Significant improvements in cooling properties of 3D printed tools // TRUMPF makes inroads at German manufacturers with additive technologies // TruPrint 1000 offers entry-level access to 3D printing

Companies from the tool, pattern and mold making industry will be heading to Stuttgart from May 21–24 for the international Moulding Expo trade fair – and TRUMPF will be on hand to show them how to make the most of 3D printing. One of the many benefits of additive manufacturing is the ability to make tools with near-net-shape cooling. Tools manufactured in this way dissipate the heat generated during the production process directly at its source. This reduces cycle time and improves the quality of the fabricated parts.

Dissipating heat at its source
Producing parts by injection molding or die casting generates heat. To dissipate this heat, manufacturers equip the molds with cooling channels that help keep temperatures as stable as possible to prevent distortion of the part and similar problems. Conventional methods such as milling, however, soon reach their limits when it comes to creating these channels. “The difficulties are particularly evident with more complex shapes: we can’t get the drill into all the right places because we can’t drill around corners!” says Marc Dimter, a TRUMPF industry sector manager who is responsible for tool and mold making. In contrast, 3D printers build up the mold layer by layer, enabling the construction of cooling channels that run almost parallel to the tool wall. The biggest benefit is the reduction in cycle time that stems from faster cooling of the tool. In many cases, quality also improves because parts are less prone to distortion. What’s more, faster cooling results in more homogenous material properties in both injection molding and die casting, ultimately making parts more resilient.

German toolmakers still hesitant to adopt 3D printing
Despite these advantages, German toolmakers have been slow to adopt additive manufacturing technologies. “Many companies lack the necessary expertise and are unwilling to make the investment,” says Christoph Dörr, who also works at TRUMPF as an industry sector manager for the tool and mold making industry. He notes that US companies that supply their molds to Europe have already built up a strong lead. That’s why TRUMPF is taking the opportunity offered by Moulding Expo to showcase its TruPrint 1000 3D printer as an entry-level model. The plug and play design of the system makes it easy to install and operate, and it is particularly suitable for small injection mold inserts such as those used for plastic connectors in the electronics industry. TRUMPF will also be presenting a selection of 3D printed tools and molds with optimized cooling at the fair. By 3D printing a gate bushing, TRUMPF was able to reduce one customer’s cycle time by almost 30 percent. “We’re hoping to inspire toolmakers to exploit the huge potential of 3D printing. That’s why we also offer them training in 3D design,” says Dörr. What’s more, TRUMPF can supply the powder and parameters for each application directly, making it even easier for companies to adopt this new technology.

TRUMPF will be presenting these innovative technologies at Moulding Expo at the joint booth of the Association of German Tool and Moldmakers VDWF (Hall 7, Booth C55).

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In the high-octane world of MotoGP motorcycle racing, technical enhancements can have a big impact. Race winning Moto2 team TransFIORmers is using cutting edge additive manufacturing  (metal 3D printing) technology in an unconventional front suspension system to gain a significant competitive advantage.

Background
Motorcycles ridden in the MotoGP World Championships are special; the general public can’t buy them and they can’t be used on a public road. As prototype racing bikes they are custom-built to outdo their rivals and maximise performance on the track.

Moto2, the second of the three MotoGP classes, was created in 2010. Its official engine is a 600cc four-stroke production engine, currently supplied by Honda. The French Moto2 team TransFIORmers, based in Perigueux, South West France, is revolutionising front suspension design in order to stay ahead of the pack.

TransFIORmers is led by former 250cc World Championship rider Christian Boudinot, and the team’s unconventional suspension system was inspired by the seminal work of the legendary French motorbike designer Claude Fior.

Boudinot’s former friend and mentor, Fior, recognised the gains to be made from isolating the front suspension from steering forces. Resolving issues of ‘brake dive’, the design enables later braking into a corner and faster acceleration out.

Instead of the more traditional telescopic front fork suspension, the TransFIORmers motorcycle employs a rigid front fork suspension system separated from the chassis using two wishbones.

To further advance the development of its innovative design, TransFIORmers approached I3D Concept, a world-class expert in metal additive design and manufacturing techniques.

Using Renishaw’s AM250 additive manufacturing system, I3D Concept worked in partnership with the TransFIORmers team to optimise the design of its upper wishbone component, one of two attaching the front fork to the chassis and critical to the bike’s steering.

