Page 17 - 3D Metal Printing Summer 2016

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water-wheel pumps for its DTM racing cars; and Johnson Controls has 3D-printed metal parts for automotive seats.
While perhaps lagging the aerospace industry in commercial applications for metal additive manufacturing (AM), there recently have been several headline-grab- bing newsmakers related to metal-AM work within the automotive industry. For example, EDAG Engineering GmbH has partnered with 3D-printer manufacturer Concept Laser and tube-processing spe- cialists BLM Group to engineer its Light Cocoon concept car. The car’s spaceframe comprises 3D-printed metal nodes. Using metal AM to make the nodes, of complex geometrical shapes deemed difficult or impossible to manufacture convention-
ally, allows for easy, cost-effective modi- fications and customization.
Productivity Spurs: Multiple Lasers and Process Automation
The weight-reduction and perform- ance-enhancing capabilities presented by 3D metal printing are simply too enticing for the automotive industry to ignore. That’s the perspective of Andrew Snow, senior vice president of EOS North Amer- ica, Inc., who tells 3D Metal Printing that he’s seen numerous possible applications for the technology being discussed within the industry. These discussions lead Snow to believe that the industry will definitely trend toward growing use of metal AM.
A few notable technology trends Snow points to, that promise to make 3D metal printing more applicable to those working in the automotive industry: use of multiple lasers (in laser-powder bed machines) to increase build speed; and maturation of the automation concepts needed to make the overall process of printing and finish- ing significantly more efficient.
“A lot of suppliers and users are working in both of these areas,” says Snow. “For our part, EOS announced in mid-2015 a
strategic relationship with GF Machining Solutions, in Switzerland, to develop process-automation solutions. These com- bine EOS’ additive-manufacturing (direct metal laser sintering) expertise and the expertise that GF offers in EDM, high- speed milling and automation.”
Aluminum + Polyamide
In the meantime, says Snow, the auto- motive production applications for 3D metal printing primarily reside within the motor-sports arena. Here it’s all about shaving ounces, if not pounds, from race cars built and repaired by Formula 1 lead- ers such as McLaren Racing and Red Bull Racing. In fact, late in 2015 EOS entered into a 3-yr. technical partnership with Williams Grand Prix Engineering. The Williams Formula 1 team employs EOS machines to 3D-print metallic-plastic parts from Alumide (an aluminum-filled polyamide powder) and Carbonmide (car- bon-fiber-filled polyamide)—parts for functional testing including engine ancil- laries and complete gearbox assemblies, as well as jigs and fixtures.
Printing with powders combining nylon with aluminum powder also is promoted
3DMPmag.com
SUMMER 2016 • 3D METAL PRINTING | 15
This automobile heat-exchanger concept, designed with
Autodesk Within software, is
about two-thirds the size and half the weight of the
equivalent-performing design made using more conventional
techniques. It demonstrates how metal additive manufacturing
frees designers from constraints imposed by traditional
manufacturing technologies, and how specialized software allows for
optimal design of the internal
structures and skin thickness to maximize heat transfer.
Autodesk Within, introduced in July 2015, takes input parameters such as desired weight requirements,
maximum stress and displacement, and generates, for 3D printing, variable-density lattice structures and surface skins.