SOLUTIONS MANUFACTURING By Claudia Jarret
Tackle obsolescence with additive manufacturing 3D printed spare parts are a revolutionary force
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bsolescence is an unavoidable part of any manufacturing environment. However, it’s concerning that so many companies admit they do not know when vital equipment requires replacing, or when they do, they scramble to find replacements. The latest developments in additive manufacturing could provide an answer to the obsolescence problems. Additive manufacturing is a transformative approach to industrial production that enables the creation of components using a variety of 3D printing techniques. Before delving into issues surrounding obsolescence, let’s first define what we mean by 3D printing. The process starts with a component material, initially in the form of powder, which is melted with a laser layer-upon-layer to obtain the desired shape. Fundamentally, it’s about adding material
instead of removing, as in traditional subtractive manufacturing. The range of materials that can be used is almost endless — from innovative plastics and metal alloys, to concrete, wax, resins and even human tissue. One of the newest advances in additive manufacturing is the possibility, recently explored by Sandvik Coromant, to print with diamond powder, shaping the hardest material on Earth into any desired geometry. Because, with additive manufacturing, it is possible to print intricate and hollow shapes with no scrap, only the necessary amount of material is added to the process. This has made it a popular technique in fields that require the production of highly specialist components in a small production run, such as aerospace or the biomedical sector, and has led to exploring how additive manufacturing could
Figure 1: A new generation of 3D printing machines will provide an alternative means for securing difficult to procure replacement parts. Courtesy: EU Automation www.plantengineering.com
PLANT ENGINEERING
April 2021
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