Challenges
In the development of new components in Moto2 bike design, achieving a weight reduction is a priority. In particular, reducing the ‘unsprung mass’ of the bike is a key consideration. The lower the unsprung mass, the better the suspension is in terms of vibration (chattering) management and responsiveness to both braking and acceleration.

Of equal importance is the speed with which the design of a new component can be modified, and how long it takes to remanufacture. Achieving perfection in a highly competitive environment demands fast and accurate component iteration.

In a high reliability environment, mechanical strength is a further prime consideration. The TransFIORmers’ wishbone component needs to assure best possible rigidity, while handling significant levels of dynamic steering force.

“To improve overall motorcycle performance, reducing the weight of all components located behind the shock absorbers is absolutely vital. Failure to optimise component weights can have an adverse effect on vibration, braking and acceleration, so weight reduction is a really high priority,” says Jérôme Aldeguer, Mechanical Engineer, TransFIORmers.

Solution
TransFIORmers’ original wishbone component was hand-fabricated in steel, with the assembly comprising of twelve separately machined and welded parts. I3D Concept consolidated the design into a single piece component, greatly reducing assembly time.

The company produced the metal 3D printed wishbone using a Renishaw AM250 additive manufacturing system; initially prototyping in stainless steel (inox) and finally manufacturing a lighter weight part in titanium.

Key to the new 3D component design was an iterative process of topological optimisation, whereby the wishbone layout was successively rationalised in software within tight space constraints to withstand a set of predefined front fork loading conditions.

[blockquote style=”1″]”The weight reduction that metal 3D printing has achieved for us in our wishbone component has enabled us to bypass traditional weight transfer phenomenon and the problems associated with ‘brake dive’. More than that, it’s allowed us to design a part that is not only lighter, but far more rigid at the same time: TransFIORmers (France)[/blockquote]

Once the final component design was validated using digital CAD software, the build preparation file was prepared offline prior to export to the additive manufacturing system.

Within the CAD software, I3D Concept was able to assess whether the parameters were effectively predetermined or whether they required tweaking to match the specific metal powder characteristics and the complex target geometries of the TransFIORmers wishbone.

Importantly, using the AM250’s dedicated Optical Control System (OCS) software, I3D Concept was able to very accurately control laser steering which helped to enhance precision, definition of features and surface finish.

Results
By taking an additive manufacturing approach to Moto2 bike design, TransFIORmers succeeded in dramatically reducing the weight of its critical wishbone front suspension component by a factor of 40%. Comparing the one-piece titanium component with the original welded steel component, a weight saving of 600 g was achieved.

Metal 3D printing has also provided TransFIORmers with much finer control over component tolerances and the flexibility to very quickly iterate wishbone geometries to match specific chassis and kinematic requirements.

“The weight reduction that metal 3D printing has achieved for us in our wishbone component has enabled us to bypass traditional weight transfer phenomenon and the problems associated with ‘brake dive’. More than that, it’s allowed us to design a part that is not only lighter, but far more rigid at the same time,” explains Jérôme Aldeguer, Mechanical Engineer, TransFIORmers.

With an ultimate tensile strength in excess of 1100 MPa when processed using additive manufacturing, and near perfect 99.7% densities, the titanium Ti6AI4V alloy used has delivered a radical new wishbone offering far greater rigidity than the original multi-part, hand-assembled steel component.

Thanks to additive manufacturing, TransFIORmers’ prototype wishbone development has become a highly efficient and cost effective process. Extensive part machining and assembly time overheads have been removed and design iterations and manufacturing have been made many times faster.

In June 2016 the team won its first ever Moto2 GP race at the FIM CEV European Championship event in Barcelona.

Compact multi-laser machine prints bridgework and caps layer by layer in a metal powder bed – Top flexibility for specific customer demands – Up to an 80 percent increase in productivity

At the International Dental Show (IDS) in Cologne, Germany, laser and laser system manufacturer TRUMPF presented its TruPrint 1000 3D printer with multi-laser option. This laser system, which is designed to process metal powder, has been optimized for the large-scale manufacturing requirements of the dental industry. What’s special about the new system is its multi-laser principle: the highly productive TruPrint 1000 features two 200-watt laser beam sources that work in tandem to create components of the required shape by layering metal powder. Using this additive manufacturing process, it is possible to produce bridgework or caps, for example, out of cobalt-chrome or titanium alloys for custom dental prostheses. The hallmarks of the system are the great flexibility it offers for satisfying specific customer demands and the speed at which parts are ready.

