Page 22 - MetalForming October 2016

Additive Manufacturing
Hot Isostatic Pressing to Complement AM-Part Production
Cycling Federation and designer GIE S2A to develop custom handlebars, produced on an SLM 280HL metal 3D printer, for seven Olympic athletes.
Come this fall, a new metal additive-manufacturing (AM) center in Davie, FL, opened by Swedish company Sintavia LLC, will boast a hot isostatic press (HIP) from Quintus Technologies that is expected to help AM parts meet exacting quality-control standards for aerospace and defense customers.
The success of the handlebars lies in their innovative designs created by GIE S2A, combining aerospace and automotive processes. Taking advantage of the design possibilities additive manufacturing affords, the handlebars were created to incorporate an interior lattice structure, providing strength yet minimizing weight. Additional weight savings were realized through the lightweight material choice, as the han- dlebars were printed in aluminum.
“Without HIP technology, additively manufactured parts are susceptible to porosity and lack of fusion,” states Sintavia founder Brian Neff. “HIP allows for near 100-percent
net-density parts.”
The model QIH 15L press is equipped with
Quintus’s proprietary Uniform Rapid Cooling, which, by incorporating densification and heat- treatment in the same equipment, shortens cycle times. Thus the press plays a key role in allowing Sin- tavia’s aviation customers to respond to mandates to compress build-to-fly
With reportedly the largest build cham- ber in its segment, at 280 by 280 by 350 mm, the SLM 280HL offers high throughput with multiple laser configurations and a patented bidirectional powder-recoating process. Open software architecture offers the freedom of controlling system parameters. SLM Solutions: www.slm-solutions.com
by 19.7 in., enables pres- sures to 30,000 psi and handles temperatures to 2550 F. The modular-designed press is delivered as a complete unit, with gas-compressing system, cooling unit, transformers, electrical
3D Printing Metal Parts Quickly and Flexibly
cabinets and pressure vessel all mounted in a 103 by 73-in. skid.
“While heattreatment is widespread, there is not a lot of HIP capacity available today,” comments Sintavia co-founder and president Doug Hedges. “As the demand
Trumpf has expanded its technology and product range in additive manufac- turing by introducing its new TruPrint 1000 laser metal-fusion (LMF) machine to the U.S. market. The TruPrint 1000 uses a laser and metallic powder to build com- ponents based on data supplied directly by a CAD program. LMF systems create the component, layer by layer, from metal powders with grain sizes as small as 20 microns. This technology proves ideal for parts that are complex in their geometry, such as those with internal channels and hollow spaces, and for economically man- ufacturing individual parts or short pro- duction runs.
increases, we wanted to stay in front of the curve, controlling our own HIP needs.” Adds Neff, “As the AM process continues to penetrate various supply chains, not
just aerospace and defense, you’ll see more applications requiring HIP-ing.” Sintavia’s state-of-the-art facility in Davie offers metal AM via the powder-bed fusion process, as well as metrological and metallurgical testing. Its customer base includes
aerospace and defense OEMs and Tier One suppliers.
Quintus Technologies: www.quintustechnologies.com
Metal-Additive Manufacturing Goes for Gold at Rio Olympics
SLM Solutions, Novi, MI, proudly played its part help- ing athletes strive for gold at the Rio Olympics, by pro- viding selective laser-melting metal additive-manufacturing technology to support bicy- clists. SLM Solutions’ cus- tomer Erpro & Sprint, a dig- ital-manufacturing in France, partnered with the French
As seen at IMTS 2016, the compact machine appeals to novices as well as those experienced in additive-manufacturing technology. It can generate parts that are a maximum of 100 mm dia. and 100 mm tall. The user interface with touchscreen control steps the operator intuitively through the individual phases of the process. All of the components, including the laser,
time.
The press features a
hot-zone capability of 7.3
20 MetalForming/October 2016
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