Production Machining

DEC 2017

Production Machining - Your access to the precision machining industrial buyer.

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Here's another article on this topic: Job Shops Can Do Additive Manufacturing, Too Although you're intrigued by the process of additive manufacturing, you might be under the assumption that it is beyond the capabilities of your shop. LINK :: short.productionmachining.com/3djobshop homogenous to the substrate underneath, it could eventu- ally delaminate and wear off from the micromotion within the implanted body. By 3D printing the part, the surface texture that can be created eliminates the need for that additional coating and better promotes bone growth in, under and around the cup for better adherence. Each Willemin machine is set up with a robot to handle automated loading and unloading of the parts. One includes a carousel system with 12 rotating trays that can each handle 24 of the acetabular cup components (total of 288). e robot grabs a component for initial measuring on the laser system. at inspection is looking for the initial roundness of the 3D printed part and concentricity to the spindle. Second, it tracks the size of the component, which it relays to the CNC to call the correct program for machining. is capability allows different part sizes and configurations to be loaded on the carousel at any given time. e mills can turn around about 100 cups a day, including a lights-out shift. But the 3D printing is currently the bottleneck in the process, producing only 100 cups every three days. As production requirements for these parts or demands from outside clients increase, the company will add more printers. Leveraging Technology After manufacturing, the parts go through rigorous quality processing to ensure a flawless end product. Each part is labeled with specific identifying information to serialize what point in the build it comes from. is tracking is essential for further quality steps. Each part goes through non-destructive testing for elemental makeup. Another machine is used for destructive testing of the powders, which are heated to their melting point and the gases are analyzed for percentages of elements. e company also has several MTS machines for tensile and fatigue testing of samples out of every 3D print build. Once the parts are verified, they pass through an air lock to a Class 10,000 clean room, which is humidity-controlled and continuously monitored for air quality, humidity, particles and debris. Here, the parts are sterile-cleaned and packaged, ready for shipping to the customer. A Bright Outlook Slice continues to try to set itself apart from other job shops by implementing the most advanced processes and highest standards in its additive operations. Having recently opened the doors to outside customers and hired two sales people, Mr. Rappach is anxious to see where the market will lead. He sees upcoming opportunities in aerospace, automotive and semiconductor applications. e company has plans to add at least two more printers in the first quarter of 2018 and will not hesitate to grow its operations further to suit demands. For more information from Slice Mfg. Studios, call 330-733- 7600 or visit slicemfg.com. For more information from Arcam EBM, visit arcam.com. For more information from Tornos Technologies U.S. Corp., call 630-812-2040 or visit tornos.com. For more information from Willemin-Macodel Inc., call 914-345-3504 or visit willemin-macodel.com. This is What Power and Precision Looks Like Technical assistance available. Asistencia técnica disponible en español. www.sct-usa.com sales@sct-usa.com 1.805.584.9495 1.800.383.2244 Single Point - Thread Mills - Port Tools - Indexable Tools - Specialty • Complete range of port & cavity tools • Ground between centers for concentricity • Brazed submicron carbide inserts • Premium alloy steel bodies Scientific Cutting Tools ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING 38 PRODUCTION MACHINING :: DECEMBER 2017

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