In its standard version, the compact and robust TruPrint 1000 is equipped with one 200-watt laser. Although TRUMPF developed the multi-laser version with two lasers with the dental industry in mind, this highly productive system is also suitable for other industries. The main advantage the multi-laser version has over the standard model is increased productivity. With no change in capacity utilization, the machine generates up to 80 percent more parts; pure processing time for producing parts in the powder bed is cut almost in half.

Cost-effective and efficient manufacturing – even for custom parts
Easy and intuitive to operate, the TruPrint 1000 can quickly and flexibly produce parts with a maximum diameter of 100 millimeters and up to 100 millimeters in height. It does this using the laser metal fusion (LMF) technique, in which one or more lasers melt metallic powder layer by layer in a powder bed to produce complex parts. LMF is particularly suited to the cost-effective and efficient manufacture of geometrically complex and custom parts – such as those required not only in the dental industry, but also in the automotive, medical engineering, supply and jewelry industries.

What sets TRUMPF apart are the company’s many years of expertise and the range of technologies it offers in the fields of machine tools, laser technology and additive manufacturing. TRUMPF has mastered the two additive technologies relevant for metallic 3D printing: laser metal fusion and laser metal deposition. The company offers its customers a comprehensive package comprising laser beam source, machine, powder, services and application consulting – all from a single source.

Tell us something about EOS…
EOS is the global technology leader for industrial 3D printing of metals and polymers. Founded in 1989 in Munich, the independent company is a pioneer and innovator for holistic solutions in Additive Manufacturing.

EOS is mastering the interaction of laser and powder material. Additionally, our company provides all essential elements for Industrial 3D printing. System, material and process parameters are intelligently harmonized to ensure a reliable high quality of parts, thus facilitating a decisive competitive edge. Furthermore, customers benefit from deep technical expertise in global service, applications engineering and consultancy.

EOS nurtures a vibrant ecosystem of partners and, by means of venture investments, helps incubate promising start-ups. It’s this interaction along the whole industrial value-chain that enables the development of extensive solutions for 3D printing. Hence contributing to the further digitization and automation of manufacturing. We work closely with leading brands across sectors such as aerospace, automotive, medical, dental and oil & gas, among others. Currently, we have about 1000 employees worldwide. Our annual turnover in 2016 was about Euro 315 Million.

What’s your take on 3D printing technology?
Industrial 3D printing or Additive Manufacturing is a manufacturing technology which enables our customers to produce innovative and high quality products using layer technology. Depending on application and the goal a customer wants to achieve, this process enables, among others, industry players to cut down lead time, cost, enable the manufacturing of complex or lightweight products and increase the compatibility for batch production. It provides the manufacturer the freedom and flexibility to design according to the product. It works around the limitations of conventional production processes and supports design-driven processes. It permits customised, batch-size-appropriate serial production. People want to take Industrial 3D printing into main scale manufacturing as currently, it’s mostly used for manufacturing prototypes. We are noticing that, industries are warming up to Industrial 3D printing for mass manufacturing.

We must understand that Additive Manufacturing can be viewed as any other manufacturing technology such as casting, forging and machining. The key to success for any industry would be to acquire knowledge to use this technology in production facilities.

Aerospace and dental industry have been successfully using industrial 3D printing extensively for production. There are several industries like the automotive industry that are yet to implement Additive Manufacturing into their shop floor processes since the technology at present is capable of small batch production only.

The trends and demands you see in Indian industrial 3D printing market…
I have observed two trends:

• Customers are now looking for faster machines
• Increasing demand for more and more material variants.

As we know Industrial 3D Printers can be used for batch production. However, companies are keen to take this into production areas. Apart from this, as new metal material get configured, companies can look for more application and usage areas for this technology.

There are few restrictions like materials and it’s not used for mass manufacturing. So how is it going to be in the near future?
Companies have not fully utilized the potential of Industrial 3D printing technology. It can be used in many more industries, which is yet to happen. For example Oil & Gas is now beginning to adopt it. Therefore, if you look at the current scenario, I think, the adoption rate is just about 25-30% and we still have a long way to go. The way forward is to enable better implementation and educate customers across industries on the possibilities Additive Manufacturing can offer for specific industries and applications. The quicker the customer will go through an AM learning curve, the more beneficial this will be for a customer’s  business success. EOS offers a consulting and knowledge transfer portfolio of services under the name “Additive Minds”. Where needed, this team of experts from EOS supports customers through the entire education and transformation phase .

