (Fig. 1). In a production facilities, then by using a Manufacturing operations. Alongside bright and immaculately clean hall, service bureau you may only learn a Stone, the division is supported by a more than 40 Renishaw metal AM limited amount about how jobs are large group of development engineers machines are in operation, silently completed. Our Solutions Centres, at the new Renishaw Innovation manufacturing parts from various on the other hand, aim to address

this by allowing potential customers to use our software, production equipment and testing facilities over an extended period whilst working in close collaboration with our in-house experts.” “Solutions Centres offer a way to build up your knowledge of the AM process, whilst at the same time moving potential applications closer to commercial production. At the end of the process, you can make an informed investment in AM systems knowing that they can meet your requirements. Within the Solutions Centre there is a pre-production facility that customers can use once the initial development Fig. 5 Lattice test structures built on Renishaw AM250 metal AM system at The work is complete, whilst in parallel University of Nottingham, as part of the Aluminium Lightweight Structures via seeking or developing an alternative Additive Manufacturing (ALSAM) project (Image Renishaw plc) supply chain,” stated Weston. “R&D activities can of course be undertaken in collaboration with researchers often work in close cooperation high resolution optical microscopy, at university centres but there is with Universities and customers to a state of the art Renishaw Equator always the challenge of competing combine fundamental research with gauging system, abrasive cutters for precious machine time with other application expertise to achieve a and polishing equipment for optical projects. In our solutions centres, the successful outcome.” and microstructural analysis, density large numbers of machines available In addition to the main manu- and hardness testing systems and can ensure that customer projects facturing hall, an extremely tensile testing facilities. Powder are completed within the agreed time, well-equipped laboratory supports testing includes Hall flow for powder budget and quality expectations. the projects undertaken at the flowability, a powder rheometer for Choosing an approach will depend Solutions Centre (Figs. 3 and 4). The flow characteristics, a particle size on the scope of the project. We laboratory includes SEM with EDS, analyser and a powder blender. A

UK Stuttgart

Shanghai Pune Chicago Toronto

Dallas

Fig. 6 Worldwide locations of Renishaw’s AM Solutions Centre (Image Renishaw plc)

Fig. 7 Renishaw’s entry level AM250 system Fig. 8 The new RenAM 500M metal AM system from Renishaw (Image Renishaw plc) (Image Renishaw plc)

vacuum furnace is also installed and Renishaw’s AM machine Weston told Metal AM magazine, “A there is also a dedicated area for the range major difference between our AM250 removal of components from build and the RenAM 500M is that the plates and subsequent machining The workhorses of Renishaw’s AM majority of systems in the machine operations. Dedicated private offices range are the AM250 (Fig. 7) and are developed in-house, in contrast to and meeting facilities are also AM400 systems. Both machines the AM250’s extensive use of off-the- available for customers to use whilst have build volumes of 250 mm × 250 shelf components. This has not only on-site that include separate secure mm × 300 mm, however whilst the offered far greater development computing facilities. AM250 has a 200 W laser the AM400 flexibility, but also enabled increased Commenting on the benefits of has a 400 W laser. Both systems in-house quality control.” working closely with Renishaw’s have evolved from their initial “In addition to their technical customers in such an environment, configurations with enhancements capabilities, the concept and design of Weston stated, “The work undertaken that include larger filters, improved AM machines is evolving to meet the at our Solutions Centre also gives us control software, revised gas flow ever more sophisticated requirements tremendous insight into the needs and window protection systems. of end-users. Our machines have of our customers and the challenges Both systems have a beam a footprint that is as compact as that those new to this technology face. diameter of 70 micron ensuring possible in recognition of the fact By being able to work in partnership the transferability of existing 200 W that these machines are frequently on the development of a project, parameters to the 400 W system. used in high cost economies where further opportunities for the applica- Renishaw’s most significant space is at a premium. They are also tion of metal AM in their business can machine launch since entering being designed to make all operator be identified, thereby increasing AM’s the market for metal AM systems intervention as efficient as possible. applications and market share.” is, however, its new RenAM 500M A simple example in the case of the In addition to the centre in Stone, system (Fig. 8). As well as allowing RenAM 500M was to move the powder Renishaw also has additional UK an increased z-axis travel of 350 loading system to waist height, rather Solutions Centres in Bristol and mm, the RenAM 500M has been than at the top of the machine as on Cardiff. Additional locations due to be specifically developed for the earlier models. The ultimate goal opened during 2016 include Stuttgart industrial production of metal is to move to full automation, but in Germany, Dallas and Chicago in the AM parts. Upgraded to include a to achieve this effectively it is our US, Toronto in Canada, and Shanghai, 500 W laser, the system features belief that this will require significant China. The company’s first Indian automated powder and waste further advances in process Solutions Centre has already opened handling systems to enable understanding,” added Weston. in Pune. consistent process quality and In an area adjacent to the main reduced operator interaction. metal AM parts production hall in

Stone is the development and testing area for new models of Renishaw’s AM machines. Commenting on the current machine range and future machine developments, Weston stated that whilst the company is developing new multi-laser systems and systems with the next generation of process monitoring capabilities, it is not in the company’s nature to rush such important developments to market. “We will not launch such a system until it is has been thoroughly tested and evaluated. As a major international technology company operating in a wide range of markets, we have a hard built reputation to protect.” Whilst most product development takes place in Stone, research and development is conducted across multiple sites where the relevant Fig. 9 An intercooler for the Swansea University Formula Student (FSAE) race expertise exists, such as optical car, built in aluminium, using Renishaw AM250 system (Image Renishaw plc) engineering, software, process and motion control and many other disciplines. The manufacture of the installed in machine shops around maintain the entire process in company’s AM machines takes place the country.” house to offer premium service to at the 775,000 m2 Miskin site, near Orsi added, “With this its customers.” Cardiff, South Wales. background the expectations for the Concluding, Orsi stated, “We’re growth of Additive Manufacturing facing strong competition in Italy, cannot be anything other than really no doubt. However, the whole Italy: A success story in positive and recent sales figures sector is thriving. Renishaw in Metal AM confirm this. In Italy we have a particular has advantages in firm position in the metalworking terms of low entry barriers and Whilst Europe as a whole is a major business, not only with Additive significant application support, market for Renishaw’s AM division, Italy is regarded as somewhat of a pioneer in terms of metal AM “Whilst Italy is a very active country technology adoption and as such is a regarded as a unique market for in industrial and medical Renishaw. The company’s Enrico Orsi, Product Manager Italy, told Additive Manufacturing, some very Metal AM magazine, “Whilst Italy large players for aerospace and is a very active country in industrial and medical AM, some very large energy already have manufacturing players for aerospace and energy sites” already have manufacturing sites. A surprisingly high number of medical implants are additively Manufacturing technologies but also which are extremely important to manufactured and of course we host with Renishaw’s other technologies new companies trying to integrate some of the world’s most important that provide the link between the Additive Manufacturing in their motor racing teams. All of this is different stages that bring a product machine shops and factories. The backed up by a history of excellence to life, from metal powder supply core of the Italian manufacturing in manufacturing technology that through to post-build inspection, sector is built on small and medium places the country as the fourth machining setup, inspection and enterprises and the factors above largest machine tool manufacturer post-process certification. In this are extra important for this type of worldwide and one of the top in sense we’re ideally placed to companies, making us even better terms of machine usage, with over support the typical Italian mid-size placed.” 300,000 metal working machines machine shop, which likes to

significant topology optimisation and a re-design for weight reduction and improved mechanical properties.” Renishaw has high hopes that the nature of the services offered in its new Shanghai Solutions Centre will go a long way towards managing technology expectations and increasing process knowledge in this key global market.

