ALM case study
ADDITIVE LAYER MANUFACTURING
REACHES FOR THE SKY
A
dditive Layer Manufacturing (ALM) for direct developed by Concept Laser GmbH, which will
part production continues to grow and is fast eliminate the potential pitfalls of accuracy errors on
becoming a significant part of the overall large components.
ALM industry. The many benefits of this
process have seen the technology embraced by a Having established the potential of the M3 linear
number of manufacturing sectors, not least the machine, Materials Solutions set out to design a test
aerospace industry. The ability to produce component that would qualify certain build criteria
components in a wide range of materials, including and that could also be used to educate and inform
hot work steels, stainless steel, cobalt chromes and aerospace designers of 'additive friendly' design
inconel, plus titanium and aluminium alloys, features and techniques. These include reducing
presents the aerospace industry with immense supports and using larger flowing radii to assist in
potential for direct part production using ALM. reducing the time to build and, subsequently,
component production and finishing costs. The test
Additive Layer Manufacturing has already proven its part incorporates many features — such as small
capability to produce small and medium-sized diameter holes, threaded features, thin rib sections
aerospace components, and having realised the and areas of thick material section — all typically
potential of the process, aerospace manufacturers found in aerospace components. The greatest
are now seeking to produce larger and more challenges for Concept Laser were that a component
complex parts. of this size had never before been built and, added to
this, the part was required in an unexpectedly short
Birmingham-based Materials Solutions operates an timescale.
ALM applications development centre with a
particular focus on the aerospace sector. Carl materials vendors to develop the technology for The finished component demonstrates the current
Brancher, of Materials Solutions, explained, mass production.” capabilities of the technology in terms of size (300
“Additive Layer Manufacturing in high performance mm diameter), accuracy and surface finish. While
metals is well suited for complex thin-walled The collaboration between Materials Solutions and this part does not yet satisfy the ultimate demands of
structures in gas turbines. However, as a new its industry clients has so far led to the production of aerospace manufacturers, it clearly confirms the
technology it is not yet well understood or validated a wide range of components over the last three capabilities of the process, the scalable potential of
by potential users, and like all manufacturing years. This programme has now reached the limit of Concept Laser's M3 linear machine and the sound
processes, getting the best from metal ALM requires component size that can be produced using the base that Concept Laser has for further development
the designer to understand the process capabilities existing Materials Solutions ALM systems. With the of the M3 linear for large aerospace components.
and materials' mechanical properties. Materials continuing pressure from aerospace manufacturers to
Solutions is bridging this gap by providing develop the capability to produce larger parts, There are also practical aspects to be considered
manufactured parts and consulting (principally to the Materials Solutions turned to Concept Laser GmbH when building large parts. Larger volume
aerospace market), and working with equipment and to explore the potential for building larger components require greater volumes of powder and
components using Concept Laser's M3 linear hence a robust and stable platform to accommodate
system. the weight. Having then built a large volume and
ABOVE: Component designed by Material Solutions
and manufactured on Concept Laser's M3 linear
potentially very heavy component, safe and easy
BELOW: Concept Laser's MR Linear System
Linear drives allow large build volumes. The removal was essential. The M3 linear machine is
fundamental principles of the M3 linear make it quite built around a substantial fabricated framework and
unique in the world of additive layer already incorporates a removable build module,
manufacturing. Unlike other machines, the enabling the module and component to be easily
M3 linear does not have fixed optics, but positioned under an overhead crane if required.
a combination of galvo scanning mirrors
and linear direct drives to move the The success of this exercise and the current
scanning head. Already used to build collaboration between Materials Solutions and
larger volume components, the M3 linear Concept Laser will be used to define the future
has all of the prerequisites for up-scaling strategies and technical milestones that will
to enable production of the types of eventually see parts manufactured using ALM
components envisaged by the aerospace techniques leave the laboratory and take to the air.
industry. It is not only the physical
attributes of the system that lend ES Technology Limited
themselves to the production of large C: Mr. Colin Cater,
components, but the process control and Product Manager Rapid Manufacturing
laser scanning strategy, already W: www.estechnology.co.uk
58 tct 17/6
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