GE Additive, Cincinnati, announces that it has purchased an Arcam EBM Spectra H metal additive manufacturing system, designed to handle materials susceptible to high heat and cracking. The system complements the company’s existing electron beam melting systems.
As manufacturers make significant steps towards serial production, they require larger, faster, industrialized solutions and machines that are capable of handling materials such as titanium aluminide (TiAl). Today, electron beam melting remains the only commercial additive manufacturing method able to support TiAl production requirements.
Initially, the Arcam EBM Spectra H will support both TiAl and Alloy 718; additional nickel-base superalloys will be supported from 2019 onward. GE Additive‘s materials science team is currently exploring future opportunities for a wider range of high heat materials, including; nickel superalloys, tungsten, CoCr, stainless steel, and metal matrix composites.
The Arcam EBM Spectra H incorporates a range of new features and enhancements to drive down cost by increasing the productivity of the system. A 6kW HV-unit means that all pre- and post-heating steps take half the time compared with current EBM machines, increasing build speed by 50%. Build volume is increased by 39%, from 200x200x380mm, to Ø250x430mm
Reducing dependency on operators and incorporating automation technologies to improve accuracy has been in focus during the development of the Arcam EBM Spectra H. Closed powder handling maintains batch integrity and reduces the risk of contamination. The system includes an automated, self-dosing sieve and hopper filling station process. Powder weight is controlled in the PRS and inside the hopper filling station.