We strongly believe and see from existing examples that AM is entering production applications. When it goes into production, they key concern is quality and EOS invests a huge chunk of its revenue to make sure we provide the best quality. EOS spends about a million Euro every week in R&D to make quality products.

For prototyping, 99% quality is acceptable however, for production you need 100% quality.

We would also like to encourage integration of these machines with main stream production machines. If you visit any production plant they will show you the facility saying this is my machine shop and that’s our 3D printing room! This has to change; Industrial 3D printers have to come into the machine shop and not kept in a separate room just to manufacture certain parts for a complete product. The future will see integrated manufacturing environments featuring both conventional and additive technologies. The goal is to get the best out of both worlds for the better of the product.

Is it a threat or complement for machining companies?
Any production technology that enters the market is majorly introduced to supplement and also overlap with conventional/existing methods. It will certainly take some business away from other manufacturing processes, but this new production method will provide value to the companies on the overall product development. I feel a combination of both, the existing manufacturing technologies and Additive Manufacturing, would be the future of manufacturing.

Talking about the Indian 3D printing industry, do you think there is enough awareness?
Even though Industrial 3D Printing is accepted and endorsed globally, it is still at a nascent stage in India, in the wake of lack of awareness. People are aware of plastic 3D printers, however, industrial 3D printers and even the metal AM technology is not known well yet.

What are the steps taken by EOS to spread awareness in India?
As mentioned above, we have our consulting program called Additive Minds which is a new vertical inside EOS where we provide consulting to companies.

Let me elaborate this with an example. Recently a company approached us for production of 800 machine parts but didn’t know how to identify the ones suitable for metal 3D printing. We did a Part Screening Program that helped them to choose right parts for Additive Manufacturing. It’s not mass awareness, but targeted awareness creation and we can do this for every industry. Apart from this, we organize seminars and other events to familiarize companies about our consulting services.

Is there any support from government to spread awareness about 3D printing?
Government has a big role to play. If you look across the world, in countries like China, Singapore, Germany, USA and many others, everyone is pledging huge amount of money in this technology. However, in India the awareness for 3D printing is still negligible. I feel our government can promote the adoption of this technology through newly planned initiatives such as ‘Design in India’ which will then give us an opportunity to create an optimized product from scratch and reduce the costing as such.

Given the current industry scenario, we should focus on manufacturing products which are of higher value to the customers and this can only be achieved once we design products our self.

How you see the future of Indian 3D printing? How is EOS catching up with the trend?
Indian 3D printing is expected to grow predominately in tooling, automotive, medical and dental. The three biggest markets for us are automotive, aerospace and dental and we are very much in the growth trajectory of the Indian 3D printing market. We have the technology, offer the skills and infrastructure to support Indian companies while they upgrade.

By Nishant Kashyap

Mumbai: Innovation has been the backbone of revolution and progress since the inception of time. 3D printing has been instrumental in aiding research and prototyping and its advancement has only propelled the revolution to an industrial level. While many industries are phasing out dated methods of prototyping in favor of 3D printing, it comes with its own challenges. There have been challenges with respect to the strength, robustness, and finish of the output, not to mention the fastidious post-processing steps that are expensive and time-taking. This is especially true for currently popular 3D printing technologies – FDM and FFF. However, recent developments brought about by Divide By Zero, a Navi Mumbai-based 3D printing manufacturing company, are changing things for the better.

Additive technologies such as SLS, FDM and FFF have been around for some time and at the time, it looked like they were here to stay. Most machines today support these technologies and that has a direct correlation with their popularity. These technologies, while functional, inflict issues such as compromised quality and finish of the output. SLS, which uses laser technology, delivers with unmatched precision and excellent quality, involves higher costs and affordability is not an option.

The current lot of FFF 3D printers use constant temperature to melt print materials and build the parts layer-by-layer. The flow of the molten material is constant across the geometry of the part, regardless of the design demands. The AFPM technology controls the temperature and flow of the build material, thus improving the adhesion between the layers. This imparts more strength and tensility to the output with more accuracy. The AFPM technology engages the following three techniques: layer feature size recognition, temperature estimation and control, material flow deposition estimation and control and extrusion failure repair and control.

The AFPM method uses the aforementioned techniques in order to combat the drawbacks presented by other methods. The 3D printing technology delivers superior form and fitment as the output is more accurate due to better adhesion and finish. AFPM-derived products are known to be stronger and more tensile and are thus able to withstand more stress. This opens up an aspect of increased importance – functional testing of the printed prototype. Modifications and improvisations are a big part of application-based research and functional testing makes way for those. Thus the product takes lesser time to reach the market.