Metal powder solutions

Renishaw, in line with other machine makers, also supplies metal powders to its customers. Whilst powders are not typically manufactured by the machine makers, powders are specified and qualified to guarantee optimum performance in a manufacturer’s system. Commenting on the use of third party powders Weston stated, “Powders for AM have to meet very specific requirements and have to The number of senior customers offer consistent properties from batch to batch. Any variation in powder size Fig. 10 A screenshot of Renishaw’s QuantAM software showing a slice of a distribution or chemical composition complex manifold (Image Renishaw plc) will directly impact the stability of the process and the properties of The potential for metal AM with a higher level of expertise is, the finished product. We therefore in China however, comparably less. There naturally encourage the use of our own is limited understanding of how to certified powders in the development Renishaw has performed strongly design or optimise products for metal of new applications. Some experienced in China in recent years across all AM, or how to combine metal AM with customers, in particular customers its product ranges and the country conventional processes in solutions with a well equipped metallurgical remains the biggest market for for aerospace, medical and tooling department, are naturally in a strong Renishaw PLC. Jiandong He, AM applications,” stated He. position to experiment with powder Application Manager for Renishaw He also believes that expectations from other sources and have the in China, continues to see great for metal AM in China are too high. capability to do the necessary testing, potential for AM technology in China. analysis and classification of the incoming powder themselves, or with support from Renishaw as required.” “AM can’t just be used with the expectation One area of research at Renishaw is understanding the impact of recycling of getting equal or better performance on metal powders. Weston stated, “We compared to traditionally designed monitored the powder and mechanical properties of twenty builds in which products unless there is significant a single batch of powder was used. topology optimisation and a re-design for After every build the unmelted powder in the overflow and build volume was weight reduction and improved mechanical sieved and returned to the hopper for the next build. Unused powder left properties” in the hopper after each build was not disturbed. We found that there was very little change to the powder “The industry and the market trends “AM can’t just be used with the chemistry [interstitials] and tensile are more or less the same as in expectation of getting equal or better properties over the progression of Europe and the US, especially for the performance compared to tradition- the re-use. Component density was lower technical level AM adopters. ally designed products unless there is consistently measured at 99.9%

through all the builds. Data from a more rigorous version of this experiment is currently being analysed.” Inovar Communications Ltd “It’s important to note, however, that an aspect such as chemical composition is very much dependent on atmosphere control in the AM machine and this can vary Complex, high significantly from manufacturer to manufacturer,” added Weston. volume components Looking ahead from titanium, Whilst Metal AM technology has advanced dramatically in recent years, the process currently remains relatively slow and labour intensive, with limited useful process control superalloys and capabilities. The industry is, however, continuing to move in the right direction at pace with a view to optimising the stainless steels process for commercial production. “The key to this is automation, however, effective automation requires advances in process control and monitoring to improve quality and repeatability,” commented Weston. “A priority for the industry will be a major advance in software for AM. Integrated software tools need to be able to take the end-user from the CAD drawing to the finished component, including topology optimisation, the generation of support structures and quality control. A more connected process chain will be far more advantageous and bring huge benefits down the 5

E line.” B M

In many cases the individual software components for .

o each step exist or are in an advanced stage of develop- V ment. QuantAM (Fig. 10), Renishaw’s own dedicated build preparation package, provides a selection of tools for file preparation. “We have considerable software development experience and there are around 300 employees dedicated to software development within the company, so this area isn’t new to us. We believe that this is just one aspect of our business that sets us apart from other AM technology developers,” commented Weston. in this issue Company pr It was also stated that another pressing challenge ofile: Inmatec Ceramics in luxury wat ches is that of education and training. “What is clear to us Additive Manuf acturing of ceramics Published by Ino var Communications Ltd www.pim-int is that the skills ecosystem is too small. Training for ernational.com the development of AM needs to move from high level research to practical industry-oriented training that can help support the growth of the industry.” Renishaw is developing and maturing its customer education and training programmes for AM technologies to support Download PIM International subsidiaries and customers. magazine and discover the Contact world of metal and ceramic injection moulding Robin Weston Marketing Manager, Additive Manufacturing Products Division Renishaw plc Brooms Road, Stone Business Park Stone, Staffordshire, ST15 0SH, United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0) 1785 28 5000 Email: [email protected] www.renishaw.com www.pim-international.com

Vol. 2 No. 1 © 2016 Inovar Communications Ltd Metal Additive Manufacturing | Spring 2016 65 REGISTRATION WILL BE AVAILABLE IN THE COMING MONTHS. go.asme.org/3dprinting VISIT GO.ASME.ORG/3DPRINTING TO GET NOTIFIED WHEN IT IS LIVE!

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Titanium powder pyrophoricity, passivation and handling for safe production and processing

As Additive Manufacturing moves out of the prototyping space and into production facilities with multiple machines, the importance of handling and processing powders, particularly titanium, becomes ever more relevant. In this article Dr Andrew Heidloff and Dr Joel Rieken, from Praxair Surface Technologies, Inc., review best practice when handling and storing titanium powders for AM. Titanium powder can be safely produced, processed, stored and shipped using appropriate precautions, however under certain conditions it can become quite hazardous. These hazards can be mitigated by following the suggested precautions reviewed below.

As companies enter the Additive Oxygen Concentration (LOC) and Why is titanium reactive? Manufacturing sector, they are Minimum Explosible Concentration often for the first time introduced (MEC). All of these characteristics Titanium is a well-known material to the world of Powder Metallurgy. will aid in understanding what is to be characterised as flammable The following descriptions and important to safety in a given facility under certain morphologies. recommendations are meant to and scenario. Titanium and its alloys have a acquaint those unfamiliar with Powder Metallurgy with the correct resources. For those that are new to this segment and are currently using or producing powder, they are encouraged to test the powder with a trusted and certified third party for pyrophoricity and explosibility characteristics, as this will form the foundation of many choices that will be made in order to operate a facility under safe conditions. This testing approach consists of a screening test to determine if the powders are capable of initiating and sustaining an explosion (20 L chamber per ASTM E-1226), followed by: Minimum Ignition Energy (MIE), Minimum Ignition

Temperature (MIT), Pmax, Kst, Limiting Fig. 1 Machine preparation at the AM laboratory at Praxair

Ignition can come from a variety of sources, which will be discussed throughout this article. Thermal exposure to temperatures of 300-700°C can cause ignition of titanium powder despite the native oxide layer (i.e., minimum ignition temperature or MIT). Spark ignition can come from a variety of sources including static electricity build-up, electric components and friction/impact of metal components. Titanium powder can have minimum (spark) ignition energies (MIE) of 3-30 mJ.

