2023-11-03 14:20:32
Will Crtl P become a reality when it comes to WAAM? In the future, will manufacturing companies start the 3D printing process at the push of a button after they have loaded the correct recipe for a spare part? Philipp Roithinger, AM expert at Fronius, sees this as a future scenario. The Austrian welding specialist is making its debut in the AM industry at Formnext.
Fronius is participating in Formnext for the first time this year. The reason: in 2024 it will be released with specific welding characteristics and some special features for the CMT welding machines, which will take 3D printing with the arc welding process (WAAM) to a higher level.
Deposition speed will increase and multi-wire systems will be introduced
Great potential for WAAM
Fronius sees a lot of potential for WAAM. The deposition rate of 4 kg per hour will increase. There will also be multi-wire systems, which combine multiple materials in one workpiece. Important factors for choosing this technology are the costs of both equipment and materials. With this technology, complex parts and lightweight components, which are increasingly in demand, can be made without further tooling. One of the motivations for using 3D printing is material savings. To illustrate this, Fronius has printed a propeller with a weight just under 100 kilograms. If this were to be milled, you would need a block of material measuring 60 by 90 by 90 cm and weighing 4 tons.
Low heat input
The core of successful 3D printing with an arc process is the stable welding system. “The right weld paths with the right welding parameters and processes are crucial for a good printing result,” explains Philipp Roithinger. Several providers of WAAM technology use Fronius’ Cold Metal Transfer (CMT) technology, precisely because it works at a low temperature. “CMT is characterized by an extremely stable arc and a controlled short circuit with long short circuit times,” adds Roithinger. “With our know-how we can keep the heat input low and ensure that the material transfer is virtually splash-free, which helps to avoid errors. In addition, we can also achieve excellent deposition rates with CMT. With the innovative CMT Cycle Step variant we can control the detachment of each droplet, so we can work even more precisely and at cooler temperatures.”
Process-controlled camera
Special camera systems can be used to monitor the welding work and detect possible defects, so that operators can intervene in time. With ArcView 2, Fronius has introduced a process-controlled camera that allows you to look directly into the arc. The camera delivers sharp images in milliseconds. Each photo is taken during a short-circuit phase, i.e. exactly at the moment when there is no arc. Many such images produce a real-time video for process control. This can be viewed on a screen outside the welding robot.
Once this technology is developed, you will be able to distribute digital recipes instead of the components themselves.
Philipp Roithinger
Download recipes and start 3D printing
Fronius is already seeing a high demand for repairing damaged parts with WAAM, which the Austrian manufacturer calls DED-Arc (Wire arc direct energy deposition). This allows the lifespan of screws and propellers to be extended. Fronius does not rule out that the production of spare parts will eventually be completely digitalized. “Our vision is that sooner or later you start printing immediately after development. The 3D printer will then produce the perfect part. Once this technology is developed, you will be able to distribute digital recipes instead of the components themselves. The recipes contain the required printing instructions with welding path, welding parameters, waiting times and everything else the user needs. All customers have to do is upload the recipe to the on-board computer of the automated system – the operating system – and press ‘Print’.”
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