Sandvik installs Renishaw laser 3D printers and collaborates on process development
November 28, 2018
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Sandvik Additive Manufacturing, Sweden, announces that it has installed several new Renishaw RenAM 500Q quad laser printing machines, and is also initiating further collaboration with Renishaw in areas such as materials development, AM process technologies, and post-processing.
This print capacity expansion follows a recently announced investment of $22 million in a new plant for the manufacturing of titanium and nickel powders for additive manufacturing. These powders will complement Sandvik’s existing Osprey powder offering to include virtually all alloy groups of relevance today.
The new multi-laser RenAM 500Q systems complement Sandvik’s existing AM machines, which include printers from EOS, Concept Laser, Arcam, and ExOne. Collectively, the machines now cover a very wide range of printing technologies for different materials and applications.
When it comes to additive manufacturing, the optimal balance of weight, strength, hardness, thermal characteristics, flexibility, geometric complexity, surface finish, and other characteristics varies from one application to the next. Therefore, Sandvik works across the entire value chain, from component selection, AM-design and modelling, through material choice/development and optimal printing process, to post-processing, testing, and quality assurance.
With its Osprey range of metal powders, Sandvik has the in-house capability to produce the market’s broadest portfolio of alloys, coupled with the metallurgical expertise to customize the best material for every application.
“We work closely with our customers to tailor alloys in line with their exact requirements, even for small batch print runs,†says Annika Roos, Head of the Powder Division in Sandvik. “Not only do we match the alloy to the purpose, but also we can optimize the particle size for the chosen printing process."
www.additive.sandvik/se
Sandvik Additive Manufacturing, Sweden, announces that it has installed several new Renishaw RenAM 500Q quad laser printing machines, and is also initiating further collaboration with Renishaw in areas such as materials development, AM process technologies, and post-processing.
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Abstract from MS&T 2018 technical program: Effects of Post-Build Thermal Processing on the Microstructure of Laser Powder-Bed Produced 17-4 PH Stainless Steel
November 24, 2018
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17-4 PH is a martensitic stainless steel of interest for additive manufacturing (AM) applications because of its combination of high strength and corrosion resistance. In the wrought form this steel has a fully martensitic structure that can be strengthened by precipitation of fine Cu-rich FCC precipitates upon aging. When produced via AM, its microstructure depends strongly on the powder feedstock, particularly the gas used during powder atomization, typically argon or nitrogen. Argon-atomized powder costs significantly more than that produced with nitrogen.
However, nitrogen is a strong austenite stabilizer in iron and steel, resulting in an as-built microstructure of AM 17-4 PH that contains up to 90% retained austenite.
Conventional annealing heat treatments reduce the retained austenite to around 10% to 15%, even after cryogenic treatment, resulting in mechanical behavior that differs significantly compared to cast/wrought 17-4 PH.
This work examines alternative post-build processing of nitrogen gas-atomized AM 17-4 PH to minimize or eliminate the retained austenite in the final microstructure, producing a material that more closely resembles its cast/wrought counterpart.
Eric Lass, Carelyn Campbell, Maureen Williams, National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST)
www.nist.gov
https://www.nist.gov/people/eric-lass
17-4 PH is a martensitic stainless steel of interest for additive manufacturing (AM) applications because of its combination of high strength and corrosion resistance.
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Quintus Technologies system combines HIP with heat treatment at Lake City Heat Treating
November 23, 2018
Source: ASM International
Quintus Technologies, Sweden, announces that Lake City Heat Treating, Warsaw, Ind., has installed a Quintus hot isostatic press with uniform rapid cooling, the first to be delivered to the North American market.
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HRE Wheels, GE Additive build 3D-printed titanium wheel via electron beam melting
November 16, 2018
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HRE Wheels, Vista Calif., and GE Additive, Cincinnati, Ohio, announced a partnership agreement and showed the first titanium wheel built via electron-beam melting of titanium powder. Known as “HRE3D+â€, this new prototype wheel shows how advanced materials such as titanium can be harnessed to create complex designs.
The goal of the “HRE3D+†project was to test the capabilities of additive manufacturing in a practical application and to create a highly-sophisticated wheel design. With a traditional aluminum Monoblok wheel, 80% of material is removed from a 100-pound forged block of aluminum to create the final product. With additive manufacturing, only 5% of the titanium is removed and recycled, making the process far more efficient. Titanium also has a much higher specific strength than aluminum and is corrosion resistant, allowing it to be extremely lightweight and to be shown in its raw finish.
The wheel was produced on two Arcam EBM machines - Q20 and a Q10 in five separate sections, then combined using a custom center section and titanium fasteners.