Powder production

After atomisation, powders are traditionally collected in a cyclone system. These powders are typically non-passivated. The transfer of these non-passivated powders from the atomisation cyclone to ancillary process containers is considered to present a high risk of thermal runaway, which may require breaking of the inert gas seal Fig. 2 An atomiser dedicated to titanium alloys at and exposure to oxygen with high potential for powder the Praxair Surface Technologies, Inc. powder plant, aspiration. To overcome this problem, non-passivated Indianapolis, Indiana, USA powder requires exposure to air (or a reactive gas) to passivate at room temperature, a very time consuming and potentially dangerous process. As an example, passivation great affinity for oxygen and will form a native 2-7 nm TiO2 layer instantly if a clean metallic surface is exposed of 215 kg of aluminium powder was conducted in a powder to air at room temperature. This film prevents further collection canister after atomisation, requiring a 20 hour oxidation from taking place and protects the underlying cool down (below MIT), followed by a 1.5 hour passivation metal powder. When heat is applied, either through a period [3]. While canisters can be isolated and moved for thermal source or a spark, the powder can generally or passivation, this process concentrates a large quantity of locally heat to the point of thermal runaway or burning. nascent surface powders (i.e. highly reactive) in a confined The consensus mechanism of self-sustaining thermal vessel, which is not ideal. runaway of titanium powder occurs by means of ion diffusion through this native TiO2 film on the titanium A novel passivation approach powder [1, 2]. As the micron size of the powder decreases, the specific surface area (in units of 2m /g) increases at a As a solution to this problem, Praxair Surface Technolo- rate of 6/d where d=particle diameter. In context, to fill a gies, Inc. uses a novel in-situ passivation process that typical AM machine with 45 kg of titanium powder, with prevents further oxidation of the powder during exposure an average particle size of 20 μm, this powder will have to air, thus minimising any exothermic reaction, thereby enough surface area to cover over 3000 m2. Generally, greatly diminishing the possibility of thermal runaway titanium powders with a particle size < 45 μm are or burning of powder. Using Praxair’s in-situ process, considered a flammability hazard. titanium powders are passivated prior to reaching the When describing a reaction of any metal powder, there cyclone collection and are deemed safe to handle after are three categories into which each reaction may fall: dropping below the aforementioned MIT (300-700°C in air). 1) stagnant, 2) freely aspirated and 3) conveyed. Stagnant This not only increases the productivity of titanium powder powder reactions generally are a result of powder that production, but also greatly diminishes the hazards of the collects on a horizontal surface and ignition is typically powder. from a heat source, as a more significant source is neces- The ability to add a specific passivation layer to the sary to ignite a stagnant bed of powder. When powder titanium powder without greatly affecting the powder is dispersed in the air, the fine powders may stay aloft making process requires the formation of an oxide shell creating a cloud. Aspiration of powder, and specifically in-situ after the powders initially solidify and descend titanium powder, does not automatically mean the cloud downwards within the atomisation chamber. The most will ignite spontaneously. However, if the temperature important aspect of in-situ passivation is the generation of threshold or spark energy necessary for ignition is met, a layer similar (in thickness and chemistry) to the native rapid oxidation of powder can occur as it mixes with oxide film that will form on the surface of titanium at oxygen from the air. This is a result of no thermal heat room temperature (i.e., a 2-7 nm thick oxide) [4-7]. Oxide sink of other powders or materials in near proximity to the thickness becomes extremely important because of the powder cloud allowing it to reach a much higher tempera- extremely large surface area described above. Ideally, ture and propagate to other powders, which may result in the total oxygen content should stay below 1300 ppmw a large pressure increase and possible explosion. (0.13 wt.%) for a 20 μm particle, which requires a target

38-45 μm

O Ti Al Intensity (a.u.) Intensity

0 5 10 15 20

Depth (nm) SiO2 Standard

Fig. 3 Auger electron spectroscopy depth profile of Fig. 4 SEM image of the passivated powder analysed Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Nb in-situ passivated powder showing a 3 in Fig. 3 nm oxide shell (adapted with permission from author)

titanium oxide thickness of ~2-3 nm if also presents itself to users of together and should utilise a the bulk material contains less than AM equipment. When considering grounding strap. 1000 ppmw of O . If the target oxide electrical installations involving any 2 3) All powder transfers and spills shell thickness of 1-3 nm can be flammable substance, it is highly should use grounded, conductive produced then no additional oxidation recommended to reference National and non-sparking tools; while should take place when exposed to Electrical Code, NFPA 70, particu- synthetic bristle brushes and plastic air at room temperature for extended larly articles 500 to 504. These should be avoided. periods of time. sections describe the recommended The production of a 1-3 nm oxide best installation practices for shell in-situ on atomised powders electrical equipment in the presence Guideline II: Eliminate all sources is accomplished by employing both of a hazardous material. Class II is of ignition in powder handling thermal and physical energy balance relevant to combustible dusts (e.g., areas models to accurately predict the metal powders) and, within Class II 1) Avoid MIT personnel sources by temperature vs. distance profile of the locations, there are Divisions I not allowing open lights, smoking, atomised powders (as they proceed and II. To determine which division lighters or matches in areas where through the spray chamber). Passiva- a process/material may fall into, titanium powder is present. tion halos are used to inject a specific the reader is directed to read these reaction gas (for example an Ar-O2 descriptions carefully. 2) To prevent MIT sources of a mixture) at a predetermined vertical Beyond electrical installations, processing nature, items such as position within the atomiser in order certain procedures/guidelines blow torches, welding torches or to achieve ideal oxidation kinetics. should be considered when handling other open flames are prohibited. Fig. 3 shows an Auger Electron titanium powder. No flame, spark-producing or Spectroscopy depth profile of the propellant-actuated tools or activi- in-situ passivated Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Nb Guideline I: Avoid any condition ties should be carried out in an area powder (dia. 38-45 µm) shown in that will suspend or float powder where titanium powder is present. Fig. 4. The crossover point is the particles in the air, creating a dust Where activities such as welding, general consensus of an oxide thick- cloud cutting, grinding or use of portable ness and is highlighted at ~3 nm. This electric tools is necessary, a “hot analytical tool provides an example of 1) Minimise accumulation of dust on work” permit system is strongly the novel passivation process. floors, walls and other surfaces by recommended. complying with good housekeeping 3) Avoid MIT sources by minimising practices in all areas where titanium Post-production processing friction sparks by avoiding metalpowder is stored or handled. and handling safety to-metal or metal-to-concrete 2) In transferring titanium powder, contact of tools as these impacts The post-processing of titanium dust clouds should be kept at can produce sparks that will ignite powder undoubtedly will utilise an absolute minimum. Handling titanium powder. Non-sparking electrical equipment from sieves, should be slow and deliberate. tools must be used where there is a blenders, feeders, etc. This challenge Both containers should be bonded possibility of impact sparks.

P (dP/dt) MEC MEC Material d [μm] max max MIE [mJ] MIT [°C] Ref. 50 [bar(g)] (bar/s) [g/m3] [g/m3] Titanium 33 (≤20 μm) 6.9 420 <1 460 50 10 Titanium 33 (≤45 μm) 7.7 436 1-3 460 60 10 Titanium 113 (≤150 μm) 5.5 84 1-3 >590 60 10 Titanium 8 30 11 Titanium 20 30 11 Titanium 45 30 11 Titanium 10-75 3-8 40-770 330-700 40-80 12 Titanium 25 4.7 70 13 Titanium 10-104 μm 25 330-510 45 4-7 14 Titanium 3.5 1-2 15 Titanium 10 565 5 Titanium 1.25 350 5 Titanium 75 730 16 Aluminium 21 10.2 760 10 650 50 7.5 14

Data generated by the authors are in most cases conducted under ASTM methods: MIE: ASTM E2019, MIT: ASTM E1491, MEC:

ASTM E1515, LOC: ASTM WK1680, Pmax and (dP/dt)max ASTM E1226

Table 1 Explosibility characteristics of titanium powder from various sources and a dataset for aluminium for comparison

