SLM Solutions Launches Additive Alliance Against Corona |
SLM Solutions Group AG, Lübeck, Germany, recently launched the Additive Alliance Against Corona, an initiative to combine the forces of the additive manufacturing (AM) industry to take advantage of AM’s rapid response time, and fight together against the effects of COVID-19. Since AM already finds plenty of use in the production of medical components, as well as the tooling used to produce medical components, SLM officials believe that it can quickly leverage AM machines and processes already certified to ISO 13485 and European Medical Device Regulation guidelines.
Says Sebastian Kässner, chief marketing officer of SLM Solutions Group AG: “Sharing ideas, skills and networks is of great importance…to fight together against the spread of the virus, to reduce the shortage of important materials and to close possible gaps in the supply chains.” The firm invites all companies and organizations that can provide support in the form of production, development or logistics capacities, or that already have concrete ideas and need a partner to implement them, to join the Additive Alliance Against Corona. |
|
|
|
Texas A&M Develops Technique to 3D Print Martensitic Steels |
Martensitic
steel, which can be work hardened to achieve strengths equivalent to
boron steel and shaped into critical automotive structures such as sill
reinforcements, door intrusion beams and bumper reinforcement beams, has
been successfully 3D printed at Texas A&M University, in
collaboration with scientists from the Air Force Research Laboratory.
Says Texas A&M Materials Science and Engineering Department head Ibrahim Karama: “We have developed a framework so that 3D printing of these hard steels is possible into any desired geometry and the final object will be virtually defect-free.” |
|
|
|
New Powder-Bed Process Promises Increased Processing Speed |
Selective
LED-based melting (SLEDM)--the targeted melting of metal powder using
high-power LED light sources--is the name of new metalAM technology
developed by a team led by Franz Haas, head of the Institute of
Production Engineering at the Graz University of Technology, in Austria.
Unlike the SLM or EBM processes, SLEDM uses a high-power LED beam to
melt the metal powder.
For the AM process, light-emitting diodes were specially adapted by
Austrian lighting company PreWorks GmbH, and equipped with a complex
lens system that enables simple adjustment of the beam diameter from
0.05 to 20 mm during the melting process. The process reportedly can
reduce production time dramatically compared to other metal-AM
processes. Initially, it will be used to produce bioresorbable metal
implants, including screws made of magnesium alloys and used for bone
fractures. Other applications under review include the production of
bipolar plates for fuel cells. |
|
|
|
Coming in 3DMP's Spring 2020 Issue |
Additive Manufacturing: A Path to Sustainable Success—AM offers a viable alternative to traditional manufacturing, and a cleaner one. Formed to promote these views: the Additive Manufacturer Green Trade Association.
AM Material Development—Full Speed Ahead—The availability of powders and other source materials for additive manufacturing has risen dramatically, with more in the pipeline. Here’s a look at recent developments in the AM-material pipeline. |
|
|
|
|
Comments
Must be logged in to post a comment. Sign in or Create an Account
There are no comments posted.