Simufact Additive 2020 adds build cost estimation for metal AM
Simufact is also introducing new software tools to improve the DED additive manufacturing process
Process simulation software provider Simufact has announced the release of Simufact Additive 2020, a software solution for optimizing metal AM processes. The company, part of Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division, has also introduced a new simulation software solution to improve the quality of Direct Energy Deposition (DED) metal additive manufacturing. The software will be offered as a module within Simufact Welding 2020 software.
Simufact Additive 2020
Looking first at Simufact 2020, Simufact has integrated a number of new features into its metal AM software, including cost estimation of the build process and improved interoperability with Materialise’s build preparation software and Renishaw 3D printers. According to Simufact, the software offers “higher performance and robustness” for metal AM processes.
Simufact 2020 enables users to design and optimize the build process virtually as well as to estimate the cost of printing single parts or assemblies. The software also addresses post-AM processes, like cutting, machining, drilling and grinding. Overall, the software gives manufacturers the tools to choose the best build process based on many factors including cost.
The new software platform also aims to streamline data exchange in AM workflows by interfacing with Materialise using the 3MF industry standard data format. Simufact Additive 2020 also now includes integration with Renishaw QuantAM API for build job preparation and export. This feature will enable Renishaw customers to benefit from error-free-data transmission between software and printers.
“Simufact Additive 2020 broadens our scope from pure-play process build optimization software to provide cost optimisation,” said Dr. Hendrik Schafstall, CEO and Managing Director of Simufact. “This new release also underlines our commitment to openness and interoperability with third-party products. We believe manufacturers should start wherever they want in the process to improve quality and efficiency and make additive manufacturing smarter.”
Simufact Additive 2020 also includes a new hybrid manufacturing feature which allows manufacturers to combine powder bed fusion with conventional manufacturing. The software release, which can be licensed alongside MSC software products, also applies new Adaptive Voxel Meshing technology to improve the simulation speed of the AM process.
Simufact DED capabilities
The second announcement by Simufact related to AM focuses on a new solution for improving the quality of DED processes. The software, offered as a module in Simufact Welding 2020, gives users the tools to set up DED simulation models by importing existing tool paths from G-Code, rather than defining weld paths manually.
The DED-focused solution evaluates stresses, strains, distortions and thermal history throughout the manufacturing process to identify distortions and potential errors. The software also recommends ways to fix the printing errors with compensations, helping users to adapt G-code to print successful parts using DED.
“We are seeing significant demand for our new simulation solution because it helps to optimize such cost-efficient deposition production processes,” explained Dr. Schafstall. “DED offers a lot of innovation potential for hybrid manufacturing that combines conventional manufacturing technologies with additive manufacturing.”
Also this week, MSC Software Corporation, a part of Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division, launched a new design optimization solution, MSC Apex Generative Design.