In the world of additive manufacturing, Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) technology delivers the finest results with respect to build quality, strength and precision. However, SLS 3D printers are known to have a heavy price tag. A similar superior output quality & strength can be now achieved at a lower cost using Divide By Zero’s contribution to the 3D printing world – the AFPM technology.

Divide By Zero has been a market leader in India for 3D printing technologies and have been contributing consistently towards enabling innovation for large-enterprises, SMEs and individual designers alike. This leg of industrial revolution is on the cusp and Divide By Zero’s commitment towards adding value to it is now pushing the boundaries with their innovative contribution – AFPM.

TRUMPF, the laser systems manufacturer and Industry 4.0 pioneer, is at the Formnext trade fair in Frankfurt to present its new 3D printers – TruPrint 3000 and TruPrint 5000. These medium format machines are based on laser metal fusion (LMF) technology, using lasers to generate complete parts layer by layer in a powder bed. These parts can measure up to 300 millimeters in diameter and 400 millimeters in height. With an ingenious tool change cylinder concept, which allows the construction chamber and supply cylinders to be switched out quickly, and an industry-ready periphery, these new machines are geared towards the large-scale production of complex metal parts. What’s more, with the TruPrint 3000, TRUMPF is putting the spotlight on the complete process chain for additive manufacturing.

The first link in the process chain is preparing the data for the 3D design and production program. With its “TruTops Print with NX” software package, TRUMPF is offering the first comprehensive software solution with a standardized user interface across systems. By doing so, TRUMPF now has industry-ready solutions that cover every aspect of additive manufacturing – from a practical powder feed that supplies the large internal powder container and additive manufacturing technology itself, to downstream tasks such as the unpacking and cleaning of the newly minted part. And the laser pioneer’s approach to additive manufacturing also addresses Industry 4.0 in a move to optimize business processes across the board. For instance, users can apply any of a variety of solutions to monitor, analyze and remotely adjust a wide range of condition parameters during the manufacturing process. Industry 4.0 solutions by TRUMPF are brought together under TruConnect; the name references connected manufacturing, which links machines, people and information.

High productivity thanks to minimum downtime
Both the TruPrint 3000 and TruPrint 5000 systems can be used to manufacture complex metal parts out of powder. Depending on the part in question, it may be made from any weldable material – such as various forms of steel, nickel-based alloys, titanium or aluminum – in powder form. Since the TruPrint 3000 is equipped with two supply cylinders, up to 75 liters of powder are available for each job, which is around two and a half times the construction volume – enough powder, in other words, to complete the entire manufacturing process without having to stop for refilling. And even if the powder were to run low, the ingenious tool change cylinder feature kicks in: the TruPrint 3000 is designed so that the supply and overflow cylinders can be changed out without interrupting the manufacturing process. This reduces downtimes while also increasing the 3D printer’s productivity.

Industrial powder and parts management
Among the decisive factors in any industry-ready, large-scale production process are system periphery and powder management. The automated sieve station by TRUMPF refines several hundred kilograms of powder every hour, thereby ensuring consistent powder quality. When it comes to powder, TRUMPF leaves nothing to chance: no matter whether it’s a question of grain size, grain-size distribution or flowability, developers working in a special lab determine the optimum parameters and test what laser output and process speed will maximize powder performance. Before the powder is delivered, TRUMPF performs an internal check to ensure it meets the customer’s quality requirements.

Once the manufacturing process is complete, the new parts then have to be removed from the machine, cleaned and detached from the substrate plate. This is why TRUMPF added an unpacking station to the production program, seamlessly integrated into the process chain. The covered construction chamber can be fitted directly into this station. Customers benefit from the higher machine availability that results from the external unpacking. Thanks to the station’s safety gloves and sight protection, users don’t come into direct contact with the powder during unpacking and cleaning. Excess material ends up back in the sieve station, ensuring a safe and sealed powder cycle.

New machine concept leads to enhanced productivity
And what about the next generation of 3D printers? TRUMPF is working on machine concepts to make additive processes still more productive. The TruPrint 5000 demonstrator on show at formnext is based on the multi-laser principle. It features three 500-watt TRUMPF lasers, which are simultaneously active at multiple points in the process chamber. This means they can generate parts in the construction cylinder faster and more efficiently.