"This is an incredibly exciting and important project for us as we get a glimpse into what the future of wheel design holds,†said HRE President Alan Peltier. “Working with GE Additive’s AddWorks team gave us access to the latest additive technology and an amazing team of engineers, allowing us to push the boundaries of wheel design beyond anything possible with current methods. To HRE, this partnership with GE Additive moves us into the future.â€
“HRE prides itself on its commitment to excellence and superior quality in the marketplace. It was a natural fit for AddWorks to work on this project with them and really revolutionize the way wheels can be designed and manufactured,†said Robert Hanet, senior design engineer, GE Additive AddWorks.
www.hrewheels.com
www.ge.com/additive
HRE Wheels, Vista Calif., and GE Additive, Cincinnati, Ohio, announce a partnership agreement and unveiled the first titanium wheel created using electron-beam melting of titanium powder.
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Carpenter acquires LPW Technology, continues additive manufacturing investment
November 15, 2018
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Carpenter Technology Corp., Philadelphia, announces it has acquired LPW Technology Ltd., England, for approximately $81 million. LPW provides advanced metal powders and management solutions to the additive manufacturing industry. With its additional processing operations near Pittsburgh, Pa., LPW employs approximately 80 people.
“The acquisition combines LPW’s metal powder lifecycle management technology and processes with our technical expertise in engineered metal powders and additively manufactured components," said Tony R. Thene, Carpenter’s President and Chief Executive Officer. Lifecycle management technology is becoming increasingly important to understanding how materials behave before, during, and after production in the powder-bed fusion process.
Carpenter’s additive portfolio, including recent investments in Puris, a titanium powders producer; CalRAM, a leader in electron beam and laser powder-bed fusion additive manufacturing services, and construction of an Emerging Technology Center in Athens, Alabama, represent a significant force positioned to capitalize on rapid AM growth.
www.cartech.com.
Carpenter Technology Corp., Philadelphia, announces it has acquired LPW Technology Ltd., England, for approximately $81 million.
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Ipsen USA receives orders for nine Titan vacuum furnaces and seven others in October
November 11, 2018
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Ipsen USA, Cherry Valley, secured multiple vacuum furnace orders last month, ending with a total of 16 new orders, including nine Titan vacuum furnaces, a record month in the 10-year production of the global platform product. Titan is known for its versatility and these furnaces continue to prove that, as they will be shipped worldwide for use in a variety of applications for companies in aerospace, automotive, and commercial heat-treating industries.
Titan furnaces:
--Are available in several sizes with horizontal or vertical configurations, nitrogen or argon quench and graphite or all-metal hot zone construction
--Incorporate a high-definition display with a touch screen
--Support a variety of standard processes, including hardening, annealing, tempering and brazing
--Are capable of meeting applicable AMS 2750, Nadcap and MedAccred requirements
--Maintain tight temperature uniformity of ±10 °F (±5 °C) from 1,000 °F to 2,400 °F (540 °C to 1,320 °C)
--Use approximately 40% less floor space¹, and its compact design allows for ease of installation
In addition to the strong bookings for the Titan product line, Ipsen also sold seven custom units, including MetalMaster, TurboTreater, and vacuum aluminum brazing furnaces.
www.ipsenusa.com
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Ipsen USA, Cherry Valley, secured multiple vacuum furnace orders last month, ending with a total of 16 new orders, including nine Titan vacuum furnaces, a record month in the 10-year production of the global platform product.
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Nadcap recognizes Solar Atmospheres Greenville plant for superior performance
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Solar Atmospheres, Greenville, S.C., announces that it has been awarded Nadcap 18-month Merit status for Heat Treating, Brazing, and Carburizing. The company is extremely pleased PRI has recognized its corporate commitment to quality. Achieving 18-month merit has been a goal set by Solar’s employees since opening its doors in 2015. Solar says that adherence to strict specification requirements, flawless process execution, and a daily commitment to quality processing is evident among all employees of Solar Atmospheres.
The Solar Atmospheres Greenville facility has held Nadcap accreditation since 2015. Having demonstrated ongoing commitment to quality by satisfying customer requirements and industry specifications, the Nadcap Task Group has determined that Solar Atmospheres – Greenville has earned this special recognition. Instead of having the next Nadcap audit in twelve months, Solar has been granted an accreditation that lasts until 30 April 2020.
“Achieving Nadcap accreditation is not easy,†says Joe Pinto, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at the Performance Review Institute. “It is one of the ways in which the aerospace industry identifies those who excel at manufacturing quality product through superior special processes. Companies such as Solar Atmospheres go above and beyond achieving Nadcap accreditation to obtain Merit status.â€
www.solaratm.com
Solar Atmospheres, Greenville, S.C., announces that it has been awarded Nadcap 18-month Merit status for Heat Treating, Brazing and Carburizing.
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GE Aviation to build cobalt-chrome aircraft power door bracket by additive manufacturing
November 2, 2018
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GE Aviation, Cincinnati, announces that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has given ‘change in design’ approval to GE Additive and GE Aviation to replace a conventionally manufactured power door opening system (PDOS) bracket, used on GE Aviation’s GEnx-2B commercial airline engines, with an additively manufactured bracket.
