We have combined the advantages of 3D printing with the advantages of powder metallurgy to create a 3D printing solution that will permanently shape the possibilities of metal 3D printing with robust processes.
Additively designed parts allow a much higher degree of design freedom and complexity compared to classic manufacturing processes. Due to the greater freedom of design, additional product features, cheaper production or higher part performance are possible.
The part is built up layer by layer at low temperature (< 80 ° Celsius) on cheap and from many manufacturers available laser sintering systems for plastics (SLS) by melting the plastic-binder. No support structures are necessary in the construction process itself, which also enables the parts to be placed freely in the build job.
The finished build job is then de-powdered, whereby the de-powdering can also be automated using air pressure or water jet due to the very high green part stability. Due to the low temperature impact during the construction process, the not processed feedstock can be completely reused.
The high strength of the green parts not only helps in the depowdering step, but also allows mechanical (turning, milling, drilling, grinding) post-processing before sintering to the metal part. This offers great added value, especially for materials that are difficult to machine.
The green parts are debinded at low temperatures in a solvent to dissolve a component of the binder system. Subsequent distillation enables the solvent to be reprocessed and reused as often as required in the process. Overall, solvent debinding is very inexpensive and environmentally friendly compared to other debinding processes.
After the debinding, the sintering step to receive a full metal part takes place. The furnace is slowly heated to sintering temperature while the remaining plastic-binder burns without residue already at medium temperatures. At the sintering temperature of the metal, the metal particles sinter together to form a dense solid metal part. The parts shrink evenly, in the example of stainless steel 316L by approx. 13%.
By integrating metal powder into our highly functional binder system, all metals in powder metallurgy are available for additive processing.
Low system and operating costs as well as a significantly higher part output result in up to 90% lower part costs.
Our high green part stability enables easy post-processing like turning, joining, milling or drilling. This is an enormous advantage, especially for alloys that are difficult to process.
Not processed feedstock can be fully reused.
Processing our feedstock on SLS systems enables a high part output, which allows real series production for the first time.
In addition to a density of up to 99.9%, our metal parts also have the same properties as those from other powder metallurgical processes.
SLS systems, debinding systems and sintering furnaces are reliable, widespread and easy to maintain. And in addition to the established providers, our process also runs on SLS entry-level machines.
Developments in the SLS-technology, especially diode lasers, will bring significant productivity leaps.
Learn more about our 3D printing process, advantages, field of application, design guidelines and comparisons with other 3D printing technologies
The chain links made of titanium are a small series (400 parts) for use in a packaging machine. The chain links were previously made of plastic, but could not persuade with their mechanical properties. The chain links, which consist of two parts, have been re-designed in the titanium alloy Ti6Al4V and promise both light weight and robust properties.
3 weeks have passed from the redesign to 3D printing and the first live test. With the speed and choice of materials, 3D printing can fully exploit its advantages compared to conventional manufacturing processes.
The clipless pedals are used in the road bike and mountain bike sector and go into series production as a consumer product with several thousand units.
Where previously technical feasibility and high production costs were a barrier, the pedal body with integrated leaf spring mechanism can now be economically realised in series production for the first time in a single part. Additive manufacturing from Titanium 6Al4V also achieves an optimised weight of 100 grams per pair of pedals (including Titanium axle), making it currently the lightest clipless pedal of its kind.
The clipless pedals are available from Titanum
(www.Titanum.bike).
The stainless steel coil holders are a retrofitted component in the brake shift lever of a Campagnolo road bike gearstick, which is connected to a shift box, the "raw box", on a Rohloff gear hub.
Several hundred parts of this are manufactured every year and used to modify the brake shift lever.
So far, the coil holders have been made of plastic, but they should be reinforced with regard to the loads on the cable. The coil holder made of stainless steel 316L can now withstand many shifting cycles.
Design: Gebla Precision Frames