Regardless of the number and geometry of the parts, they can be exposed to all three lasers in the construction chamber at the same time. The lasers are not limited to predefined areas, leading to faster build-up rates. Smart exposure strategies automatically determine the ideal laser paths so that all three lasers can always expose multiple parts. In addition, the lasers can be easily assigned to specific parts – the advantage being that the outer contours are produced, literally seamlessly, by a single laser. Thanks to its integrated preheating function that can go up to 500 degrees Celsius, the TruPrint 5000 also offers high part quality and meets the stringent manufacturing requirements for large-scale industrial production.

The laser system manufacturer TRUMPF has made extensive changes to the second generation of its hot forming machine TruLaser Cell 8030th At the trade fair Euro plate in Hanover, the company shows new features that enable the productivity of the plant can be increased by up to 20 percent. Other issues of significance is the so-called x-blast technology that can be machine downtimes and collisions between the cutting nozzle and the workpiece significantly reduced. Main fields of application of the revised TruLaser Cell 8030 is to continue the laser cutting of hot-formed 3D components as they are primarily in the automotive industry.

Fewer collisions thanks to larger nozzle spacing
The innovative x-Blast technology TRUMPF is a trick succeeded: In order to achieve good cutting quality, installed at the processing optic cutting nozzle had been as close as possible to act on the workpiece. The closer the nozzle, however, moves to the workpiece, the greater the risk of contact during the cutting process. And after each contact, the machine stops once, the productivity of the system can be sensitive to fall.

The new x-Blast technology, the working distance between the nozzle and the workpiece can now almost doubled. This reduces the number of nozzles contacts with the component significantly – and that in turn leads to considerably less machine downtime and at the same time to increased productivity. Since it comes with the x-Blast technology to less contacts also the lifetime of a cutting nozzle tenfold increased. Or in other words around: For the customers have to pay only 20 percent of the original cost of cutting nozzles.

Another advantage of the new technology: The process bandwidth doubled. Even with critical 3D geometries, in which the laser has to work under difficult process conditions, the TruLaser Cell 8030 can now cut the component quickly and in very high quality thanks to x-blast technology. With an ever-increasing proportion of automated machines in production, the advantages of x-Blast technology provide the ideal basis for a stable and reproducible component quality.

New functions for more convenience
Advanced TRUMPF has also its optical Butzenerkennung for quality control, called ObserveLine Comfort. It recognizes Schneidbutzen reliably and thereby increases production reliability. Problems caused by the plant operator collisions with trees or component can affect the machine accuracy. With the new feature ObserveLine Professional helps ensure this accuracy over a variably adjustable inspection interval. If the customer wants his machine, for example, at every hundredth component check succeeds – allocated to the individual component – in as low as 0.02 seconds. Thus ObserveLine Professional works almost at neutral and causes no noticeable delay in the production.

The new feature also provides Smart Approach especially when partial trimming of the workpiece improvements. Smart Approach determined accurately and quickly the actual height of the component edge; the laser fires the beam before he stands above the workpiece, and then moves the cutting contour from quickly. Smart Approach increases the productivity of the plant by up to nine percent. Another eleven percent coming from the dynamic drives. TRUMPF has readjusted and optimized the mechanical components at critical points and thus reaches the maximum acceleration of the drives now much faster than before. Overall, the productivity of the TruLaser Cell 8030 increases the 3D cutting of hot-formed components by up to 20 percent. Which laser is used for 3D cutting, can be selected flexibly depending on customer and application requirements. The TruLaser Cell 8030 is available with the proven TRUMPF disk lasers TruDisk 2000 TruDisk 3001 and TruDisk 4001 with two respectively three or four kilowatts of laser power.

Hot stamping dies require channels for coolants, so that the annealing sheet metal can be rapidly brought to a temperature below 200 degrees Celsius. Previously, coolant channels usually had to be drilled straight into the die, so a continuous position on the surface is made almost impossible, particularly when it comes to complex shapes. But now, with the help of 3D printing, Schuler is manufacturing prototype dies with channels running in an improved near net shape – therefore ensuring an equally fast cooling of all component areas and, as a consequence, improved part properties.

“The optimized cooling channel geometry makes the cooling of the die more homogenous and efficient”, explains Udo Binder, Head of the Intelligent Tooling Solutions Division at Schuler. “3D printing opens up new possibilities in the design of the cooling channels, so that they contribute to even cooling.”