The new additively manufactured brackets will enter mass production at GE Aviation’s facility in Auburn, Alabama, using GE Additive Concept Laser M2 cusing Multilaser machines, this month. GE Aviation anticipates the first GEnx engines installed with the new brackets will be shipped in January 2019.
GEnx-2B commercial airline engines power the Boeing 747-8. The PDOS is used on the ground to open and close the fan cowl doors to enable access to the fan compartment for maintenance reasons. The original PDOS brackets on GEnx-2B engines were produced from a solid block of metal, using conventional methods such as milling; this technique resulted in around 50% of the material being wasted.
Using Laser Beam Powder Bed Fusion (LB-PBF) additive technology (referred to by GE as Direct Metal Laser Melting) to manufacture the new brackets, waste generated during the part’s manufacture has been reduced by as much as 90%. GE Aviation stated that it has also improved the design to reduce the bracket’s weight by 10%. In addition, the decision to mass produce using a cobalt-chrome alloy over a traditional nickel-based superalloy has enabled a faster build. To make this approach as efficient as possible, GE stated that four brackets will be printed at the same time.
Using a custom interlocking design to house all four brackets on a single build plate, the Concept Laser M2 cusing machine’s pair of lasers can additively manufacture an aircraft’s worth of brackets in one build, before post-processing and inspection. Finally, by taking production of the brackets entirely in-house, GE Aviation also expects to reduce its production costs.
www.ge.com/additive
GE Aviation, Cincinnati, announces that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has given ‘change in design’ approval to GE Additive and GE Aviation to replace a conventionally manufactured power door opening system (PDOS) bracket, used on GE Aviation’s GEnx-2B commercial airline engines, with an additively manufactured bracket.
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Siemens and Chromalloy invest $139 million in Advanced Airfoil Components joint venture
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Siemens, Munich, and Chromalloy Gas Turbine Corp., Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., have opened their new joint venture, Advanced Airfoil Components (AAC), near Tampa, Florida. The AAC casting facility is 210,000 square feet, and will enable production of the entire range of blades and vanes for Siemens gas turbine fleet, including the newest 9000HL. The facility equipment build-out is being done in stages and will be completed over the next four years. The stand-alone manufacturing plant, which began construction last year, was established to exclusively supply Siemens with casting components for its gas turbines.
The partnership represents a capital investment of $139 million and will add 350 jobs. Advanced Airfoil Components will hire workers for a range of skilled positions, including technical engineers, manufacturing technicians, and production workers, as well as human resources, finance, procurement and logistics, and operations roles.
“This new facility demonstrates Siemens' commitment to delivering state-of-the-art technology solutions for our power and gas customers in the United States and throughout the world,†said Lisa Davis, CEO Energy, Siemens AG. “Not only does this joint venture help reduce costs and support our supply chain needs, but also it will create 350 high-wage, skilled positions, including technical engineers, manufacturing technicians, and production workers, and will expand Siemens more than 5000 employees footprint in Florida.â€
“Advanced Airfoil Components is proud to exclusively deliver innovative, high-tech casting components for Siemens gas turbines at this new, state-of-the-art site,†said Kevin Updegrove, CEO, Advanced Airfoil Components. “The new space will allow Advanced Airfoil Components to grow this new business with Siemens and Chromalloy, taking our partnership to the next level.â€
www.siemens.com
Siemens, Munich, and Chromalloy Gas Turbine Corp., Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., have opened their new joint venture, Advanced Airfoil Components (AAC), near Tampa, Florida.
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SSAB to increase capacity to make quenched and tempered steels in its Alabama plant
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Swedish steelmaker SSAB says it plans to invest about $110 million in its steel plant in Mobile, Ala., to increase capacity to make quenched-and-tempered (Q&T) steels and other products. The company says it is planning a number of targeted improvements to its formatting, blasting and painting, and shipping operations to boost its Q&T capacity.
The upgrades would eliminate production bottlenecks and lift capacity by 33% to about 440,000 tons annually. Additionally, SSAB is planning a parallel project in which it will install a new, accelerated cooling system on the rolling mill. The investment has been designed to include the potential to build additional Q&T capacity through direct quenching similar to the technology currently used at SSAB’s production facilities in Finland and Sweden.
“With this planned investment, we not only increase our production, but also improve our quality and efficiency performance as well,†said SSAB Americas president Chuck Schmitt.
“Over the past 20 years, we have increased Q&T volumes by an average of 7% a year,†said SSAB president and chief executive Martin Lindqvist. “There is great market potential as Q&T penetration is still relatively low, for example in North and South America, where we now plan to increase capacity.â€
https://www.aist.org/news/steel-news/2018/october/29-october-2-november/ssab-looks-to-increase-q-t-capacity-through-us$110
www.ssab.com
Swedish steelmaker SSAB says it plans to invest about $110 million in its steel plant in Mobile, Ala., to increase capacity to make quenched-and-tempered (Q&T) steels and other products.
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