Evolution of Metallic Additive Manufacturing (AM) – Part 3
Wire Based Processes in AM
Although Additive Manufacturing initially had its roots in wire-based
processes, it did not develop much beyond the repair and maintenance of large
expensive components like turbine blades, rolling mill rolls, large internal
combustion engines, etc. There is now a renewed interest in these processes to
produce larger components than are available in powder-based technologies. Currently
very few equipment suppliers are engaged in this emerging area.
Current Processes for
Metallic Additive Manufacturing
Shown below are some variants of wire-based technologies.
One of the constraints in wire-based technologies today is the availability of suitable feedstock materials. The majority of currently available wires are basically weld wires. Thus, in the case of aluminum alloys, standard Al-Si or Al-Mg alloys are the only wires available today. Often, these wires are not adequate for more demanding product applications. A similar situation exists for many other metals such as steel, titanium, copper, etc.
There is a need for metallic feedstock materials that are both suitable for use by the wire arc process and provide higher end-product performance. For example, if one were to produce large aerospace engine or structural components using this process, the availability of suitable feedstock materials is likely to be a concern.
Standard Advanced Products and Services (StandardAPS) is prepared to work closely with product-based customers to develop and supply these new classes of wires for more demanding structural applications. Contact us for your AM feedstock material and product needs.