Schuler uses laser melting as an additional manufacturing process. The base material is the same steel used in conventional hot stamping dies – albeit in the form of powder that is applied layer by layer and joined by laser welding. The result is a die segment that exhibits mechanical-technical properties of the actual die by up to 95 percent.

Before, Schuler carried out comprehensive examinations so as to determine ideal process parameters and the optimum composition of the powdered material. Extensive tests of the die segment for tensile strength and specific density followed. It is currently being tested for wear and series production. “The construction of hot stamping dies is practically predestined to be a new area of application for 3D printing”, summarizes Division Head Udo Binder. “We’re ready for it.”

New 3D printers to be presented at formnext in November – Focus on industrialization considering the whole process chain – Solutions for external powder and parts management – Breadth of technology with LMF and LMD solutions

Laser manufacturer TRUMPF continues to build its product and technology portfolio for the additive manufacturing of metal parts. The company will be showcasing new 3D printers and one-stop solutions for a comprehensive system of industrial manufacturing using additive technologies at the formnext trade fair in Frankfurt, November 15-18, 2016. Here, TRUMPF continues to pursue breadth: with expertise in both Laser Metal Fusion (LMF) and Laser Metal Deposition (LMD), the Ditzingen-based company is the only manufacturer worldwide to have mastered both relevant technologies for industrial 3D printing. As a result, it can select the best solution according to the application and the component for a variety of sectors. While LMF solutions manufacture complete parts layer by layer in a powder bed, in the case of LMD the laser forms a melt pool on the surface of a component and fuses the powder – applied simultaneously and coaxially – so as to create the desired shape.
“Since we launched our new LMF and LMD solutions at the end of 2015, we have been seeing a significant upwards trend as well as interest from all areas of industry,” says Peter Leibinger, Head of TRUMPF Laser- und Systemtechnik GmbH. “More and more customers are using additive technologies not just to manufacture prototypes, but in full-scale production as well,” says Leibinger. This extends all the way from the tool and mold-making industries, through automotive and aerospace applications, all the way to dental and supplier solutions.

New 3D printer with LMF technology
One of the key product highlights in Frankfurt will be the new TruPrint 3000. The new system comes with a 500 watt laser and can manufacture components of up to 400 millimeters in height and 300 millimeters in diameter. It works on the basis of an industrial exchangeable cylinder, which allows for parallel setup and post-processing and guarantees a high level of machine availability. “With the TruPrint 3000, we are shifting the focus onto the industrialization of additive manufacturing based on the whole process chain. That means that we consider not only the manufacturing technology itself, but also – and this is quite in the spirit of Industry 4.0 – the work steps that precede and follow it,” says Leibinger. The process chain begins with the preparation of data for the manufacturing task, continuing on via the machine and the whole manufacturing process, including monitoring to finish with an industrial system periphery for smart parts and powder management. Thanks to consistently reproducible powder and part quality, the TruPrint 3000 is ideally equipped for series production.

Technological breadth with LMF and LMD solutions
One year after the successful market launch of the TruPrint 1000, TRUMPF will also be showcasing new industrial application scenarios for this solution at the formnext trade fair. The TruPrint 1000 is a compact and universally deployable LMF system that can cost effectively manufacture fist-sized components of up to 100 millimeters in height and 100 millimeters in diameter. The technology portfolio is rounded off with the LMD solution TruLaser Cell 3000. This machine is capable of generating just about any sandwich structure you care to imagine – at a rate of up to 500 cubic centimeters per hour. What about restrictions on the combination of materials? Next to none! By drawing on LMD technology, TRUMPF is addressing not only additive manufacturing, but joining technology, the manufacture of coating systems, and all sort of repair techniques as well. TRUMPF has also prepared a little glimpse into the future. “We want to make further improvements in the productivity of our additive manufacturing solutions – and are currently working on new, innovative machine concepts,” says Leibinger of the next generation.

In the high-octane world of MotoGP motorcycle racing, technical enhancements can have a big impact.  Moto2 team TransFIORmers is using cutting edge metal additive manufacturing (3D printing) technology in an unconventional front suspension system to gain a significant competitive advantage.

Background
Motorcycles ridden in the MotoGP World Championships are special; the general public can’t buy them and they can’t be used on a public road. As prototype racing bikes they are custom-built to outdo their rivals and maximise performance on the track.