Guideline III: Eliminate the lead to static electricity buildup. A 3) All containers in work areas should generation of static electricity, static-dissipative or conductive liner be closed and sealed. Only those in where possible, and prevent static is also recommended. use for removal of material should be charge accumulations open at any time and should be closed Guideline IV: Take steps to limit the and resealed as quickly as possible. 1) Bonding and grounding of size of a fire or explosion and to hold This not only assures greater safety machinery to remove static any resulting damage to the very against fire from external sources, electricity produced in powder minimum but also prevents possible entrance operations are vital for safety. of tramp contamination material or Bonding and grounding should be 1) The storage area for titanium water from the air. done in accordance with the latest powder is recommended to be versions of Recommended Practice 4) Consider the use of an inert cover separate from handling of powder. on Static Electricity, NFPA 77, and gas, which can replace air, as this can Rooms of noncombustible or Standard for Combustible Metals, be valuable in minimising the hazards limited-combustible construction are NFPA 484. in many operations, particularly encouraged. Titanium powder should where it may be impossible to 2) All moveable equipment, such as not be stored in areas containing ensure that all sources of ignition bins, containers and scoops, should incompatible materials such as flam- are eliminated. Utilisation of an inert be bonded and grounded during mable liquids, oxidisers, organics, cover gas will be linked to the LOC powder transfer by the use of clips fuels or other combustible materials determined during powder explosivity and flexible ground leads. Ground- due to the differences in firefighting characterisation. conducting floors and/or mats in methods. Storage methods should conjunction with static dissipative also be considered by stacking footwear/casters are an attractive containers properly with ample aisle Regulation of dust solution for personnel and movable space and keeping stack height to a While practices are employed to equipment. Care should be taken minimum. prevent clouds during titanium to ensure the proper resistance to 2) Keep all titanium powder storage handling, such as restricting ground for such designs. containers tightly sealed to prevent compressed air or any other controls 3) During transfer, powder accidental dust generation and to that are put in place, undoubtedly should not be poured or slid on prevent possible contamination from a certain amount of dust will be nonconductive surfaces as this can moisture or other dusts. generated within a facility. Regulation

of dust is necessary and, while dust should be taken to educate personnel tional, vol. 4, pp. 22-32, 2010. control could be considered to fall and improve equipment safety. If a [7] Y. Oshida, Bioscience and into any one of the aforementioned highly safety-conscious workforce Bioengineering of Titanium Materials: guidelines, it is laid out separately is combined with the execution of Elsevier, 2006. here, as dust control is of primary procedures, methods and equipment, importance. such as those discussed here, [8] “Powder handling guidelines Dust is one of the most likely titanium powder can be produced for working with titanium powder,” sources when a safety incident occurs and/or used safely. Cristal Global, 2013. in a titanium powder facility. Standard [9] “Recommendations for storage industrial central vacuum systems/ and handling of aluminum powders cleaners should not be used for Authors and paste,” The Aluminum Associa- tion, 2006. cleaning as accumulation of dust on Dr Andrew Heidloff, Dr Joel Rieken a dry filter can create a safety hazard. Praxair Surface Technologies [10] Simon P. Boilard, Paul R. Dust ventilation systems should be 1500 Polco Street Amyotte, Faisal I. Khan, Ashok rated for the proper NFPA environ- Indianapolis G. Dastidar, and Rolf K. Eckhoff, ment class. Special explosion preven- Indiana 46222 “Explosibility of micron- and nano- tion systems, specifically approved for USA size titanium powders,” Journal use with combustible metal dusts, are Tel: +1 317 240 2500 of Loss Prevention in the Process highly recommended. These systems Fax: +1 317 240 2380 Industries. maintain necessary ventilation air Email: [email protected] [11] Hong-Chun Wu, Ri-Cheng Chang, velocity to prevent powder settling in www.praxairsurfacetechnologies.com and Hsiao-Chi Hsiao, “Research of duct work, as well as utilising duct minimum ignition energy for nano work that is P and K rated in the max st Titanium powder and nano Iron event of an explosion within the duct. References powder,” Journal of Loss Prevention These design considerations are in the Process Industries, vol. 22, pp. another reason for combustibility and [1] K.L. Erickson, Jr. J.W. Rogers, and 21-24, 2009. explosibility powder characterisation. S.J. Ward, “Titanium oxidation kinetics and the mechanism for thermal igni- [12] V.V. Nedin, “Pyrophoric capability tion of titanium-based pyrotechnics,” and explosiveness of titanium The role of personnel in Internal Pyrotechnics Seminar, powders,” pp. 57-66, 1971. 1986, pp. 679-697. Use of personal protective equipment [13] K.L. Cashdollar and I.A. [2] E.A. Gulbransen and K.F. Andrew, (PPE) is vital for safely working with Zlochower, “Explosion temperatures “Kinetics of the Reactions of Titanium titanium powder. Personnel should and pressures of metals and other with O , N , and H ,” Transactions ground themselves using a wrist strap 2 2 2 elemental dust clouds,” Journal of the American Institute of Mining, or grounding plate with conductive of Loss Prevention in the Process Metallurgical and Petroleum Engi- shoes at workstations. When static- Industries, vol. 20, pp. 337-348, 2007. neers, vol. 185, pp. 741-748, 1949. dissipative footwear and mats and/or [14] M. Jacobson, A.R. Cooper, and J. flooring are used, testing preventative [3] G.T. Campbell, R.W. Christensen, Nagy, “Explosibility of Metal Powders, maintenance should be employed and D.L. Oberholtzer, “Low tempera- Report 6516,” U. S. B. o. Mines, Ed.: to ensure that the static dissipative ture passivated aluminum powder, Dept. of Interior, 1964. properties and benefits,” in Advances properties have not deteriorated. [15] A.G. Alekseev and E.S. Kostina, in Powder Metallurgy and Particulate Trousers and shirts should not have “Determination of dangerously explo- Processing, 1997, pp. 3-10. cuffs, where dust might accumulate, sive oxygen content in a protective and should be made of closely-woven [4] G. Hass, “Preparation, structure, atmosphere for dispersed titanium fire resistant/fire retardant fabrics, and applications of thin films of powders,” in Preduprezhdenie which tend not to accumulate static silicon monoxide and titanium Vnezapnykh Vzryvov Gazodispersnykh electrical charges. Respirators are dioxide,” Journal of the American Sist., V. V. Nedin, Ed. Kiev: Kaukova highly recommended as inhalation of Ceramics Society, vol. 33, pp. 353-360, Dumka, 1971, pp. 78-85. powders can easily happen, particu- 1950. larly if the proper dust regulation [16] E. Beloni and E. Dreizin, “Igni- equipment is not installed. Full face [5] J.P. Evans, W. Borland, and P.G. tion of Titanium Powder Layers by or half face respirator choices should Mardon, “Pyrophoricity of Fine Metal Electrostatic Discharge,” Combustion be made based on the personnel Powders,” Powder Metallurgy, pp. Science and Technology, vol. 183, pp. tasks and responsibilities. PPE should 17-21, 1976. 823-845, 2011. also include safety glasses, leather [6] E. Baril, “Titanium and titanium gloves and, potentially, face shields. alloy Powder Injection Moulding: Safety must be a critical part of Matching application requirements,” the facility culture. Continual efforts Powder Injection Moulding Interna-

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Process and quality control for AM: Sigma Labs PrintRite3D® methodology for overall quality assurance

Despite the outstanding promise of metal Additive Manufacturing technologies, inconsistent quality, process reliability and speed are currently holding back industry growth and impacting on the cost-effectiveness of new applications. In the following article Sigma Labs’ Dr Vivek R Dave and Mark J Cola review the technical challenges that are faced in enabling metal AM to reach its full potential and the systems that are currently available to address a number of critical issues.

