ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING
The company’s SAF ReLife solution can efficiently repurpose waste PA12 powder from powder bed fusion printers
The ability to iterate
and change designs quickly
gets you to market first
However, the big benefit for Roush
Performance came in lead times. The company fits 50 car kits per week. All 50 kits can be made in 10 hours using additive manufacturing techniques, whereas traditional manufacturing could take months for the products to arrive on site. After-market parts are not
just limited to modifications but also repairs and replacements. Abro explains: “Today OEMs have warehouses filled with parts for every single product line they represent in service, in all of the years. If you need a new grill, they have to go into the inventory and get it.” If the spare part isn’t available, OEMs will have to order a batch of injection moulded replacement parts, rather than being able to just make what is required. Using Stratasys’ printers and
design for additive manufacturing (DFAM) capabilities, OEMs can print on demand the exact parts which are required, leading to no waste and much faster lead times. Currently, the biggest limiting factor in the widespread use of this process is the paperwork involved in replacing parts with materials different to the original materials used.
A NEW WAY TO MANUFACTURE Andreas Langfeld, EMEA President
at Stratasys, outlines how additive manufacturing can take its next steps forward. Langfeld says: “The next step of the evolution, that is also happening today, is you are not just using additive manufacturing for tooling, jigs, and fixtures but as an alternative to traditional manufacturing methods or end-use components.” Langfeld cites how spare parts of
trains, both for exterior and interior use, are being made using additive manufacturing – made possible by the availability of materials which meet the EN 455/2 standard required. McLaren’s race teams are also taking advantage of this technology, with Langfeld saying wind-tunnel tests are being conducted using products manufactured via 3D printing. Abro adds: “The ability to iterate and
change designs quickly gets you to market first.” The use of additive manufacturing,
even if it is not directly used in the finished product, can have large benefits for an OEM, and hence is a massive incentive for manufacturers to incorporate into their processes.
LICENSE TO PRINT Langfeld says: “The training of the operators is not a problem, it’s a machine and they [engineers] are used to working with machines. It’s less complex than other heavy machinery
that you will find on the shop floor.” The challenge is design, before
additive practices make it to the shop floor. Company’s mindsets will need to move towards additive manufacturing to deliver lightweight structures and complex geometries that cannot be achieved through other manufacturing methods. Langfeld expands: “Increasing that
mindset, that’s the real challenge in terms of education, and that’s where the market still has a gap. There is not a huge range of design services for specific industries.” Stratasys has partnered with
aerospace company AMcraft to provide certified designs in aerospace. The combination of certified aerospace designs from AMcraft and certified 3D prints from Stratasys creates a full package for clients.
MANUFACTURING TOMORROW Although it is unlikely complete vehicles will ever be 3D printed, the influence of the process is going to grow, especially as automotive companies look to cut costs and lead times whilst offering more personalisation. As waiting times start becoming
more harmful to businesses’ sales and customer satisfaction, the appeal of additive manufacturing will grow.
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