Additive manufacturing answers the new industry's challenges.
At the dawn of the 21st century, these challenges are numerous and fully consistent with the strengths of this new 3D technology. The scenarios are multiple:
- Reducing industrialization lead time with a short time to market,
- Taking into account an eco-responsible dimension with an integrated supply chain or even the management of the life cycle of materials,
- The design and production of parts, with a complex design that can integrate various functions,
- Cost reduction, mass savings, digital continuity and many other advantages.
Beyond these undeniable challenges, 3D printing provides the industry with a natural axis of development for several applications. The range of processes is now sufficiently expanded to meet the need for the manufacture of small or medium series, maintenance or repair, adding function, rapid prototyping, tooling, etc.
Whatever your industrial strategy, the choice of process as well as industrial means is central. For large families, it can be:
- SLM (Selective Laser Melting) by laser fusion on a powder bed,
- SLS (Selective Laser Sintering) by laser sintering of powder,
- DED (Direct Energy Deposition) deposition of material by laser, electron beam or arc,
- MBJ (Metal Binder Jetting) by debinding-sintering of a green part,
- Cold spray by adding a high-yield powder deposit.
Metal powders, wires or the like all have demanding intrinsic characteristics.
The sphericity, the flowability, the density or the particle size distribution of the powders are essential to the good realization of the parts.
The diameters of the metal wires and polymers as well as the mechanical characteristics are large factors of success.
Many metal alloys have the potential to be printed and developed around customer applications.