Additive manufacturing importance to valve manufacturers VALVES
Additive manufacturing brings some very real advantages to the process of valve making, says Holger Ekhholz of Samson in Germany. He advises manufacturers to keep a close on developments making sure they are on top of this fast-evolving industry. Pipes, Pumps and Valves Africa finds out more. Dealing with additive manufacturing (AM) means having a very clear understanding of what it means and that it does not describe a specific manufacturing process, says Eckholz. “Rather, the expression describes processes that produce components from a 3-D model data by joining material, as opposed to subtractive and forming manufacturing methods, usually layer by layer. There are many different additive manufacturing processes.” And each user, he says, must weigh up which processes he/ she considers most suitable for their products and future applications. Dealing with the topic of additive manufacturing According to Eckholz, many questions need to be clarified before embarking on a process of additive manufacturing.
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Pipes, Pumps and Valves Africa - May/Jun 2021
This includes: • Which AM processes are available? • What are the advantages and disadvantages of the different AM processes? • Which of these processes are considered to be the most innovative and promising for one’s company? • Which processes are already able to shorten development cycles? • Which processes are best able to reproduce current products? • Which processes are best able to generate new, innovative products? • Which procedures are best suited for the qualification of parts in compliance with local standards and regulation? He says the method of production, the usability of materials, the purity of the produced material, the
