Part Buyers Authority Issue #1

3D metal printing an additive manufacturing technology that is revolutionizing the design and prototyping world especially in industries such as truck, transportation, medical parts, agriculture, aerospace and motorsports. With increasing application of the technology, there is potential for metal additive manufacturing to become an integral part of every engineer and designer’s toolkit. It is complementary to traditional subtractive methods - like CNC machining as well as the traditional foundry. Additive Manufacturing (AM) is a process used to create three- dimensional parts from a digital file. It involves building up thin layers of material to create complete, complex parts that are difficult to produce using traditional methods such as casting, forging, and machining. 3D metal printing brings new design possibilities to the table, including being able to combine multiple components in production, minimize material use and reduce tooling costs. THE TECHNOLOGY Our Renishaw Metal 3D printing system can produce parts up to: 12” x 12” x 12” in these alloys: Aluminum, Stainless, Titanium, Inconel and numerous tool steels. Currently the industry does not support any of the iron based (gray iron/ductile iron) materials. 3D metal printing is ideal for parts that are in the development stage where modifications and redesigns are part of the design process. 3D metal printing allows engineers to have creative freedom during the production process versus other prototyping methods, saving you time and money. One of the most recognized benefits of additive manufacturing is that it reduces the weight of the part significantly. Parts can be as much as 65 percent lighter than traditional, subtractive manufacturing methods, making them especially ideal for industries that require lighter weight parts to reduce fuel consumption such as aerospace and transportation. GET PARTS FASTER! 3D metal printing is where parts and prototypes are needed quickly. Other benefits of 3D metal printing: • Speeds up and simplifies your build process • Produces complex parts you can’t get with traditional manufacturing • Offers new design possibilities • Minimizes material use • Reduces tooling costs • Combined multiple components in production • Parts maintain strength and rigidity • Improves production cycle times • Reduces material waste • Reduces part weight • Saves you time and money Part design, complexity, alloy, surface finish, and volumes will dictate the best option for your part. That’s why working with a foundry that offers choices in production is often your ideal situation. Foundries that can keep your production in-house from the 3D printer to a high run production in their sand casting operation will serve many casting buyers well. JACK LAUGLE President, INNOVATIVE CASTING TECHNOLOGIES 12 PART BUYERS A U T H R I T Y Innovative Casting Technologies Save Time, Weight & Money WITH METAL 3D PRINTING