Read the Summer 2020 issue of Metal Additive Manufacturing magazine
July 16, 2020
The Summer 2020 issue of Metal Additive Manufacturing magazine (Vol. 6 No. 2) is now available to read online or download via our website or app (available on iOS and Android). This 176-page issue includes the following exclusive features:
Innovation and differentiation: Precious metal Additive Manufacturing in the jewellery sector
Rich in creativity and rooted in a long artisanal manufacturing heritage, one would imagine that there can be few sectors as perfectly suited to embrace the potential of metal Additive Manufacturing than the jewellery industry. In reality, however, the sector continues to hold back on the full-scale adoption of AM, despite numerous successes.
In this article, Michela Ferraro-Cuda considers progress to date in the adoption of precious metal AM in the jewellery industry, and showcases a number of leading designers who have leveraged the technology’s potential for innovation and differentiation.
Unrealised potential: The story and status of Electron Beam Powder Bed Fusion
In January, Boeing’s new 777X aircraft made its maiden flight, powered by two GE9X engines from GE Aviation. Whilst this was a major moment for both companies, it was also a huge milestone for Electron Beam Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-EB), and the culmination of decades of process and material development work at the driving force behind the technology, Arcam AB.
Whilst the many turbine blades used in the GE9X engine are the highlight of the first chapter in the story of PBF-EB, there is also a lingering sense of unrealised potential. Here, Joseph Kowen considers the story to date and highlights a new generation of firms working to increase the technology’s adoption.
Freemelt AB: Open source technology to explore the potential of Electron Beam Powder Bed Fusion
A new wave of AM machine manufacturers focused on Electron Beam Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-EB) is looking to capitalise on what is perceived as a process with significant untapped market potential.
One of the most prominent of these newcomers is Freemelt AB, a developer of open source machines designed to help broaden the PBF-EB material portfolio and application areas.
As Metal AM magazine’s Emily-Jo Hopson-VandenBos reports, co-founders Ulric Ljungblad and Ulf Ackelid have no doubt as to the opportunities ahead.
In pursuit of perfection: A case study on how Bugatti and APWORKS leverage the full potential of AM
It is far too easy to overuse superlatives when speaking about hypercars or Additive Manufacturing. When the discussion combines both – Bugatti’s new driver-focused Chiron Pur Sport and a high-performance AM component that truly pushes today’s processes to their limits – the result is worthy of a closer look.
In the following in-depth case study, Bugatti and APWORKS explain the requirements, development and production of the Chiron Pur Sport’s exhaust finisher and share insight into some of its hidden details, from lattice structures to nature-inspired honeycomb reinforcements.
Facing obstacles to profitability in metal AM: An Operational Excellence perspective
Just as Design for AM demands an entirely new mindset to be truly effective, understanding efficient AM machine utilisation in order to drive profitability also requires a major shift from conventional practices.
In this article, Magnitude Innovations Inc’s Matt Tusz, Founder and CEO, and Caterina Pampolari, Business Development Manager, explore operational and financial losses in metal Additive Manufacturing. They offer advice on how to overcome these growth barriers through production efficiency and profitable pricing strategies, with a focus on Operational Excellence and Continuous Improvement.
Mass-production using PBF-LB: How laser beam measurements can help pave the way
Laser Beam Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB) is a technology rich in process parameters and exacting material specifications, all developed with the aim of delivery quality and repeatability as the industry moves towards volume production.
However, without control of a laser’s focal spot, neither the material specification nor the handling of the material in the build chamber can guarantee the hoped-for results.
As Ophir Spiricon Europe’s Christian Dini explains, when it comes to lasers, there is no control without the gathering of reliable data.
Link3D’s ‘Additive Manufacturing Maturity Model’: Developing an agile and resilient supply chain
As the metal Additive Manufacturing industry matures at a rapid rate, organisations are now faced with the challenge of scaling their AM operations. Based on a study of 253 companies in a number of sectors, US-based AM software specialist Link3D has developed an ‘Additive Manufacturing Maturity Model’.
This simple model can be used as a tool to understand an organisation’s AM maturity whilst also helping them navigate the steps to developing an agile and resilient AM supply chain. Shane Fox, CEO and co-founder of Link3D, explains.
Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM): Binder Jetting Technology demystified
Able to achieve quicker build speeds and lower cost per part than its rival technologies, metal Binder Jetting (BJT) has generated increasing interest and rapid industry investment over the past two years. But while many engineers are now becoming familiar with the principles of design for Powder Bed Fusion AM, design for BJT is less widely understood.
In this article, Olaf Diegel and Terry Wohlers attempt to demystify some of the key factors that must be considered when designing parts for BJT.
Read the free digital edition online or download in pdf format today.
