Metal 3D printer for aircraft components

Velo3D and Honeywell Aerospace are partnering to qualify Velo3D’s Sapphire system for 3D printing aircraft components. The system can build highly complex geometries without support structures, improving quality and saving time and costs.

Qualification with Inconel is underway for the Velo3D Saphire system in Honeywell Aerospace’s Phoenix facility. Velo3D will provide expertise in developing parameter sets for optimal material properties. Qualification is anticipated to be complete by Q3 2020.

“We are qualifying Velo3D’s Sapphire system with the aim of printing geometries that can’t be fabricated on existing 3D metal printers. Their technology will help Honeywell develop new production-part applications while also meeting our material requirements for qualification,” says Dr. Söeren Wiener, senior director of technology and advanced operations for Honeywell Aerospace. “We intend to qualify this equipment through repeatability testing in our production environment, including build and post-processing, to generate an acceptable set of material property data and qualification of flight hardware.”

Sumitomo Corp. of Americas invests in Elementum 3D

Sumitomo Corp. of Americas (SCOA) is investing in additive manufacturing (AM) research and development company Elementum 3D Inc., which specializes in advanced metals, composites, and ceramics. Elementum holds a patent for a metal powder blended with ceramics that offers faster printing speed, stronger mechanical properties, and a wider use of metal grades.

“This investment is an excellent complement to our growing portfolio in the additive manufacturing space,” says Kazuaki Tsuda, SCOA’s senior vice president and general manager, steel and non-ferrous metal group. “Elementum is pioneering new intelligence related to the raw materials supply chain in additive manufacturing, and we see abundant opportunity for these applications in the near future.”

Elementum’s products have the potential for use across SCOA’s businesses, including steel, mineral resources, aerospace, and tubular.

Glass-fiber reinforced SLS material

Windform FR2 is a flame-retardant, glass-fiber reinforced material for selective laser sintering (SLS) 3D printing. The halogen-free polyamide-based material combines wear and temperature resistance.

It’s not electrically conductive and allows for good detail resolution with smoother surface finish than Windform FR1.

Windform FR2 passed FAR 25.853 12-second vertical and 15-second horizontal flammability tests as well as 45° angle Bunsen burner and smoke density tests.

3D printing services

BigRep’s 3D PartLab at its headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts, will offer 3D printing services to customers.

Frank Marangell, BigRep CBO and BigRep America President says, “PartLab will support our partners and customers who are over capacity and assist other companies in need of large-format parts.”

Customized ordering services for 3D-printed parts include prototypes, tooling, molds, and end-use parts.

The Boston facility’s showroom features BigRep’s large-format AM systems including STUDIO G2, ONE, and PRO. The North American headquarters is also available for demos and consultancy.