Industrial Additive Manufacturing
Industrial additive manufacturing applications are primarily linked to prototyping in the automotive field and early adoption for production in the aerospace segment, which is by far the biggest user of polymer and especially metal 3D printing technologies.
As the machines production throughput has increased in recent years, industrial adoption of AM is now beginning to extend to short and medium batch production for the automotive segment as well. Furthermore, as new metal and polymer technologies now enable the production of larger parts at reduced costs, the use of AM has begun to contaminate the energy segment (with applications in both traditional and sustainable energy production and transport) and the marine segment.
While the cost and time reduction benefits of AM technologies for weight and (topology) optimization, subassemblies and generative part design have been well documented, several hurdles still exist that are limiting a widespread adoption of these key technologies in full end-to-end digital and automated production cycles. Several of these hurdles are inherent to the AM technologies and related material availability, however, the biggest challenges remain linked to process standardization, part finishing and repeatability.
Today every major aerospace or automotive manufacturers has made some significant stride toward adoption of AM both for internal R&D and production and by leveraging external 3D printing service bureaus as a key resource for outsourced supplies. Every AM related industrial project is growing and the trend is clearly accelerating.
Latest industrial AM news:
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MELD Manufacturing, the company that developed and commercialized a unique friction consolidation 3D printing process, showed off the scalability of its open-air capabilities by printing a ten-foot (3.05 meter) diameter aluminum cylinder, using off the shelf aluminum. The size of the component is a milestone for the company and for…
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The BMW Group has transposed its 3D printing activities to its motorbike racing team by printing S 1000 RR World Superbike components at the curbside, on-demand. This method allows the team to quickly prototype new components at the circuit. Testing is made more efficient, which is an old story for…
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Boston-based metal AM company Desktop Metal has been awarded a hefty $2.45 million grant from the Department of Defense (DoD) to develop an additive manufacturing process for the mass production of cobalt-free hardmetal materials. The metal grades, developed by the U.S. Army, will be processed using Desktop Metal’s Production System…
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The National Centre for Additive Manufacturing (NCAM), a United Kingdom research center, created a high-stress automotive part using electron beam melting. This AM process is typically reserved for aerospace manufacturing. NCAM translated this aerospace technology to build a critical automotive part in a Formula-grade electrical racing vehicle for Oxford Brookes…
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From October 20th to 23rd, 2020, the U.S. Air Force Rapid Sustainment Office (RSO) will be hosting the first ever Advanced Manufacturing Olympics (AMO). While there won’t be any 10-meter diving at the four-day event, there will be a ton of AM and other advanced manufacturing on display. Registration for…
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thyssenkrupp is extending its gains in marine additive manufacturing by signing a letter of intent as a prelude to entering a joint venture with Wilhemsen Ships Services for custom manufacturing marine parts. The companies will collaborate on delivering maritime spare parts using 3D printing. thyssenkrupp, which already deploys additive manufacturing…
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There was a time, not even 5 years ago, that the yachting and boating industry completely ignored 3D printing. That all seems to have changed dramatically thanks to the work of certain AM pioneers and the availability of new composite AM technologies. One of them is Moi Composites. The Italian…
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AML3D Limited just shipped its first stainless steel grade 316L 3D printed propeller to 3D Printing Corporation. 3DPC is a Japanese based 3D printing consultancy firm, focused on unearthing innovative, industry 4.0 technologies capable of enhancing the manufacturing capabilities of their clients. Both companies have been making significant moves recently.…
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Etteplan, a Finland-based engineering services company, is hoping to drastically streamline cost estimation for additive manufacturing with its new browser-based tool, Etteplan AMOTool. The new online feature, which is free to use, calculates the production costs of AM, taking into account production method and object, with the aim of helping…
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In advance of the International Molded Fiber Association (IMFA) annual conference, the leading event for the molded fiber industry, HP unveiled an innovative and environmentally friendly tooling solution for molded fiber manufacturers. The solution includes the new HP Molded Fiber Advanced Tooling technology, which enables fast and enhanced design and…
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