Selective laser meltingapplications titanium, aluminium, and steels

3D PRECISION SA – 2800 DELÉMONTDominique Beuchat, Founder and CEO

SWISSPHOTONICS – EPMT - 4.6.2015 – Geneva

Swissphotonics - EPMT – 4.6.2015 / 3D PRECISION SA – additive manufacturing

TOPICS

Goal – overview from a practical point of view

1. Who is 3D Precision SA ?2. Selective laser melting – the process3. Currents possibilities and limits4. Experiences as a manufacturing shop5. Application – examples6. Selective laser melting = „the solution of the future ?“ 7. Conclusion

Swissphotonics - EPMT – 4.6.2015 / 3D PRECISION SA – additive manufacturing

1. Who is 3D PRECISION SA ?

The company• Start-up founded in January 2014 • 250 m2 in Delémont – Jura• 3 employees

The goalto be the main CH-supplier of additive manufacturing for metal parts• for all fields – tools, machines, medical, watches, aerospace and aircraft,

private users, …• titanium, aluminum, stainless steel, hot steel and special alloys

Swissphotonics - EPMT – 4.6.2015 / 3D PRECISION SA – additive manufacturing

1. Who is 3D PRECISION SA ?

Production equipment• „Selective Laser Melting“ machine

– middle size (250x250x250)– for reactive and non reactive powder

• CNC milling machine• heat treatment furnace, microblasting and

sandblasting, tribofinition, measuring systems, …

Swissphotonics - EPMT – 4.6.2015 / 3D PRECISION SA – additive manufacturing

2. Selective laser melting – the process

Image from www.hieta.biz/metal-additive-

Swissphotonics - EPMT – 4.6.2015 / 3D PRECISION SA – additive manufacturing

3. Selective Laser Melting – Currents limits and possibilities

Main possibilities• manufacturing of functional parts• complex geometries• light parts• design „no limit“ (almost)• for classic designs – small quantities

Quelle EOS

Swissphotonics - EPMT – 4.6.2015 / 3D PRECISION SA – additive manufacturing

3. Selective Laser Melting – Currents limits and possibilities

Main limits• Surface roughness (Ra >12-40 µm

< 12 µm after finishing)• Support structures• Precision

(Standard : ISO 2768-1 middle; better possible after process optimization)

• Limited choice of alloys (…with data sheets and parameters)

• Education• Costs (machine, handling, speed,

self education/training)

Swissphotonics - EPMT – 4.6.2015 / 3D PRECISION SA – additive manufacturing

4. Experiences as a manufacturing shop

Current typical application• Tools, injection moulds• Parts for machines (cooling systems, complex parts,…)• Light parts (aircraft, aerospace, robotic/automation)• Prototyping (design, luxury, machines)• Special parts for special development• Sub assembly parts• Parts for private people

Swissphotonics - EPMT – 4.6.2015 / 3D PRECISION SA – additive manufacturing

4. Experiences as a manufacturing shop

Experiences• Many requests for „classic“ parts (from suppliers and from engineers)• High expectation from suppliers … often amazed (disappointed?) because

finishing is still needed …• Majority of possible customers not open for the „Re-design“ of existing

parts or sub assemblies

but the customers who design and let manufacture parts with additive manufacturing are usually leaders with their products …or want to be leaders !!!

Swissphotonics - EPMT – 4.6.2015 / 3D PRECISION SA – additive manufacturing

Application – examples

Swissphotonics - EPMT – 4.6.2015 / 3D PRECISION SA – additive manufacturing

Swissphotonics - EPMT – 4.6.2015 / 3D PRECISION SA – additive manufacturing

Swissphotonics - EPMT – 4.6.2015 / 3D PRECISION SA – additive manufacturing

Swissphotonics - EPMT – 4.6.2015 / 3D PRECISION SA – additive manufacturing

Swissphotonics - EPMT – 4.6.2015 / 3D PRECISION SA – additive manufacturing

Swissphotonics - EPMT – 4.6.2015 / 3D PRECISION SA – additive manufacturing

Swissphotonics - EPMT – 4.6.2015 / 3D PRECISION SA – additive manufacturing

Swissphotonics - EPMT – 4.6.2015 / 3D PRECISION SA – additive manufacturing

Swissphotonics - EPMT – 4.6.2015 / 3D PRECISION SA – additive manufacturing

Swissphotonics - EPMT – 4.6.2015 / 3D PRECISION SA – additive manufacturing

Swissphotonics - EPMT – 4.6.2015 / 3D PRECISION SA – additive manufacturing

• Currently not really conceivable, only for identified and redesigned parts or cases but…

• The challenge in order to take more widely advantage of the technology• integrate Additive Manufacturing (AF) in programs of technical

education of engineers, designers, mechanic• increase the performance of the AF-machines (precision, speed,

handling, …) parallel to the cost reduction• more powder suppliers, more alloys (with technical datasheet)

6. Selective laser melting = „the solution of the future ?“

Swissphotonics - EPMT – 4.6.2015 / 3D PRECISION SA – additive manufacturing

• additive manufacturing is going definitively to increase… …the question is HOW FAST ?

• the typical manufacturing process will continue to exist

• the additive manufacturing will complete the existing manufacturing processes and not really replace it !

7. Conclusion

Swissphotonics - EPMT – 4.6.2015 / 3D PRECISION SA – additive manufacturing

www.3dprecision.ch

Thank you for your attention!