St. Paul, MN (January 15, 2020) — The additive manufacturing process creates physical objects from digital designs. An engineer creates digital design through computer software, which is then sliced into layers and sent into an additive manufacturing machine. The machine then builds the same 3-D design as that of the digital one.
The benefits of this process are endless. Given below are a few significant benefits of additive manufacturing:
It cuts the cost of tools and equipment:
Tools cost forms a significant part of the total manufacturing expense of any business organization. It can be a considerable investment to make before you can produce the first unit.
However, with the aid of additive manufacturing, you can build tools on the site itself and that too at a fraction of the cost of traditional tooling.
This is a significant advantage for small manufacturers that can help them to enter the marketplace at a significantly lower unit cost.
It can identify complex geometries:
An efficient additive manufacturing software can identify intricate geometrical designs.
This provides freedom of innovation and creativity to the engineer who now knows that all his designs can be brought to reality with this magic machine.
This creative freedom comes without any cost or time penalties, and that is the primary reason why additive manufacturing is better than traditional manufacturing.
This process can help you to bring more product designs in the market, which can consequently help you gain more revenue.
It improves product quality:
Components with intricate and vulnerable small parts demand a carefully monitored assembly process to prevent any defect or damage.
Additive manufacturing can prove to be very beneficial in such a case as it builds the entire components with extreme precision.
Also, the products formed by this process are comparatively stronger and more durable.
Thus, additive manufacturing enhances the quality of products and reduces the chances of damage risks.
It reduces waste production:
Traditional manufacturing works by shaving or altering a large piece of metal into the desired shape.
However, additive manufacturing only adds that the metal powder layer by layer so that only the required amount is utilized.
Also, the plastics used in this process are recyclable, and therefore, waste production is reduced significantly. Consequently, the material cost is also reduced by as much as 90 percent.
It has a smaller environmental footprint:
The compressed process of additive manufacturing is a sustainable alternative to traditional manufacturing and machining.
It uses a small amount of electricity to operate this system as compared to the traditional one.
Engineers can make semi-hollow interiors of the product parts through a honeycomb structure. These parts are as strong and durable as the solid ones, but at the same time, they can be as much as 60% lighter than that one.
These parts are as strong and durable as the solid ones, but at the same time, they can be as much as 60% lighter than that one.
The lightweight automobiles and aircrafts formed by additive manufacturing mitigate less harmful emissions and thus have a smaller carbon footprint.
Matsuura’s Revolutionary LUMEX metal laser sintering hybrid milling machines:
The Matsuura LUMEX metal laser sintering hybrid milling machines have a powder bed metal Additive Manufacturing platform along with subtractive machining capability. The machines combine selective laser sintering (SLS) along with high speed milling (HSM) commonly called Hybrid AM.
The Matsuura LUMEX Technology relies on one-machine, one-process manufacturing of complex molds and parts by fusing metal laser sintering technology with high speed milling technology. The Hybrid technology creates a “finished” part with machined surface finish and accuracy, without inducing the additional variation caused by multiple machine set-ups and part handling.
The machines achieve 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.
Matsuura’s Technology 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.
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.
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.
Portions pertaining to AM are derived from Robotics and Automation News. To learn more, please visit: https://roboticsandautomationnews.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].