July_August_AMP_Digital

A D V A N C E D M A T E R I A L S & P R O C E S S E S | J U L Y / A U G U S T 2 0 1 9 2 9 are further arguments in favor of AM technology. All of these benefits have contrib- uted to the initial adoption and sus- tained growth of metal AM since the early 2000s. Boeing, GE, NASA, Honda, Ford, and many others have been using metal AM for both prototyping and pro- duction parts in the past few years. RECENT IMPROVEMENTS The current range of metals avail- able for additive manufacturing typical- ly includes: tool steels, stainless steels, commercially pure titanium, titanium alloys, aluminum alloys, iron-nickel al- loys, nickel-cobalt alloys, cobalt-chro- mium alloys, copper alloys, gold, silver, platinum, palladium, and tantalum. While the commercially available ma- terials selection is growing rapidly, ma- terials development often results from collaborations between materials sup- pliers, AM system manufacturers, and end users. For example, Stratasys Di- rect Manufacturing worked with various aerospace companies to character- ize copper C18150 (CuCr1Zr) on direct metal laser melting (DMLM) systems for thermal control applications in the aerospace industry. With more collabo- rations on the horizon to fill in gaps for applications, it is likely that further ma- terials development will increase the niche use of AM parts. AM system improvements have also increased during recent years, al- though most address the five key chal- lenges the processes have faced: Compared to traditional metal manufacturingmethods likema- chining and casting, metal AM has struggled with dimension- al accuracy, material recycla- bility, isotropic characteristics, stress-induced deformations, and overall build size limita- tions. Dimensional accuracy concerns stem from the inherent nature of AM because factors re- lated to part geometry, material composition, machine and build chamber atmospheres, laser power, scan speeds, and build orientations can all influence a build. To combat this issue, users depend on careful design pa- rameters and part orientation to achieve accuracy. But some system manufacturers such as Velo3D have developed their systems to address issues like build pauses, inconsistent me- chanical properties, labor-in- tensive quality controls, and decreased use of supports—all while avoiding deformation. Additional advancements in 3D metal manufacturing enable more design freedom, including the production of low-angle ge- ometries and few or no support structures. The goal is to broad- en the capabilities of additive metals technology as well as the eco- nomic viability of the process at higher quantities. SUMMARY Consistent with recent trends, additive metals continue to be a grow- ing market and hot topic in the 3D printing industry. Some of the biggest players in aerospace, medicine, and energy are using this innovative tech- nology for revolutionary designs and advanced production components to help propel their industries forward. Further, materials development is fore- cast to become an even bigger part of the conversation. Some industry ob- servers consider technology capabili- ties and build size to be major limiting factors for AM. However, it is the lack of materials diversity—and more im- portantly, characterization for additive manufacturing—that will inhibit wide- spread adoption. Regardless of the challenges, it is clear that the benefits of additive metal printing far outpace the concerns. Opportunities are now wide open in this quickly developing industry. ~AM&P For more information: Eric Mutchler, DMLM Product Manager, Stratasys Direct Manufacturing, 9715 Burnet Rd., Suite A500, Austin, TX 78758, 512.821. 1112, eric.mutchler@stratasysdirect.com, www.stratasysdirect.com . 3D-printedmanifoldmade by direct metal laser melting. Additively manufactured heat exchanger made of nickel alloy by direct metal laser melting. All images courtesy of Stratasys Direct Manufacturing.