search.noResults

search.searching

saml.title
dataCollection.invalidEmail
note.createNoteMessage

search.noResults

search.searching

orderForm.title

orderForm.productCode
orderForm.description
orderForm.quantity
orderForm.itemPrice
orderForm.price
orderForm.totalPrice
orderForm.deliveryDetails.billingAddress
orderForm.deliveryDetails.deliveryAddress
orderForm.noItems
Although the traditional manufacturing methods such as turning, milling and so on, come with a very long development history backed by a lot of achievements, you are at some point limited to complexity. If you, for example, want to produce a cooling-channel within an injection-moulding tool, you are limited to the possibilities drilling provides. But, just as a thought experiment: what would you do if you wanted to apply not a round drill hole but a square one? Right, you need 3D-printing to get this freedom in design and construction.


PW: In terms of project specification, there is clearly a wide portfolio of material resource available. What demand is there for custom products? There is already a wish for customised products and I am sure that this will become an even more important factor in future. A lot of our customers are thinking about customised products for their customers. For instance, in the dental industry it is a standard right now. You print the “spare-parts” already tailored to each person individually.


PW: The AM industry is a burgeoning one that brings with it pressure for new powder types. What does the next generation look like? HH: A very good question! There is definitely market pressure for new powder types. And as powder producer for 3D-printing, we are convinced that the new grades must be tailored to focus on the printing-process and the requirements of that process. Some of the available powders applied in 3D-printing are originally developed for such things as casting and/or hot-forming processes. They could work for the printing process, but there are also materials that do not work. One big issue is the fast heating and cooling rates that apply to 3D-printing. As an already developed material, we produce a high-


strength austenite tailored for 3D-printing which works very well and receives the good properties because of the characteristics of the printing process. This is very important. It does not work randomly using a 3D-printer, it works exactly because you use a 3D-printer. So, I am sure that in future there will be more tailored materials, especially in terms of higher hardness and wear resistance.


PW: On the same note, how is the industry likely to grow over the next, say, 20 years? HH: If we look back over the past few years we’ll see that we have seen huge growth. I could imagine that it may slow down a little because the jump into serial production for high volume parts is a big step at the moment.


However, companies independent of the industry are putting a lot of effort into R&D, so it’s really hard to say right now. But I am sure that AM will play a part in future processing steps. At the moment I see it as an addition to conventional machining and not as a replacement.


PW: And how important is sustainability within the thinking behind these developing processes? HH: We all know resources are limited. It doesn’t matter if we are talking about the process itself, or the metal powder. In case of the latter, we always incorporate the question of possible recycling into the development.


Dr. Hill studied mechanical engineering with the focus on materials technology at the Ruhr University Bochum. He then did a PhD thesis at the chair of materials technology within development of wear and corrosion resistant powder metallurgical materials for the polymer processing industry. He joined German steel producer Deutsche Edelstahlwerke, 2012 and worked in the Special Materials Division dealing with metal powder, powder metallurgical materials and medical alloys. In 2017, he assumed responsibility for the Special Materials Division.


MORE INFORMATION | CLICK ICON


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61