Additive manufacturing, often known as AM, is quickly gaining popularity as a means of producing various components more quickly, sustainably, and affordably.
In this article, the state of additive manufacturing now, what it may look like in the future, and how Malvern Panalytical is assisting in the realization of that vision are discussed.
The Main Challenges and Opportunities in Today’s Additive Manufacturing Market
Manufacturers are becoming more aware of how additive manufacturing (AM) can solve some issues in traditional manufacturing.
Problems with the supply chain are a prime example. Transporting instruments, components, and goods — often over great distances — requires a complex logistical process.
With AM, products can be locally produced, preventing avoid shipping problems as digital files are sent to a nearby location that prints the item on demand. Due to its ability to use lighter and more energy-efficient components, AM can also help with the energy crisis.
A major difficulty with AM is that it requires layer-by-layer construction of the material, and a lot may go wrong during that process.
The material needs to be tuned for the process, and repeatability must be maintained throughout.
This is particularly challenging with powders since they might compact, flow, or be polluted by a single particle. As a result, compared to subtractive production, additive manufacturing places a greater emphasis on materials.
How Malvern Panalytical Helps Customers Address this Challenge to Seize the Opportunities of AM
Malvern plays an educational role in addition to monitoring the consistency of its clients’ AM materials with its solutions. For many individuals, AM is a novel procedure.
Even though many of Malvern's customers are specialists in the parts they are designing, they lack knowledge of the behavior of materials like powders and are unaware of the best measurement methods and material characteristics.
Thus, the team at Malvern can provide insight into the application, measurements, and operation, as well as how its equipment can improve the process.
Creators do not simply provide tools but also assist customers with using them and interpreting the results for a given application.
This is crucial in this business. Specialists also provide a tone of educational content for Malvern's website, such as white papers, application notes, and educational webinars, that focuses on the application.
They also work with businesses and academics as a partner in the AM ecosystem.
The Biggest Trends in the Additive Manufacturing World
Metal additive manufacturing (AM) is one of the fastest-growing fields, especially powder-bed methods like selective laser melting (SLM) and electron-beam melting (EBM).
These methods are frequently used in high-end automotive applications and in the aerospace, energy, medical, and dental sectors.
Binder jetting is a comparable method where, rather than melting powder on-site with a laser, the powder is adhered to with a binder using an inkjet printer and sintered in a furnace.
Binder jetting is notably well-liked in the automotive industry due to its speed and affordability.
There is a growing understanding that metal additive manufacturing (AM) can permit all of these at relatively high speed. Lightweight, strength, and design flexibility are essential aspects of the transport and energy sectors.
The fuel nozzle tip for General Electric’s LEAP engine, which previously required 20 separate parts and was nearly hard to manufacture, is likely the most significant example.
General Electric realized that it could be created in a single step utilizing AM and has since produced 100,000 of these nozzles.
Using AM, users can design and create structures that were not previously possible using alternative methods.
Ensuring the Solutions Live Up to the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Expectations of Stakeholders Demand
Researchers consider themselves leaders in ESG due to unique environmental policy and aims to minimize emissions and carbon footprints across the entire Spectris group.
Since they also put a lot of emphasis on their clients, they naturally ensure that all operations meet their ESG criteria.
Simultaneously, they assist customers in achieving their environmental goals and tackling current environmental problems. For instance, the environmental division of Advanced Materials focuses on problems like water treatment and air pollution.
Additionally, they work with renewable energy sources like solar energy, batteries, and fuel cells. They are also assisting their clients in realizing the enormous potential of AM to lower the carbon footprint of the industrial sector.
The Future of Additive Manufacturing
AM is increasingly regarded as a crucial manufacturing technology for the aerospace and automotive industries, and the transition to digital manufacturing will speed up its adoption even further.
AM also has some drawbacks, however, so researchers will see more hybrid manufacturing methods in the future, where additive manufacturing is used in some areas but not others.
In addition, AM may be used in a greater range of sectors, such as 3D-printed homes, batteries, electronics, and pharmaceuticals.
It might have a significant effect on medicine in particular. Using 3D printing and human cells, it is now possible to recreate biological tissues and even complete organs — Israeli scientists have previously succeeded in reconstructing a heart.
In the future, however, researchers may be able to reproduce human organs via AM. Presently, these applications are primarily employed for medical education.
Additionally, AM might be driven by individualized medicine, such as pills with all the necessary medical components. Overall, there is enormous potential.
This information has been sourced, reviewed and adapted from materials provided by Malvern Panalytical.
For more information on this source, please visit Malvern Panalytical.