Page 40 - MetalForming-Jul-2018-issue

Additive Manufacturing
NanoSteel Tops
Competition with
3D-Printable Tool Steel
NanoSteel’s AM business unit received first-place honors in the 2018 RAPID + TCT’s Innovation Audition for its 3D-printable tool steel, produced for the powder-bed-fusion process. BLDRmetal L-40, a ferrous-alloy pow- der, can be printed at room tempera- ture to form high-hardness ductile parts. Tool and die applications are ideal for such characteristics. Using AM with this material can significantly cut turnaround time for tooling, according to NanoSteel officials. www.nanosteelco.com
A Drill Bit Like No Other
At RAPID + TCT we spied this AM-produced ceramic-zirconia drill bit, produced on XJet Ltd.’s newly introduced Carmel 1400 AM system using the company’s NanoParticle Jetting technology. Note the tiny holes—2341 of them, each with a diameter of only 190
microns. An inner cavity connects the holes, allowing cooling spray to route and cover the entire bit during operation. Featuring density in excess of 99.9 percent, the bit exhibits high hardness.
“The nano-level particles in XJet technology afford us an opportunity to make extremely precise and detailed products
that we’ve previously been unable to do,” says Mike Hripko, associate vice president of research at Youngstown State University, which recently took delivery of the first Carmel
1400 in the United States.
www.xjet3d.com
cutter bits. The small cemented-car- bide nozzles must withstand the extreme environment of underground hard-rock drilling as well as extreme hydraulic conditions.
The nozzles feature sophisticated hydrodynamic designs that optimize fluid flow for more efficient cooling and cleaning, leading to faster cutting and evacuation of drill cuttings and optimized hydraulic energy usage, according to Sandvick officials. AM— in this case via binder jetting—enables more rapid manufacturing and delivery of the nozzles, meaning less inventory needed. The nozzles previously were produced through traditional machin- ing, a long process with long lead times. As a result, Varel required high inven- tories to keep customers supplied. This no longer is the case, Varel officials claim, as thanks to AM, lead times have been cut by as much as 70 percent. Another plus: AM allows for cus- tomized nozzle options. www.materials.sandvik/en
Software for 3D Printing of Nonmetal Jigs and Fixtures
Stratasys used RAPID + TCT to debut new software designed specifically to produce jigs, fixtures and other manu- facturing tooling using fused-deposi- tion-modeling (FDM) material, and cur- rently seeks beta customers to test it.
Combining the interface of Grab- CAD software with Stratasys’ Insight
New software promises an easier way to design and print nonmetal jigs and fixtures.
38 MetalForming/July 2018
www.metalformingmagazine.com
software, Jigs and Fixtures for GrabCAD Print simplifies and automates print preparation for rapid tooling applica- tions, according to company officials. This reportedly enhances the use of Stratasys’ industrial hardware and materials for creating jigs and fixtures on the factory floor.
Offered through GrabCAD Print, the software is said to embed application expertise, automate several complicat- ed and time-consuming processing steps, and eliminate the need for mul- tiple programs within the workflow. By accepting native CAD designs, the part’s original design intent is main- tained. This eliminates the need for users to convert CAD designs to STL files, which can result in key informa- tion being lost during translation.
Stratasys officials claim that the new software does the following:
• Eliminates extensive design and processing knowledge as a barrier to implementation;
• Saves time and eliminates unnec- essary iteration during the design and processing phase;
• Avoids the need for formal software training;
• Eliminates the need for third-party software, including STL-file fixing applications, due to its ability to accept native CAD designs;
• Enables tooling designers to lever- age design-freedom potential in FDM technology;
• Simplifies workflow by automating key CAD functionalities used for jig and fixture design, such as auto-gen- erating toolpath instructions; and
• Reduces file-preparation tasks.
www.stratasys.com/tooling
MF