Despite the outstanding promise of AM machine for metal is still below Sigma Labs is addressing the Additive Manufacturing for critical 20 cm3/hour. The entire world’s first two issues, namely quality metal components, three basic production capacity of metal AM and geometry, with its patented limitations exist that will hold back machines running 24 hours a day, PrintRite3D® Inspect™ and growth and cost-effectiveness of seven days a week for an entire year Contour™ in-situ process control, current and future applications; would still produce less material than monitoring and inspection software consistent quality, process reliability a steel mill could produce in half of for metal Additive Manufacturing. and productivity or speed. In terms one daily shift. Specific sensing and measurement of quality, Additive Manufacturing for critical metal components such as those for aerospace and automotive Quality Sensors Statistical still exhibits variability between runs, Analysis Reporting between machines, and over time. In terms of process reliability as determined by part geometry, Additive Manufacturing can only realise a dimensional accuracy of about 100 microns with a positioning accuracy of about 20 microns. Surface finish is also very rough as compared with aerospace requirements. Additionally, the geometry currently has to be measured by expensive post-process inspection methods such as x-ray CT scanning. In terms of productivity and speed, the typical output of an Fig. 1 The process flow for the Sigma Labs process and quality control system

enterprise data systems used by many large aerospace, medical and automotive suppliers. END USE ENVIRONMENT One of the most important barriers to the wider What, how, where, and for how long the part or adoption of metal AM is the qualification of AM-produced systems must perform parts as made evident by the many programs on quality issues of metal AM [1, 2]. The criticality of this has been  characterised by many as the single biggest challenge to broader acceptance of metal AM technology [3]. Many TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS OF END USE manufacturers have openly stated that they see three ENVIRONMENT basic limitations with parts made by metal AM; consistent quality, process reliability and part strength. Until they Quantification of the End Use Environment from a can be assured of consistency, many manufacturers will technical performance perspective: temperature, remain reticent about AM technology, determining the pressure, cycling loading, environment, etc. risks of unpredictable quality too costly a trade-off for any potential gains [4].  From a technical perspective, there are three high-level DESIGN PROCESS AND SPECIFICATION OF steps that must be undertaken to design and implement COMPONENT REQUIREMENTS a process control and quality control system for any manufacturing process including Additive Manufacturing. Design of a part or system of parts that will satisfy These are: the end use requirement and function effectively under the conditions specified in the step above; • The establishment of technical requirements linked to quantification of the attributes and properties of a ultimate end-use performance, part or system of parts thus designed • The development and implementation of a process control and quality control system, and associated  destructive and non-destructive measurements, SPECIFICATION OF MATERIAL PROPERTIES AND capable of directly or indirectly measuring attributes of ALLOWABLE DEFECTS parts or defects, • The data analysis, correlation methodology and As part of the design process, the properties of the uncertainty quantification to show, in a mathematically materials going into the part or system of parts are rigorous manner, that the measurements and data specified; min/max/variance of these properties are gathered by the process and quality control system specified; allowable defects are specified will in fact correlate with the technical requirements needed to meet end-use environment performance targets, and that the process and quality control Fig. 2 Derivation of part and material properties and system over time will support such objective evidence allowable defect attributes from end-use environment of compliance. technical specifications Each one of these high level steps may be further analysed and broken down into subtasks. Fig. 2 shows the technologies will be discussed as well as the Big Data steps involved in the establishment of technical require- challenges of accumulating what can be terabytes of ments as derived from end-use performance targets. This data per part and then analysing these data to produce is also the technical requirements list emanating from the actionable knowledge. The software to do this is Sigma part design process. The outputs of this first step are: Labs’ PrintRite3D® Analytics™. Also, the reporting and interfacing requirements will be discussed to ensure • A geometric specification of the part or system of that in-process, real-time on-machine process control parts, i.e., geometry, and inspection data can be effectively integrated into • Materials properties including specifications of min / existing and legacy manufacturing execution systems and max / variance / distribution as applicable,

In-Process Quality Post-Process Quality Assurance™ Assurance Measures attributes of the process Measures attributes of the part Real-time or near-real time Not real-time Able to sense process variations before they cause defects Able to find defects with little information on root cause

Forward-looking Backward-looking

Table 1 In-Process versus post-process quality assurance

• Other measurable properties or performance characteristics that are unique to the functioning SPECIFICATION OF MATERIAL PROPERTIES of the part or system of parts (e.g. fluid flow rate in AND ALLOWABLE DEFECTS valves or testing of electronic circuits), • Allowable defects and their attributes in terms of As part of the design process, the properties of the size, shape, distribution, frequency of occurrence, materials going into the part or system of parts are etc. specified; min/max/variance of these properties are specified; allowable defects are specified It is very important to understand the context of the term defect as it is used above. All materials are inherently imperfect. The term refers to lower level flaws,  imperfections and irregularities in materials, not defec- SPECIFICATION OF DESTRUCTIVE TESTS tive parts which are allowed to be sent downstream and AND MEASUREMENTS incorporated into final assemblies. For example, at the These are tests and measurements that measure atomistic level, lattices of atoms have vacancies where material properties, corrosion resistance, atoms are missing at some sites or interstitial atoms environmental and operational response, or even exist at other locations. On the one hand, these may component performance by either examining be viewed as material defects, but, on the other hand, samples taken from a part or system of parts or the science and technology of physical and mechanical running these to failure. metallurgy is based in no small measure on the creation and manipulation of such atomistic defects. On a more macro scale, porosity can be considered  a defect in powder metallurgical parts, for example. SPECIFICATION OF NON-DESTRUCTIVE TESTS A perfect part without porosity might be possible, but AND MEASUREMENTS could also be prohibitively expensive. Therefore, based on stress, temperature, fatigue life, etc. the design engineer These are tests and measurements that may specify an allowable defect size, shape, distribution, non-destructively measure material properties etc. that will still allow the part to function reliably in its if possible, or alternatively measure secondary end use environment. So, from the standpoint of creating characteristics and attributes of parts that can be an acceptable part, these are not part-level defects, linked to primary performance characteristics, or but rather allowable limits on material-level flaws and they measure attributes of defects, or they are irregularities that will not compromise performance. non-destructive part performance tests. The next high level step in current quality control practice is the design and implementation of a quality  control measurement and data collection system. This CALIBRATION AND STANDARDS can be destructive or non-destructive, could involve the measurement of part and defect attributes, or This is an aspect of quality control measurements could involve the measurement of part response in where the measurement instruments must be a variety of simulated mechanical, environmental calibrated to independent standards for things or performance tests. There are extensive existing like defect attributes; or this also encompasses specifications, procedures and standards available for standards for performance-based tests. such measurements and therefore the measurement and data collection systems are seldom designed from first principles but rather follow industry standards and Fig. 3 Elements of a Metrology System to support Quality norms. Control Similarly, there is a vast array of available measurement technology that results in measurements, which can be calibrated to known standards and can also Application to Additive Manufacturing of be compared to known independent standards. Fig. 3 in-process quality outlines in greater detail the steps and considerations that must be taken into account to design and implement In this article we will principally refer to Additive such a quality control metrology system. Manufacturing processes in which there is a stationary What is proposed in this article is Sigma Labs’ bed of metallic powder and the heat source (laser or In-Process Quality Assurance™ (IPQA®) methodology electron beam) scans rapidly over this powder bed so as for process and quality control and quality assurance to melt and consolidate the next layer. The underlying for Additive Manufacturing. The differences between technology is however applicable to other Additive in-process quality assurance and post-process quality Manufacturing processes and is not limited to powder-bed assurance are outlined in Table 1. additive processes.

