NEWS KEY DEVELOPMENT AXIS: HYBRID MANUFACTURING AND AUTOMATION
GF Machining Solutions brings automation to Additive Manufacturing processes
Based on proven and successful EOS technology, the new AgieCharmilles AM S 290 Tooling solution is intended to address the mold and die industry’s need to produce innovative mold inserts with Additive Manufacturing. GF Machining Solutions focuses on the mold and die sector, where Additive Manufacturing makes it possible to produce metal mold inserts in high quantities. These inserts feature thermal exchange close to the surface to ensure and control temperature homogeneity for shorter throughput time and a higher part quality. The company designed a fully automated solution, enabling the hybrid production of parts. Parts are transferred from traditional machines to 3D printing machines. The solution includes the necessary software and automation link with downstream machine tools and measuring devices. Hybrid manufacturing allow costs optimization, as AM technology is only utilized when it brings an added value.
event of a product failure, and also promotes continuous improvement in this rapidly evolving industry. To this end, machine tool builders and manufacturers are beginning to fully leverage Industry 4.0 and the IIoT (industrial internet of things), and 3D printing equipment suppliers are no exception. In many cases, machine metrics and build data are continuously fed to cloud-based servers for predictive maintenance purposes, and regular software updates pushed downstream to the end user. As GE Additive’s Mook points out, it’s all about making intelligent decisions. “With 3D printing, you have to close the loop between the machine, the build parameters, the materials, and the part. Not only will this help users better manage their shop, but it will also increase throughput and improve quality. And if I can guarantee the quality of any given component at the completion of the build, that’s in turn a huge step for reducing costs, no matter what you’re making.”
2. h ttp://www.renishaw.com/en/enhancing-the-additivemanufacturing-process-chain--42104 3. h ttp://www.3ders.org/articles/20171103-90-3d-printersat-its-26-factories-volkswagen-counts-on-metal-3dprinting-for-exclusive-car-series.html 4. h ttps://www.forbes.com/sites/jimresnick/2017/03/08/ for-the-automakers-large-scale-3d-printing-is-the-nextpowerful-toolbox/#693407cf7ee0 5. h ttps://www.ge.com/reports/epiphany-disruptionge-additive-chief-explains-3d-printing-will-upendmanufacturing/
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“If you think about the motivation behind GE getting into the additive market, there were really two key things,” he says. “One, because we were early users of the technology and it disrupted some of our existing product manufacturing, we recognized its potential to disrupt all industries, not just aviation. And then, combined with what we perceived as a state of immaturity in the market, we ran the numbers and saw a 76 billion-dollar opportunity. So we're going to build a business around it. We’re bringing our expertise and knowledge to the table, and as we expand beyond aerospace into automotive and other industries, we think 3D printing will ultimately make good sense for everyone.”
Notes links 1. h ttps://www.statista.com/statistics/262747/worldwideautomobile-production-since-2000/
17 | Industry USA | November 2017
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