Moto2, the second of the three MotoGP classes, was created in 2010. Its official engine is a 600cc four-stroke production engine, currently supplied by Honda.  The French Moto2 team TransFIORmers, based in Perigueux, South West France, is revolutionising front suspension design in order to stay ahead of the pack.

TransFIORmers is led by former 250cc World Championship rider Christian Boudinot, and the team’s unconventional suspension system was inspired by the seminal work of the legendary French motorbike designer Claude Fior.

Boudinot’s former friend and mentor, Fior, recognised the gains to be made from isolating the front suspension from steering forces.  Resolving issues of ‘brake dive’, the design enables later braking into a corner and faster acceleration out.

Instead of the more traditional telescopic front fork suspension, the TransFIORmers motorcycle employs a rigid front fork suspension system separated from the chassis using two wishbones.

To further advance the development of its innovative design, TransFIORmers approached I3D Concept, a world-class expert in metal additive design and manufacturing techniques.

Using Renishaw’s AM 250 additive manufacturing system, I3D Concept worked in partnership with the TransFIORmers team to optimise the design of its upper wishbone component, one of two attaching the front fork to the chassis and critical to the bike’s steering.

 Challenges

In the development of new components in Moto2 bike design, achieving a weight reduction is a priority.  In particular, reducing the ‘unsprung mass’ of the bike is a key consideration.  The lower the unsprung mass, the better the suspension is in terms of vibration management and responsiveness to both braking and acceleration.

Of equal importance is the speed with which the design of a new component can be modified, and how long it takes to remanufacture.  Achieving perfection in a highly competitive environment demands fast, accurate component iteration.

In a high reliability environment, mechanical strength is a further prime consideration.  The TransFIORmers’ wishbone component needs to assure best possible rigidity, while handling significant levels of dynamic steering force.

“To improve overall motorcycle performance, reducing the weight of all components located behind the shock absorbers is absolutely vital.  Failure to optimise component weights can have an adverse effect on vibration, braking and acceleration, so weight reduction is a really high priority,” says Jérôme Aldeguer, Mechanical Engineer, TransFIORmers.

Solution

TransFIORmers’ original wishbone component was hand-fabricated in steel, with the assembly comprising twelve separately machined and welded parts.  I3D Concept consolidated the design into a single piece component, greatly reducing assembly time.

The company produced the metal 3D printed wishbone using a Renishaw AM 250 additive manufacturing system; initially prototyping in stainless steel (inox) and finally manufacturing a lighter weight part in titanium.

Key to the new 3D component design was an iterative process of topological optimisation, whereby the wishbone layout was successively rationalised in software within tight space constraints to withstand a set of predefined front fork loading conditions.

Once the final component design was validated using digital CAD software, the build preparation file was prepared offline prior to export to the additive manufacturing system.

Within the CAD software, I3D Concept was able to assess whether the parameters were effectively predetermined or whether they required tweaking to match the specific metal powder characteristics and the complex target geometries of the TransFIORmers wishbone.

Importantly, using the AM 250’s dedicated Optical Control System (OCS) software, I3D Concept was able to very accurately control laser steering which helped to enhance precision, definition of features and surface finish.

 Results

By taking an additive manufacturing approach to Moto2 bike design, TransFIORmers succeeded in dramatically reducing the weight of its critical wishbone front suspension component by a factor of 40%. Comparing the one-piece titanium component with the original welded steel component, a weight saving of 600 g was achieved.

Metal 3D printing has also provided TransFIORmers with much finer control over component tolerances and the flexibility to very quickly iterate wishbone geometries to match specific chassis and kinematic requirements.

“The weight reduction that metal 3D printing has achieved for us in our wishbone component has enabled us to bypass traditional weight transfer phenomenon and the problems associated with ‘brake dive’.  More than that, it’s allowed us to design a part that is not only lighter, but far more rigid at the same time,” explains Jérôme Aldeguer, Mechanical Engineer, TransFIORmers.

With an ultimate tensile strength in excess of 1100 MPa when processed using additive manufacturing, and near perfect 99.7% densities, the titanium Ti6AI4V alloy used has delivered a radical new wishbone offering far greater rigidity than the original multi-part, hand-assembled steel component.

Tanks to additive manufacturing, TransFIORmers’ prototype wishbone development has become a highly efficient and cost effectiv
e process.  Extensive part machining and assembly time overheads have been removed and design iterations and manufacturing have been made many times faster.

In June 2016 the team won its first ever Moto2 GP race at the FIM CEV event in Barcelona.