dynamics of Additive Manufacturing Eulerian Sensors Lagrangian Sensors processes. Fig. 4 shows one possible ADVANTAGES scheme by which this sensor fusion may be effected. Both Eulerian • Undistorted view of process • Ability to see all locations in and Lagrangian data are collected. • Simple to implement build The Eulerian data could include • Works with laser and electron • Ability to see all the time post-process measurements such as beam processes intervals microstructural measurements. The Lagrangian data may be additionally DISADVANTAGES processed through various real- time or reduced order models to • Difficult to implement for derive features that are not directly • Limited viewing regions and electron beams times measured in the Lagrangian frame of • Possible signal distortion reference. In order to be really useful and Table 2 Advantages and disadvantages of Eulerian and Lagrangian sensing produce validated results, the schemes Lagrangian and Eulerian data must be cross-correlated. Then, based Cross-correlation between Lagrangian multi-sensor data on this correlation, features can Lagrangian and non-Lagrangian as validated predictor of AM be assigned as In-Process Quality ® data process quality Metrics™ (IPQM ) which could be predictive of process quality. It is critical to emphasise that in-process measurements of this nature are Process model and predictions not directly sensing the presence or of quantities not directly absence of defects; rather they are measured sensing the process conditions under ADDITIVE which such process defects are most MANUFACTURING likely to occur. Fig. 4 therefore offers Non-Lagrangian PROCESS Lagrangian a template by which in-process, measurements or multi-sensor real-time, on-machine data could microstructural experimental be used to detect process conditions characterisation data under which defects may occur. These data could be used for process Fig. 4 Data analysis scheme incorporating Lagrangian and Eulerian data intervention, i.e., stopping or altering the process before defects occur. There are several types of sensor moving heat source. Examples of Alternatively, if there is access to the data that could be gathered in such both kinds of sensors could include real-time operating system governing cases but they generally fall into but are not limited to: the Additive Manufacturing process, two broad categories. The first then such in-process quality data • Pyrometers sensor type is a sensor that is in the could be used for real-time process frame of reference of the moving • Photodiodes control so as to completely avoid heat source. For example, in a • Spectrometers process conditions which may lead to laser-based system, this could be a • Imaging sensors such as CCD defects. sensor that utilises back-reflected cameras signals coming from the melt pool • Acoustic emission sensors Application to the in-situ to various sensors in the scan head. (usually in Eulerian frame only) measurement of geometry Such sensors are called Lagrangian as they follow the heat source Eulerian and Lagrangian around the workpiece. The other sensors are both useful and they As discussed earlier in this article, type of sensor is stationary with both have advantages as well the control and measurement of respect to the moving heat source as disadvantages. These are as-built geometry is critical for and therefore has a potentially enumerated in Table 2. It is clear metal components, especially those broader field of view, or alternatively from Table 2 that it would be best to that will be introduced into critical looks at a specific region in the part utilise both Eulerian and Lagrangian applications such as aerospace being built. This type of sensor is sensors and to perform a data or automotive systems. The high called Eulerian as it is in a stationary fusion to arrive at a more accurate temperatures and non-linear thermal reference frame with respect to the representation of the process gradients in Additive Manufacturing

processes contribute to significant thermal stresses which in turn cause distortion and residual stress. Therefore, the control of geometry is a critically Dimensions important aspect of metal Additive Manufacturing. Calibrations However, the measurement of merely the outside Target and/or contour using contact or non-contact means may Database well be insufficient to fully capture part geometry as additively manufactured articles can have complex internal geometry. Additionally, the currently available Calibration methods for full geometric inspection of both internal Process and external geometry are based on tomographic scanning, such as x-ray tomographic scanning. Such techniques are slow, capital-intensive and involve the Additive use of ionising radiation. Furthermore, as part geometry Manufacturing becomes larger and as the density and atomic number Build Process of elemental constituents of a metallic alloy increase, the x-ray energy required to fully penetrate such parts over large geometries becomes quite large indeed. Is Build Analysis This poses serious technical as well as radiation safety Process and STOP challenges in practice, if x-ray tomographic scanning Complete? Rendering had to be carried out with gamma rays with energies of several hundred thousand or even several million electron volts. Therefore, an in-situ means of scanning Collect and detecting the as-built geometry is highly desired. Sensor Data Fig. 5 shows the general process by which geometric data may be collected during an Additive Manufacturing build. There are several critical steps involving Geometric calibration, data collection, geometric feature extraction, Feature Extraction data aggregation and, finally, rendering and analysis Process so as to compare the measured point cloud against the original CAD model that embodies the design intent. Fig. 6 shows the results of such a process where Data Aggregation Aggregated the part solid model is shown with the various as-built Process Data Storage measurement contours superimposed onto the part model itself. In this manner, the manufacturing engineer could quickly make a determination as to whether or not the geometric design intent of the part has been met [6). Fig. 5 Process for in-situ geometric data capture during Additional quantitative analysis can find specific regions Additive Manufacturing which are out of tolerance and can automatically ensure compliance to blueprint / solid model dimensional tolerance requirements.

Big data aspects of process and quality control for Additive Manufacturing

With the advent of IPQA®, the data collection, storage and analysis requirements increase by many orders of magnitude as compared with conventional manufacturing. There is a direct correlation between the information content of a manufacturing process and its flexibility, agility and adaptability to many different materials and geometries. Additive Manufacturing is highly flexible and adaptable and the information content involved in defining part models, translating these to build files, execution of actual builds and, Fig. 6 Example of Actual In-Situ Geometric Data now through IPQA® in-situ, real-time data collection superimposed on Part CAD Model. (CAD model courtesy and analysis, is formidable indeed. It is estimated that Honeywell Aerospace)

systems, and various heuristic analyses such as neural networks, Actionable etc. The entire purpose of these higher order analytics is to enable pattern recognition and other correlations in the feature spaces. At Refined Step 3 the highest level of data abstraction, 10-30 Bytes these secondary correlations are now queried and they must be further refined into answers to specific Condensed questions, for example, “Has the 10-30 Bytes process drifted so as to be in danger Step 2 of entering into a set of process Knowledge Data Density Data conditions that could cause a defect?” Therefore, in this schematic representation, it is seen that the Step 1 overall data compression and Dense data reduction as we move from 100s MB raw data at very high densities to actionable knowledge could be as high a 100 million to one. This kind of a hierarchical approach will be Fig. 7 Schematic of big data approach for Additive Manufacturing crucial to effectively integrating Additive Manufacturing into an overall manufacturing system together with the total data content of a metal data, but reduced order, intelligible other processes which will be far less Additive Manufacturing build using and actionable process knowledge. data intensive. full IPQA® for the quality assurance This inverse relationship between will approach 100-1000 GB per actionable knowledge and data Conclusions build. If a typical machine performs density is schematically shown 125 builds per year, this could in Fig. 7. Here, there are three translate to 10-100 TB of data per levels of abstraction and analytics Additive Manufacturing is currently at machine per year. It is clear that represented. In Step 1, we go from less than 5% of its eventual market Additive Manufacturing will quickly raw time-domain data to feature potential according to many analysts overwhelm traditional data handling, data. This typically represents a [7]. However, several significant storage and analytical tools without million-fold data compression. challenges and technical problems the benefit of Big Data Analytics. As Features could be time domain, remain that could prevent Additive with other Big Data solutions, the frequency domain, time-frequency Manufacturing from reaching its full application to Additive Manufacturing domain, some attribute domain potential. Additive Manufacturing has will involve: or some other variable domain uncertain quality, unpredictable and difficult to measure geometry and • Data compression, data mining altogether. rate-limiting speed. While the present and feature extraction, The critical aspect of features is that they preserve essential work cannot address the manufac- • Careful consideration of time domain process physics and turing rate question, the following hardware architectures to are capable of discerning between observations are valuable in guiding execute analytics, nominal and off-nominal process the future development of Additive • Efficient analytical approaches conditions, i.e., they have the Manufacturing and a rapid qualifica- that would parse smaller requisite sensitivity to indicate when tion approach for part certification. subsets, perhaps on massively potentially defect-causing process • PrintRite3D® can be used in parallel commercial platforms, conditions occur. At Step 2, various addition to, and eventually in lieu and extract meaningful, correlations and further analytics of, post-process inspection, actionable information. are performed on the feature spaces • IPQA® and PrintRite3D® is the Just as with any other Big Data themselves. These additional higher only way to establish root causes application, the central and critical order analytics could take on the for failures as it tracks every challenge for Additive Manufacturing form of multivariate statistics, spatial region over every time going forward will be BD2K, or Big other statistical or non-statistical step as the part is being made, Data to Knowledge. What is critically classification schemes, population needed is not just Petabytes of raw of databases, training of expert • IPQA® using PrintRite3D® is

