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SLM Solutions, Honeywell Team to Qualify Al Alloy for Thick-Walled Parts

July 20, 2020

As part of a development collaboration with SLM Solutions, Honeywell undertook qualification efforts for aluminum builds using increased layer thicknesses of 60 and 90 µm on a quad-laser SLM500 machine. The result: new parameter sets for aluminum alloy F357 using a layer thickness of 60 µm and 700-W lasers, reportedly yielding significantly increased material properties in comparison to conventional diecast parts, with these properties exceeding overall acknowledged metallic properties for aerospace.

SLM Solutions and Honeywell have reported success in a development collaboration, enabling qualification of aluminum parts printed with high layer thicknesses. Newly developed parameter sets for aluminum alloy F357, a new beryllium-free version of AlSi7Mg0,6 (A357), lead to considerably improved material properties compared to parts produced through diecasting, according to SLM Solutions officials. The work between Honeywell and SLM Solutions, announced in 2019, aims to reduce manufacturing times and costs to produce 3D-printed aircraft components that meet the high requirements of the aerospace industry.

As part of the collaboration, Honeywell began qualification efforts for aluminum builds using increased layer thicknesses of 60 and 90 µm on a quad-laser SLM500 machine. SLM Solutions provided generic aluminum parameter sets for Honeywell to complete material qualification to achieve optimal material properties. The development of these new parameter sets for aluminum alloy F357 using a layer thickness of 60 µm and 700-W lasers reportedly has yielded significantly increased material properties in comparison to conventional diecast parts, with these properties exceeding overall acknowledged metallic properties for aerospace.

Besides its light weight, aluminum alloy F357 provides high corrosion resistance and desired mechanical properties such as high strength across a wide temperature range in comparison to conventional aluminum alloys. It offers excellent weldability and excellent suitability for post-processing, according to SLM solutions officials. The combination of properties makes F357 ideal for producing thin-walled and complex structures.

“The open architecture system of the SLM Solutions machine provides huge advantages such as high flexibility and parameter sets can be customized,” says Dr. Sören Wiener, senior director of technology and advanced operations at Honeywell Aerospace.

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See also: SLM Solutions NA, Inc.