Dhe acceptance of additive manufacturing in the high-tech industry in the Benelux has improved. But what about the specific design knowledge: has it reached the OEMs or do the suppliers have to provide it? And what does 3D metal printing mean for high-tech suppliers? Three pioneers from the Netherlands and Belgium share their experiences.
In 2023 you can say that additive manufacturing has left the Dutch high-tech industry. The flywheel to get additive manufacturing going further is to convince the design engineers even more of the added value that the technology can offer. “The rest are challenges for which there are solutions,” says Adwin Kannekens, commercial director at Andra Tech Group, to which Wilting belongs.
OEMs are increasingly recognizing how additive manufacturing can improve the functionality of a machine
CNC capacity puts the brakes on further growth
At Wilting, which started using the first AM systems two years ago, the demand for AM products is growing. Series production of manifold-like products is running on both systems. “Customers are increasingly recognizing how an AM component can improve the functionality of their machine, for example with regard to the flow of a gas or liquid or the heat capacity,” says Remon Haarsma, AM engineer. Demand is increasing to such an extent that Wilting expects to expand AM capacity this year, also because this offers the opportunity to offer stainless steel as a third material. According to Adwin Kannekens, the biggest brake on the breakthrough is the shortage of CNC professionals. Wilting is set to unmanned production; it also prefers to finish the AM workpieces unmanned. 48 hours or more of unmanned 3D printing and then needing a CNC specialist for 20 hours to finish the parts, is not Wilting’s choice. “In terms of costs, it makes a world of difference whether you do post-processing with staff or unmanned. Before we install the third 3D metal printer, we want to take major steps to make the milling process independent of the operator.”
It has gone from exploratory to a known process
Supply chain sees the benefits
The Belgian company Melotte, one of the exhibitors at AM for Production (March 29), was one of the first precision toolmakers in the Benelux to adopt 3D metal printing. In recent years, the supplier has noticed that AM projects return on a regular basis. “It has gone from exploratory to a known process,” says Bram Grandjean, account manager. The increase in demand is partly due to the supply chain problems of recent years, according to Edward Voncken, CEO of KMWE, which will continue to invest in the technology this spring. For casting and forging parts for the aviation industry you are talking about lead times of 60 weeks these days. “With 3D printing, that is days rather than weeks.” In addition, the customer now orders the quantities that are required; not 100 pieces because the foundry uses that as the lower limit.
OEMs are increasingly knowledgeable about design for AM
KMWE, Melotte and Wilting are high-tech suppliers. The product designs usually come from their customers. Have they acquired the specific design for AM knowledge? That changes, it turns out. In general, more and more companies have AM expertise in-house and design with the aim of maximizing the benefits of the technology. “We see that more and more customers recognize the added value and really implement functional improvements in their products with AM,” says Remon Haarsma. He notices that some engineers have already gained the necessary experience with 3D metal printing; senior engineers, on the other hand, are more familiar with conventional processing techniques. The suppliers prefer to sit down with their customers as early as possible to get to work with their customers’ design engineers. “It’s not wrong to let engineers play ping-pong in the design phase about what the effect is if you do this or that,” says Bram Grandjean. From the expertise of the supplier, details can be added that improve manufacturability, for example adding a rib to prevent deformation of the product due to the heat input. The design of the part has a lot of influence on the printability, more than with other production techniques. And that has direct consequences for the cost price of the AM component.
Make designs printable
“If we are involved too late in the design process, more effort is required to make the part printable. And sometimes we conclude afterwards that more could have been done in terms of functionality,” says Adwin Kannekens. Rob van Loon, AM engineer at KMWE Precision, always wants to know what comes before and after the part the customer wants to print. To see if parts can be integrated into one whole. He does this not only to save costs. “Sometimes you cannot achieve the requested tolerances per part, but you can with the composition.” Rob van Loon, AM engineer at KMWE, thinks that the combined knowledge of additive manufacturing and post-processing is an asset of the high-tech suppliers. For example, by positioning the part in a certain way, support material can be avoided. That saves post-processing. Or by designing a fixture in the design in such a way that it does not have to be removed afterwards. KMWE also prints a dovetail joint so that the parts can be placed directly in the machine clamp of the CNC machine. “As a result, we make milling as a finishing operation less man-dependent. Tensioning takes a few more minutes and the piece fits well. By sometimes printing 20% more, we reduce the total time of milling by half.”
Both of Wilting’s AM systems are almost full in series production
The right application
What is still holding back 3D metal printing? Actually nothing, as long as you have the right application that highlights the benefits. Peter Perremans still remembers the articles from fifteen years ago that predicted that there would be a print shop on every street corner to pick up parts. “We are still a long way from that. Certainly for the first ten years, the technology will remain complementary to the classic technology.” Additive manufacturing especially comes into its own with very organic shapes, integration of functions to reduce the number of components and extreme weight savings. “Then AM is worth its money”, says Perremans. But every price tag also has its effect on employability. He still sees an obstacle there. “If the process does not become cheaper, it will remain a complementary technology.”
On March 29, Mikrocentrum is organizing the first edition of AM for Production, a trade fair and knowledge event focused on additive manufacturing as a production technology. Melotte and KMWE Precision can be found at the fair with concrete applications. More information and how to register can be found here.