St. Paul, MN (January 30, 2020) — Hybrid manufacturing is the term that describes the combination of additive manufacturing and subtractive manufacturing in a single machine. Additive manufacturing is used to build up a component, part or structure within another part; subtractive manufacturing (or computer numerical control (CNC) milling) is used to fabricate, spot mill, polish and so on.
According to Additive News, the hybrid manufacturing resurgence is due to the onset of the metal and additive manufacturing growth in the 2010s. At this time the cost of lasers had dropped to around $100,000, making it possible to couple with a large CNC machine tool purchase. The metal powder bed machines were being delivered for $800,000 to $1,500,000 making hybrid manufacturing an ideal alternative, mainly for larger parts.
Which materials can be used in Hybrid Manufacturing?
Additive News explains it depends of the machine system, nearly any metal available in a wire or powder format could be 3D printed. These include cobalt chrome, copper, aluminum, stainless steel, tool steel and titanium, and many others. One advantage of hybrid metal systems is that they often enable applying dissimilar metals to the same part, for instance cladding with Inconel for strength or incorporating copper.
Polymer systems often use fused filament fabrication and so many different polymer filaments can be used. There are large-scale hybrid systems that use injection molding pellets and may be compatible with composite reinforced polymers. Hybrid polymer systems can also apply multiple materials, for instance to create an overmolding effect.
Why Hybrid Manufacturing is a good choice?
Hybrid manufacturing offers many benefits over machining or additive manufacturing alone, according to Additive News. Due to additive manufacturing it is possible to build up and repair damaged parts, or to reduce machining work by starting with a smaller blank and adding material just where it is needed. The Additive Manufacturing technique also allows for the use of multiple materials in a single part, which makes it possible to clad weaker metals for greater strength, add copper to aid heat transfer or save money on material by applying expensive metals in a very specific spot.
When additive is together with CNC milling in a hybrid system, it is possible to 3D print and finish a part in a single setup: It reduces error because the printed part does not have to leave the build envelope and be reset on a separate machine. It is also possible to alternate printing and machining to finish internal features that would be inaccessible in the completed piece.
Matsuura
Additive News explains that Matsuura has developed the world’s first 3D Printing – LUMEX Avance-25, a Metal Laser Sintering Milling Hybrid CNC machine tool – a truly innovative platform in Net Shape Form and Additive Manufacturing – with the integration of a proven Matsuura high-speed milling spindle for subtractive machining processes.
The ability to “grow” a metal component in layers with complex internal features, and to mill those internal features as the layers are added to give a perfect surface finish, makes the LUMEX Avance-25 a distinctive and remarkable production machine tool – offering designers and manufacturers a route to designing what they can imagine, and not be limited by the restrictions of their current production methods, strategies and machines.
Japanese company Matsuura was the very first company to implement a subtractive process combined with an additive powder bed fusion (SLM) process. Matsuura is the market leader in the field of automated multi-pallet, multi-axis and multi-tasking CNC machine tools and their associated manufacturing process solutions.
Matsuura USA will exhibit the Matsuura LUMEX Avance-25 metal laser sintering hybrid milling machine at North America’s largest additive manufacturing event, RAPID + TCT, in Booth #1231 at the Anaheim Convention Center.
Matsuura will exhibit the Matsuura LUMEX Avance-25 metal laser sintering hybrid milling machine, a powder bed metal AM platform with subtractive machining capability in Booth 2831 at the event. The machine combines selective laser sintering (SLS) along with high speed milling (HSM) commonly called Hybrid AM.
The Avance-25 achieves the highest accuracy in part fabrication since metal powders are melted and sintered via laser, while surfaces are precisely milled at high speeds.
3D cooling channels can be incorporated into molds in the single setup, thereby increasing cooling efficiency and enabling high-cycle injection molding with high quality and precision, reducing costs, and improving efficiency.
The Matsuura LUMEX Avance-25 enables differentiated original parts production with internal structures, in a method that has never been possible nor imagined. It is capable of quick-turn production of custom parts, including prototypes and small production run parts.
The Matsuura LUMEX Avance-25 can process parts and molds up to 256 mm x 256 mm x 185 mm with an option allowing processing of 256 mm × 256 mm × 300 mm. The Matsuura LUMEX Avance-25 serves predominantly the high value, high accuracy mold and die market. Dies and molds with very complex geometries can be fabricated in one piece with high accuracy, shortening lead time and reducing manufacturing costs to a half or even a third of conventional methods.
Additional opportunities to observe the Matsuura LUMEX Avance-25 include: AMERIMOLD, June 10-11 in Booth #531 at the Suburban Collection Showplace, Novi, MI; and at IMTS, September 14-19, 2020 in the South Hall, Booth 338148 at McCormick Place.
Appointments may also be made at Matsuura Machinery USA, Inc.’s LUMEX Additive Manufacturing Facility in St. Paul, MN. Located in the company’s 38,000-square-foot headquarters in St. Paul, Minnesota, the facility houses LUMEX Avance-25 and LUMEX Avance-60 machines available for demonstration.
Read more from Additive News at https://additivenews.com/
Matsuura Machinery USA, Inc., located in St. Paul, MN is the U.S. subsidiary of Matsuura Machinery Corporation in Japan. Since 1935, Matsuura has been the forerunner in designing innovative technology and manufacturing solutions to a variety of industries around the globe. Matsuura Machinery USA, Inc. delivers unmatched excellence in 5-axis, vertical, horizontal, linear motor, multi-tasking CNC machine tools and machines with a powder bed metal AM platform with machining capability. Matsuura Machinery USA, Inc. provides the service, applications and technical field support that have always been the Matsuura standard for business. For more information on Matsuura products, contact: [email protected]
