China3D printingNet December 8th, mainstream industrial manufacturers are slowly occupying3D printingfield.Perhaps eight years ago, some people talked about whether HP was going to acquire Stratasys or 3D Systems, but since then, we have seen 2D printer manufacturers disrupted3D printingindustry.Moreover, although the manufacturing giant may not conquer all additive manufacturing (AM), Mitsubishi will certainly3D printingMake an impact. While the subsidiary Mitsubishi Chemical (Mitsubishi Chemical) enters the material field, the larger Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries) is also increasing its position in metal additive manufacturing (AM), with a focus on Directed Energy Deposition (DED) . At Formnext Connect, Alexander Spatzig, head of business development at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Europe Ltd., provided insights into the company’s DED process and products.
Mitsubishi enters3D printingIn 2014, the Japanese government realized that Japan lags behind other leading countries in the additive field.In turn, all the large Japanese manufacturers gathered together to develop their own3D printingtechnology. This technology of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries was created under a research project of the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) of Japan, which was participated by the Future Additive Manufacturing Technology Research Association (TRAFAM).
As a manufacturer of industrial machinery, Mitsubishi Heavy Machinery produces injection molding equipment, machine tools, compressors, and paper and printing machinery.Like other machine tool manufacturers, Mitsubishi jumped into the existing milling machine by integrating the DED laser head capable of outputting 6 kW into the existing milling machine3D printingfield.
Its LAMDA DED 3D printingThe first product in the machine series is a research-oriented system.The volume of this DED printer is only 200 mm x 200 mm x 200 mm, but Spatzig explained that they are developing a DED system for sides up to 2.5 m3D printingComponents. Mitsubishi’s site lists sizes from the smaller LAMDA200 model to the 2500mm×900mm×1,000 mm LAMDA2000 model.
Developing a DED system is not as simple as putting a laser into a CNC machine tool. For example, proper atmospheric conditions need to be provided to enable the laser to melt metal powder. Take Mitsubishi as an example, it created a special nozzle that can generate an argon atmosphere locally, allowing the company to expand the scale of the technology without using a larger enclosed chamber. The room is obviously not cost-effective at some point. The printer also includes a real-time monitoring system that can perform closed-loop control of the process by using artificial intelligence software. If the artificial intelligence deviates from the expected design, the software can correct the construction.“For example, the system checks the heat and size of the molten pool, and then immediately adjusts the laser power to ensure that it does not melt excessively. It has not become the size it should be.” Spatzig said.
Another additional benefit of the LAMDA production line is that it includes hybrid manufacturing, where the CNC head can be used to mill DED parts to complete the processing, or to process the parts before the printing starts.Mixed metal3D printingSome users of the machine have noticed that it is not always necessary to switch from DED to milling or other subtraction processes without first performing some post-processing (such as hot isostatic pressing) on the printed parts and without the risk of cracking or deformation. It is very easy. However, Spatzig explained that monitoring during the process can prevent such results.
The exhaust pipe of the aircraft. The part size is 130mm×120mm×80mm, made of Ti6A14V titanium. Produced within 10 hours.
According to China3D printingWang understands that Mitsubishi Electric has developed its own DED process called “dot formation technology”, which is a line-based method that relies on pulsed lasers and minimal heat input. Although the cost of raw materials used in this technology is lower, the accuracy of the parts before post-processing is also lower than that of blown powder DED. However, Mitsubishi Electric claims that the geometric accuracy is 60% higher than “traditional DED”. The company’s goal is to launch the platform in 2021.Although Mitsubishi Electric may have its own DED process, Spatzig quickly distinguished the different divisions of the Mitsubishi Group, saying that they all operate independently and sometimes even compete with each other.
“For example, in some cases, Mitsubishi Electric is a direct competitor. They manufacture air conditioners like us.” He pointed out. “So Mitsubishi Electric and Heavy Industries are not even part of the same group. Especially if you are dealing with intellectual property or NDA, then we really have to be careful.”At the same time, Mitsubishi Chemicals, a subsidiary of Heavy Industries, has increased its3D printingShares in material production, partly through the acquisition of Dutch filaments and the launch of cooperation with AddiFab3D printingTest service.Warren Buffett made a $6 billion investment (pdf) in Japan’s five oldest trading companies, including Mitsubishi Corporation (separated from power and heavy industries).If there are indeed links between the businesses of the Mitsubishi Group, they may become3D printingThe power of competition in the industry.
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