German metal 3D printer manufacturerSLM Solutions曾与跨国制造集团航空部门合作Honeywell, to produce a parameter set for 3D printing aluminum F357.
Developed as part of the companies’ ongoing partnership, the material reportedly provides 3D printed parts with considerably improved properties compared to those created through die-casting methods. In addition, the advanced additive metal could also address both partners’ wider goals of reducing manufacturing times and costs, and 3D printing aircraft components that meet industry standards.
“ SLM机器的开放式体系结构系统具有巨大的优势，例如高灵活性，可以定制参数集，” Honeywell Aerospace技术高级主管SörenWiener博士说。“通过这种开放访问策略和SLM解决方案的大力支持，我们向实现下一个目标。”
SLM and Honeywell’s 3D printing partnership
SLM Solutions总部位于德国Luebeck，是开发和提供选择性激光熔化（SLM）3D打印机的专家。这SLM 800metal additive systemwas revealed atFormnext 2017, and features a quad-laser configuration with four 400 W or 700 W lasers, and a large build envelope measuring 500 x 280 x 850 mm.
这company’s additive manufacturing technology has been utilized within a range of applications, including in the production of “世界上最大的3D印刷火箭引擎“对于英国航空公司公司Orbex。接下来是与意大利服务局的合作Beamit, which saw the companies developnew printing settings for SLM printers, and cycling supplierCeramicSpeed, where it3D打印的滑轮轮for professional cyclists.
Nonetheless, neither of the company’s existing partnerships yielded impressive financial results for SLM Solutions, and it announced a38.3 percent decline in saleslast year. Since then, SLM hasbegun working with Honeywellto qualify new additive manufacturing parameters, to enable 3D printing at increased thicknesses, and its fortunes have changed. Now, not only has the company revealedrecord financial resultsfor the first quarter and will likely be hoping that its collaboration with Honeywell, could lead to new applications of its metal 3D printing technology.
这aerospace applications of aluminum F357
In the early stages of their collaborative work in December last year, Honeywell began attempting to qualify aluminum builds using its quad-laser SLM 500 3D printer. Working with the aluminum alloy F357, a new beryllium free version of AlSi7Mg0,6 (A357), the company experimented with increasing the layer thicknesses of parts to 60 and 90 µm respectively.
SLM解决方案最初为霍尼韦尔提供了通用的铝制参数集以完成material qualification and achieve optimal material properties, but now development has reached an “important milestone.” Using a new set of printing settings, the companies have 3D printed components that display “significantly increased” mechanical properties in comparison to those exhibited by conventional diecast parts.
此外，这种强大的高强度零件现在能够符合实现广泛采用航空航天的所需标准。结果，F357铝在行业内受到了极大的追捧，它也提供了理想的机械性能，例如增强的耐腐蚀性和在广泛温度范围内的高强度。据报道，该合金还提供了出色的可焊性，并且具有出色的适合后处理，例如机械加工或在电化学过程中（例如阳极氧化）。
这se characteristics lend themselves to creating thin, complex structures for applications in both the aerospace and automotive industries. As a result, the newly-developed printing parameters represent a landmark achievement in the companies’ ongoing partnership.
“It is a privilege to work together with one of the leading companies in the aerospace world, concluded Benjamin Haas, Product Manager for Materials & Parameters at SLM Solutions. “This way, we can learn a lot from each other leading to perfectly suited, industry proven solutions from which all of our customers can benefit.”
Aluminum materials in the 3D printing industry
Aluminum alloys are commonly used for manufacturing automotive and aerospace components, but they have been used to produce a range of end-use parts, ranging from sports equipment to dashboard panels. More recently, 3D printing companies have sought to develop metals with enhanced mechanical performance, in order to expand on these applications and create parts with improved qualities.
Metal additive manufacturing specialistAmaero已经进入了获得国际专利批准的最后阶段，以获得其Amaero热铝合金。这newly-developed metal3D打印后可以进行热处理，可以进行热处理并变硬，从而增强了强度和耐用性。
材料制造商Questek Innovations LLCmeanwhile, is developing a new 3D printer feedstock in collaboration with theGerman Aerospace Center(DLR). An aluminum alloy, thenew material from the two companies, will exhibit high strength at elevated temperatures between 200 and 300°C.
总部位于加利福尼亚HRL Laboratorieshas developed a powder format aluminum 3D printing material, which it claims is “the strongest additive manufacturing aluminum to date。” The alloy has already been utilized within a variety of industries, including on theMarshall Space Flight Center，已经开始使用材料生产大规模航空航天组件。
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Featured image shows SLM Solutions’ SLM 3D printing technology in action. Image via SLM Solutions.