a paradigm shift away from Authors [3] AlGeddawy T. and ElMaraghy H., traditional post-process 2011. “Product variety management inspection and an enabling Vivek R Dave and Mark J Cola, Sigma in design and manufacturing: method for rapid qualification Labs, Inc. and R Bruce Madigan, Challenges and strategies,” Enabling and part certification, Montana Tech University Manufacturing Competitiveness and • Both metallurgical quality and Economic Sustainability, September, process stability are possible to pp. 518–523. Contact discern using PrintRite3D®, [4] US Government Accountability Office report to the chairman, • In another aspect of IPQA® Ron Fisher Committee on Science, Space, and using PrintRite3D®, as-built Vice President of Business Develop- Technology, House of Representa- geometry can be directly ment, Sigma Labs, Inc. tives, 2015. 3D printing: Opportunities, interrogated without the 3900 Paseo del Sol challenges, and policy implications need for expensive and Santa Fe, NM 87507 of Additive Manufacturing, www.gao. time-consuming post-process USA gov/ assets/680/670960.pdf; National inspection techniques such as Tel: +1 505 438 2576 Institute of Standards and Technology, x-Ray CAT Scan, Email: [email protected] “Measurement science for Additive ® www.sigmalabsinc.com • The use of IPQA automatically Manufacturing program,” October 1, invokes issues relating to Big 2013, www.nist.gov/el/isd/sbm/msam. Data as the sheer amount cfm; both accessed January 4, 2016. of information that must be References [5] US Government Accountability tracked, collected, stored [1] Wing, I., Gorham, and Sniderman, Office report to the chairman, and analysed is many orders 2015. “3D opportunity for quality Committee on Science, Space, and of magnitude larger than for assurance and parts qualification”. Technology, House of Representa- conventional manufacturing Deloitte University Press. A Deloitte tives, 3D printing. processes. series on Additive Manufacturing. [6] Honeywell Aerospace, www. What is clear is that IPQA® and [2] Short, B., 2015. “Quality Metal honeywell.com/ADDITIVE BLOG. related Big Data tools such as Additive Manufacturing (QUALITY [7] Wohlers Associates, 2015. The PrintRite3D® ANALYTICS™ will MADE) Enabling Capability”, www. Wohlers Report 2015. “3D Printing be essential to enable the current onr.navy.mil/~/media/Files/Funding- and Additive Manufacturing State expansion and future growth of Announcements/Special-Notice/2015/ of the Industry”. Annual Worldwide Additive Manufacturing for critical N00014-15-SS-0022.ashx, Quality Progress Report metal components across a wide Made Industry Day, Office of Naval range of industrial applications. Research July 28.

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Metal AM in Finland: VTT optimises industrial valve block for Additive Manufacturing

VTT, based in Espoo, Finland, is one of Europe’s largest research and technology centres with a long track record in metal powder processing technologies. In the following case study VTT’s Erin Komi reviews the development of an additively manufactured valve block for demanding industrial applications. The project, in conjunction with industrial partner Nurmi Cylinders, looked at the optimisation of the valve block in terms of size reduction, weight saving and performance gains.

Additive Manufacturing (AM) offers VTT is the leading research science-based solutions to domestic many advantages over traditional and technology company in the and international customers and manufacturing methods. The Nordic countries, with a national partners in both the private and technology can produce very complex mandate in Finland. For nearly public sectors. The researchers at component geometries, gives 75 years VTT has provided VTT develop new smart technologies, designers and engineers unmatched expertise, top-level research and create innovative and profitable design freedom and allows for a much more structurally efficient and lightweight design. Increasingly, companies in a wide variety of industries are looking to reap the rewards of Additive Manufacturing. They soon realise, however, that they can only gain the full benefits of the technology when the components to be produced are designed to meet the specific needs and constraints of the Additive Manufacturing process. In 2015 VTT, the Technical Research Centre of Finland, conducted a research project to explore the feasibility of Additive Manufacturing in the country. The project was funded by several public and private organisations, including Tekes, a government funding body in Finland, VTT and several smaller Finnish companies. Fig. 1 VTT in Espoo, Finland

Fig. 2 Generating the valve block shape with OptiStruct Fig. 3 Smoothing of the geometry with 3-maticsSTL to prepare model for Additive Manufacturing

solutions and cooperate closely Finding the best printable tool and finite element solver in the with their customers to develop design suite, was VTT’s first choice. “We technology that benefits both the went straight for OptiStruct,” stated client companies and society in Not every component or product is Komi. “We’ve used it in the past, so general. suitable for Additive Manufacturing, I understand the workflow and have For the Additive Manufacturing depending on its size, form and been pleased with the results.” project, VTT engineers chose design, as well as the quantity “There are other products avail- the example of a valve block needed. A valve block, however, is very able on the market that allow you from Nurmi Cylinders, a Finnish well suited for Additive Manufacturing to do topology optimisation,” Komi manufacturer of hydraulic cylinder and has a high potential for improve- continued, “but I think the result products for offshore, industrial, ments in weight and performance interpretation, which is in my opinion marine and mobile hydraulics, when additively manufactured. easier with HyperWorks, is also very and one of the project’s funders. Traditionally, the design of a valve important. The flexibility of OptiStruct, Together VTT and Nurmi wanted to block starts with a block of metal. with many different possibilities to showcase what a design specifically After being formed by traditional apply loads and to include responses targeted for Additive Manufacturing manufacturing methods into the as well as constraints, is very had to look like in order to fully desired shape, internal channels helpful.” benefit from the manufacturing must be drilled to accommodate method. The goals were to use hydraulic fluid flow. Drilling these Additive Manufacturing to both channels accurately is difficult as they Software tools speed design reduce the size of the valve block need to meet cleanly at certain points, process, tackle challenges and the amount of material needed, but alignment issues are often caused as well as to optimise and improve by what is in essence ‘blind’ drilling. A significant advantage to topology the valve block’s internal channels In addition, auxiliary holes are often optimisation with a tool such as to produce a better component for drilled and then plugged, but this OptiStruct is that a CAD model is not the customer. opens the door to potential leakage. really needed to design the compo- The engineer in charge of the Employing optimisation techniques nent. Once the engineer defines the additively manufactured valve block and Additive Manufacturing, VTT design space and its limitations, as project was Erin Komi, Research engineers hoped to replace this well as loads and other boundary Scientist at VTT. Komi works with cumbersome method by improving conditions, the optimisation tool finite element acoustic simulations, the design and manufacture of the proposes an optimal design. In the making acoustic models of different block’s internal channels and ending VTT project, the customer provided products for VTT’s customers. More up with a smaller, lighter, better final the boundary conditions as well as recently, she also started to work product. additional internal limitations, such on design projects for Additive To design, optimise and analyse as where the valve actually has to Manufacturing, where she is the valve block, VTT used Altair Engi- be placed and which machining applying topology optimisation and neering’s HyperWorks® CAE software tolerances had to be considered. The other design tools. suite. OptiStruct®, the optimisation size, position and orientation of the

