Boehlerit Magazin 2016-EN

Unprecedented freedom of design The fascinating aspect of additive manufacturing processes is the unprecedented freedom of design that allows the production of complex geometric structures – something that cannot (or only at great expense) be achieved with traditional production methods. No special tools are required and conventional restrictions such as undercuts are no longer necessary. In addition, specific features such as lightweight structures may be integrated in the products during the additive manufacturing process. With additive manufacturing technologies, there seem to be no limits when it comes to the production of work pieces and components. In addition, product development times are shortened drastically with additive manufacturing, thereby reducing the time-to-market – a factor that is becoming increasingly relevant, given ever-shorter innovation cycles and the trend towards customised products made in smaller batch sizes. No longer “just” for prototyping Up until now, additive manufacturing was mostly used for design studies and prototyping. However, these processes are increasingly making a name for themselves in many different areas of industrial manufacturing, from the production of injection moulds, turbine wheels and grippers for automation technology all the way to dental implants or aerostructure component manufacturing. Even the manufacturing of sophisticated functional parts and high-grade mass production com- ponents used for general mechanical engineering applications could in future be complemented, if not replaced, by additive manufacturing methods. “Material and tooling costs may be reduced by eliminating the necessity for oversized blanks when working with overhangs and relying on a combination of classic machining and additive manufacturing pro- cesses instead”, explains Dr. Ronald Weißenbacher, Head of Research and Development at Boehlerit. The option of combining different materi- als (steels, plastic, ceramics) also opens up a wide range of exciting possibilities. New freedom for tool systems The cutting material specialists based in Kapfenberg, Austria, have been investigating these state-of-the-art manufacturing methods for some time. “We aim to use additive manufacturing to produce tools and/or tool systems and offer cutting materials that are able to live up to the challenge posed by future materials and material combinations”, adds Weißenbacher. According to Weißenbacher, additive manufactur- ing does not yet constitute an alternative to the sophisticated processes in place at Boehlerit when it comes to the production of carbide products, i.e. indexable inserts. However, selective laser melting does open up new opportunities as far as the base bodies are concerned, for example for the design of cooling agent channels or when it comes to leveraging design freedom and optimising tools as coordinated, complete systems – from the base body to the cutting materials and coatings used. Hybrid solutions Additive manufacturing brings with it new challenges but also new opportunities for industrial production, and for machining and cutting operations in particular. “Despite all its benefits, additive manufactur- ing also has its drawbacks, in particular when it comes to precision and resolution, i.e. component tolerances and surface qualities. Hybrid approaches are the way to go here, i.e. a combination of additive and removing processes”, Weißenbacher explains. This applies whenever what are referred to as support geometries, for overhangs, projections or particularly fine structures need to be removed again. Additive manufac- turing is going to increase the current trend of moving away from rough- ing to fine machining or finishing. “As manufacturers of tool systems and cutting material experts, we see our great opportunity in mastering future machining tasks that will emerge with new materials and entail new challenges”, says Weißenbacher. This also involves the development of cutting materi- als or cutting structures that can be successfully used to cut composite components of various materials that may have widely opposing require- ments. Experience has shown that these challenges are best resolved through developing an appropriate cutting blade. In close cooperation with leading steel companies, for instance Böhler Edelstahl, a leading manufacturer of powder-metallurgical materials located in its immediate vicinity, Boehlerit has steadily expanded its expertise in the machining of state-of-the-art material and is rightfully regarded as a pioneer when it comes to difficult-to-machine materials such as titanium alloys, silicon- containing aluminium alloys or materials on nickel basis, which are also used for selective laser melting (SLM). Conclusion Looking at the possibilities of additive manufacturing, it is tempt- ing to think that its application in industrial manufacturing will replace subtractive methods and thereby reduce the amount of machining processes that are used. However, this is only true up to a certain point. Components that are manufactured in mature series production will not be replaced, but rather complemented by the new processes that are available. At the same time, new functional components made from innovative materials are created that cannot be manufactured using con- ventional means, or at least not in a way that is cost-effective. Machining is certainly set to become more complex, multi-faceted and exciting in future! Foto: ©iStock 009 BOEHLERIT MAGAZINE

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