Components

Saving weight is a crucial factor for products such as aircraft, cars, trucks and other vehicles. Shaving off a few grams whenever possible means manufacturers save their customers fuel and help them cut back on carbon emissions.

Additive manufacturing allows to create parts that are hollowed out, thus making them much lighter. Many non-critical parts can be produced this way, also reducing manufacturing waste. It has been confirmed that using 3D-printed metal parts can reduce the weight of an aircraft by up to 7%.

Since in aviation, even minor weight savings accumulate to massive fuel savings over the course of a single long-distance flight, aircraft manufacturers are going to great lengths when it comes to weight reduction.

A major advantage of the Digital Metal 3D metal printing technology is the free form design capability offered. For example, Digital Metal allows internal cooling channels to be embedded in thermally stressed components, extending part life at elevated temperatures and improving engine efficiency.

Internal cooling channels also can also help to increase the throughput of injection molding tools. The average surface quality of merely Ra 6 μm ensures a good flow in the channels.

On top of cooling options, internal channels can help reduce a component’s weight. This is an important feature, especially in fields where weight is key.

Digital Metal 3D metal printing technology allows for very high horizontal resolution, which means you can print the tiniest little details. The high strength of the finished component makes all the details extremely robust.

Due to its very high precision, the Digital Metal process can also be used for making parts with extremely fine holes or narrow slots of great dimensional accuracy.

With Digital Metal 3D metal printing technology, you can achieve incredibly complex and intricate designs, such as tubes within tubes, hollow middles with undercuts and overhangs, or just superfine layers previously too delicate to cut.

Digital Metal 3D metal printing technology works layer by layer. This makes it possible to print a combination of multiple parts within a unique object without any assembly step. If the two interlocking parts are separated by a minimum distance in the design (to prevent them from sticking together), they can be created in just one print. Hinges, gear bearings and ball joints can be manufactured within the same machine and material to reduce cost and manufacturing time.