Fig. 4 Valve block design analysis with OptiStruct Fig. 5 Valve block design analysis with OptiStruct

internal channels were also chosen tried to prepare a model for printing use SLM (Selective Laser Melting) by the customer and were part of with HyperMesh, but it was very machines. For the SLM method, the the non-design space. The design cumbersome. It was taking me days recommendation to add supports space in this case was a block, and the result wasn’t all that great. internally in the channels was with some holes where connecting Once I learned about 3-maticsSTL unviable as they would have been bolts would be placed. An important and tried it, what used to take days impossible to remove. The solution tool that helped VTT create the is done in hours and the results are VTT came up with, together with the optimised design of the valve block so much better. An additional benefit customer, was keeping the same was OSSmooth, one of OptiStruct’s is that we can access the tool via our cross sectional area but changing shape generation tools (Fig. 2). HyperWorks licences, so we don’t the shape and path of the channels. With OSSmooth, the engineer can even have to invest in additional One of the major goals of the automatically re-mesh the design software.” project was to create design rules for and run a re-analysis to make sure The valve block went through SLM. These include guidelines such that all initial design requirements several design iterations. In certain as designing an oval or diamond are met and stress limits are not areas, the initial size of the design shape channel instead of a circular exceeded. At that point, the design space provided by the customer one, since this design does not need is only a rough model and often has was cutting into the result Komi support structures and will result stress spikes which make it unsuit- had come up with. As it turned out, in an overall structure that can be able for Additive Manufacturing. the customer had decreased the better printed with the SLM method. To tackle that challenge, VTT size of the design space, assuming It is commonly recognised that in used a software application called that with a smaller design space SLM processing 45° is more or less 3-maticsSTL from Materialise, a smaller final design would be a limiting angle for overhangs to be offered under the Altair Partner Alli- the optimisation result. This is not produced without adding supports. ance. The Alliance gives HyperWorks necessarily the case. Given the To optimise the design VTT made the customers access to third-party tools natural flow of the stresses and assumption that the outer structure under their existing HyperWorks forces, and by applying full freedom would more or less follow the route licence at no additional cost. The to the design, the engineer usually of the inner channels, and thus if 3-maticSTL software enables design receives the best optimisation result, the internal channels run at ~45° modification, re-meshing and the including the smallest and lightest angle to the base plate, the number creation of 3D textures, lightweight design, with the highest stiffness. of external supports needed could models and conformal structures, all To further optimise the valve be reduced, saving time and money on STL (StereoLithography) levels. block’s performance, Komi changed spent on support removal in the In this case 3-maticsSTL helped the route of the internal fluid post-processing phase. Based on turn Komi’s optimised mesh into channels. Initially these channels these kinds of best-practice design a printable file (Fig. 3). “I learned were curved like an S, with the cross rules for the SLM machine, VTT about Materialise through Altair,” sections having a circular shape. To could define a set of design rules explained Komi. “At some point actually produce the valve block via which were consequently recom- in the development process I had Additive Manufacturing, VTT had to mended to the customer.

Fig. 6 Topology optimisation results Fig. 7 The additively manufactured valve block

Optimised design creates very good learning experience (Fig. 7). within our design space. We need a smaller, lighter, improved In detail we had to consider the print tool like OSSmooth to interpret the product orientation on the platform, eliminate optimisation results and produce a the need for internal supports, feasible solution. In addition a tool The result of this new approach to the minimise the need for external such as 3-maticSTL is needed to valve block design and its production supports and much more. It has also smooth the resulting mesh and turn were striking: an overall reduction been a nice learning process for us to it into a shape you can and want to in the component’s size and weight, explore Additive Manufacturing.” print. In the end you need OptiStruct improved fluid flow in the internal “VTT has had an SLM Solutions again, to re-analyse the final channels and all stress and strength printer for roughly a year and we smoothed design. With this process, requirements met. A similar valve were still evolving our design process you obtain a reliable design ready to block made with traditional drilling to learn what a design targeted for be printed.” techniques is estimated to weigh Additive Manufacturing would look over 2.5 kg. The new optimised and like. Having this focus on actually additively manufactured valve block designing for Additive Manufacturing Contact has been a learning experience. We weighs less than 600 g, a 76% weight Erin Komi reduction compared to traditional could see the benefits of Additive Research Scientist design and manufacturing methods. Manufacturing early in the design VTT Technical Research Centre of The Additive Manufacturing process phase and take that into considera- Finland Ltd also results in less material waste. tion. This project gave us the opportu- P.O Box 1000 The success of the research project nity to use it successfully.” FI-02044 VTT has benefitted not only the customer, Komi believes that without the Finland Nurmi Cylinders, but VTT as well, application of topology optimisation Tel: +358 40 682 9705 Email: [email protected] Komi stated. tools it would have been difficult to www.vtt.fi “Everybody involved in the project reach the same design. The valve is really pleased with the results. block now has a natural organic Mirko Bromberger Because it was a public project, we shape, proposed by optimisation with Director Marketing and Additive can show and talk about our results OptiStruct and refined with 3-matic- Manufacturing Strategy and the solution path we took. It was sSTL. Simply looking at the initial Altair also an interesting project because block of material, without the insights Tel: +49 7031 6208 152. with the valve block you have a provided by the Altair HyperWorks Email: [email protected] well-defined load case, which is tools, it is doubtful anyone could have important when trying to optimise a created a similar design. structure. The topology optimisation “The Altair tools were crucial to resulted in a really interesting looking, the success of this project,” Komi complex, organic shape design, which stated. “We need OptiStruct for the was challenging to print and made topology optimisation and to define planning for the printing process a the optimal placement of material

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CONFERENCE CHAIRMEN: David K. Leigh, Stratasys Direct Manufacturing Christopher T. Schade, Hoeganaes Corporation

For program and further information contact the conference sponsor: Metal Powder Industries Federation 105 College Road East, Princeton, NJ 08540 or visit AMPM2016.org Investing in Additive Manufacturing Inovar Communications Ltd

Symposium and Exhibition on Additive 2016 Manufacturing (SEAM 2016) July 26-27, Seberang Jaya, Penang, Malaysia Additive Manufacturing Users Group www.seam2016.com Conference April 3-7, St. Louis, Missouri, USA AM3D Additive Manufacturing + 3D Printing www.additivemanufacturingusersgroup.com Conference & Expo August 21–24, Charlotte, USA EPMA Seminar on Additive Manufacturing www.asme.org/events/am3d April 13-16, Bremen, Germany www.epma.com TCT Show + Personalize (UK) September 28-29, Birmingham, UK Hannover Messe www.tctshow.com April 25-29, Hannover, Germany www.hannovermesse.de 3D Print October 4-5, Lyon,France PM China 2016 www.3dprint-exhibition.com April 27-29, Shanghai, China www.cn-pmexpo.com 6th International Conference on Additive Manufacturing Technologies AM 2016 Rapid 2016 October 6–7, Bangalore, India May 16-19, Orlando, USA www.amsi.org.in www.rapid3devent.com PM2016 Powder Metallurgy World Congress AMPM2016 Additive Manufacturing with & Exhibition Powder Metallurgy October 9-13, Hamburg, Germany June 5–7, Boston, USA www.epma.com/world-pm2016 www.mpif.org MS&T 2016 - Additive Manufacturing of POWDERMET2016 Conference on Powder Composites and Complex Materials Metallurgy & Particulate Materials October 23–27, Salt Lake City, USA June 5–8, Boston, USA www.matscitech.org www.mpif.org Formnext powered by TCT 2016 EBT2016 12th International Conference November 15-18, Frankfurt, Germany June 14-17, Varna, Bulgaria www.formnext.com www.ebt2016.com Euromold 2016 Additive Manufacturing Europe 2016 December 6-9, Düsseldorf, Germany June 28-30, Amsterdam, The Netherlands euromold.com www.amshow-europe.com Additive Manufacturing Americas 2016 EPMA PM Summer School 2016 December 7-9, Pasadena, USA June 27 – July 1, Valencia, Spain www.amshow-americas.com www.epma.com

Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing Pick up your free copy! International Conference Metal AM magazine is exhibiting at and/or being July 12–14, Nottingham, UK distributed at events highlighted with the Metal www.am-conference.com AM cover image

If you would like to see your metal AM related event listed please contact Paul Whittaker: [email protected]

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