3D printing realizes product function optimization and accelerates commercialization

There are several reasons why manufacturing companies use additive manufacturing technology. Some applications are to produce a small number of products in a shorter time, and some applications are considered from the perspective of material saving. Additive manufacturing technology is used to produce expensive and difficult-to-process materials. , And one type of application is for the purpose of optimizing product functions, that is, through additive manufacturing design thinking to optimize product design, and then use additive manufacturing technology to produce these innovative products.

Cultivating the ability to design for additive manufacturing is not a simple matter. It takes time to change the design thinking of product designers, but manufacturing users who use additive manufacturing technology to develop function-driven products in the early stages have more opportunities to compete quickly. Surpass the competition.

Realize product function optimization with additive manufacturing design thinking

The function-driven application of metal additive manufacturing is not intended to be hyped with 3D printing as a concept. In these products, 3D printing technology is a necessary manufacturing method. There are many such examples now, such as:

●High-performance engine parts with extremely small radius and uniform wall thickness;

●Industrial components with complex internal channels;

●Satellite propulsion system components with small internal channels, complex external geometric shapes and thin-wall features;

●Other titanium alloy bicycle frame with complex curved surface and internal support structure;

●Clamps designed according to the shape;

●Hydraulic manifold with optimized fluid passage;

●Orthopedic implants with porous structure such as titanium alloy and cobalt-chromium alloy;

●A heat exchanger with extremely thin fins and narrow internal passages;

●Lattice structure (weight reduction without sacrificing strength requirements);

●Functional mobile components, such as dynamic jewelry;

It can also be seen from the above examples that many additive manufacturing applications are products that cannot be achieved by traditional manufacturing techniques or are manufactured at unreasonable costs through traditional manufacturing techniques. Generally, complex products that are an order of magnitude more expensive with traditional manufacturing technology than with additive manufacturing are more suitable for manufacturing with additive manufacturing technology.

But at this time, it is not simply to directly produce products designed under the design rules of traditional manufacturing technology through additive manufacturing technology, but to optimize the design of products for additive manufacturing technology. The goal of design optimization is to achieve more optimized functions. , Performance, such as making parts have integrated functions, making products lighter but with good rigidity.

Commercialization is on the way

According to 3D Science Valley’s market observations, almost all of the examples listed above can see clear commercialization trends in the market, except for GE aircraft engine fuel nozzles, orthopedic 3D printed implants and other applications that have achieved commercial production. , And some complex industrial parts have also entered the commercialization stage. The following are two representative applications.

-Hydraulic

Italian hydraulic parts manufacturer aidro hydraulics has launched a metal 3D printed hydraulic valve product.

There are many pipes intersecting in the hydraulic valve block. In the past, these cross-manifolds were manufactured by machining cross-drilling. However, due to the limitation of machining angle, it is usually necessary to add a plug inside the flow channel to adjust the flow. When the hydraulic valve block is manufactured by additive manufacturing technology, the internal manifold pipeline can be optimized to obtain a more optimized fluid flow path. The hydraulic valve block with optimized fluid channels can be integrated through the additive manufacturing equipment Chemical manufacturing, there is no need for additional cross-drilling processing in the valve block.

According to market research conducted by 3D Science Valley, Airbus is also developing 3D printed hydraulic parts with its partners. Airbus aims to mass-produce aircraft spoiler hydraulic parts through metal additive manufacturing technology.

-Heat exchanger

HiETA, a British company founded in 2011, is developing metal parts with complex and lightweight structures for the production of various thermal management applications through additive manufacturing methods. The manufactured parts include heat exchangers, turbomachinery and combustion components for micro gas turbines, as well as phase-change heat exchangers and integrated waste heat recovery systems for fuel cells, as well as components for efficient internal combustion engine heat dissipation.

Traditionally, heat exchange products are usually made of thin sheets of material welded together. The complexity of the design makes production challenging and time-consuming, and the materials used in the welding process increase the overall weight of the part.

Through 3D printing, HiETA parts are usually 40% lighter than products made by traditional methods with the same efficiency on the market. This is because 3D printing technology allows designers to design many novel high-performance surfaces in a single component, and these integrated and integrated designs are very difficult for traditional processing methods.

Because before HiETA, there were few specialized institutions researching the manufacture of heat exchangers through additive manufacturing processes. HiETA has experienced many challenges in the process of developing 3D printing heat exchangers, including confirming that the 3D printing process can successfully produce thin enough walls and meeting quality requirements such as rigidity, developing special parameter packages, and developing selective laser melting 3D printing Design guidelines and design details for technically manufactured heat exchangers, etc.

Back Film

Mietubl Global Supply Chain (Guangzhou) Co., Ltd. , https://www.mietublmachine.com