Brad Keselowski,a professional racing driver andNASCAR冠军，has unveiledKeselowski Advanced Manufacturing（kam），a hybrid manufacturing company using 3D printing technologies in North Carolina. The driver and team leader investedmore than $10 million to start the company.
The 70,000 square-foot facility is currently equipped with two Concept Laser M2 Multilaser 3D printers fromGE Additive。它还具有粉末分析工具和后处理设备。KAM由30名员工组成，计划在今年年底之前扩展到100名员工。
该公司将专门从事添加和减法制造解决方案，包括selective laser sintering (SLS)。
从赛车到制造汽车
In his welcome address for KAM, Keselowski emphasized the capabilities of 3D printing, mentioning an Italian doctor who developed patient-specific3D printed hip cup implants。Keselowskialso previously expressed an interest in 3D printing after he raced in a car with金属3D打印零件。
Coming from an engineering family, he believes that hybrid manufacturing is key to聪明的工厂。凯塞洛夫斯基说，
“曾经有一段时间将添加剂和减法制造视为竞争对手技术。在KAM，我们将它们视为重要的技术，实际上是“武器中的兄弟”。
Tooling and advanced powertrain units
KAM’s focus is on manufacturing products with high capabilities in light weighting, thermal, fluid passageways, strength, and conductivity. This includes parts for the aerospace, defence and automotive industries. In fact, Keselowski intends to “convert an entire industry to advanced powertrain units”.
Such units comprise of components that operate the drive of a vehicle. KAM will also offer “tool and die” services, i.e.,rather than directly building end-use products。该公司的目的是使工具更便宜，质量更高且对环境更好。一旦正确建立，KAM希望开始从事医疗应用。
Vertical integration, and ISO & AS9100 guidance
One significant part of KAM is itsvertical integrationwhich involves combining two or more stages of production normally operated by separate firms. With this, KAM will be able to complete large series production from start to finish.
“Many companies are tied down with huge legacy costs in other manufacturing methods, or business models that require outside vendors to manufacture,” said Keselowski.
“American companies looking for outside sources to manufacture hybrid additive and subtractive metal parts in serial production are sadly out of luck because they simply don’t exist at scale. That is, until now.”
KAM设施也与ISO 9001andAS9100指导。此外,它将利用一个完整的实现allurgical lab, and aPinnacle X-Ray SolutionsCT扫描仪检查内部详细零件以查找缺陷。
3D打印中的赛车和驾驶员
Keselowski从racing to additive manufacturing is not as big a jump as it seems. 3D printing is particularly useful for racing vehicles. For example, a racing car recently wonthe TRD 86 Cup, purportedly多亏了3D打印的零件。
Last year,布加迪, a French luxury car manufacturer unveiled its latest supercar with3D打印的尾灯。灯光是3D打印的，可在蜿蜒的道路上进行最佳处理性能。称重35公斤（77 lbs), this supercar is lighter than the Bugatti Chiron, which featured the first metal 3D printed brake caliper.
布加迪超级跑车揭幕之后一个月，KW遗产恢复了Alfa Romeo Tipo 33/3 sports carwith 3D printed components. KW Heritage, the restoration arm of UK engineering firmKW Special Projects（kwsp），3D printed replacement parts对于车辆不到传统成本的三分之一。
至于凯塞洛夫斯基（Keselowski），他认为，仅仅是一名赛车司机提供了开始从事添加剂制造业所需的洞察力。
“Being a race car driver has perfectly positioned me to lead an advanced manufacturing company,” saidKeselowski.
“Years in motorsports have taught me several important lessons in the harshest of environments—environments where the quarterly report comes every weekend, and the failure to perform could mean not only your job, but possibly, your life.”
如果您受到公司或组织的启发，为什么不提名他们2019 3D Printing Industry Awards?
For more news in additive manufacturing, subscribe to our free通讯, follow us onTwitter和我们一样Facebook。
Wherever you’ve come from, you can begin a career in additive manufacturing. Check out our3D printing jobs网站可以查看那里有什么准备。
Featured image showsKeselowski高级制造业创始人Brad Keselowski，配备了Mazak Hybrid多任务机。通过kam的照片。
