MTC EBM Adaptronic chamber Part of AMAZE project FP7 Riccardo Tosi Research Engineer EngD EBAM 27/04/2016
Riccardo Tosi Engineering Doctorate Ti-6Al-4V EBSM PTA Improve productivity United Kingdom MTC since July 2011 National Additive Manufacturing Centre Research Engineer EngD
Content Introduction to MTC EBM adaptronic build chamber Development of the system Hardware configuration Software theme development Pre-heating themes development Standard/high/low sintering level Metallurgical evaluation New chamber benefits
MANUFACTURING 0.72m MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY NS&NNS Machined Demonstrator Schedule SYSTEM SOLUTIONS CENTRE FOUNDED IN 2010 Independent RTO Company limited by guarantee (profit reinvested) Purpose built facility (12,000m 2 ) Industry & academia can perform industrial scale projects FOUNDED BY LEADING UK RESEARCH ORGANISATIONS: University of Birmingham Loughborough University *TTI HIP Vessel University is currently of broken. Nottingham TWI With support of industry
BRIDGING THE VALLEY OF DEATH 0.72m NS&NNS Machined Demonstrator Schedule Experimental research Applied research Technology implementation TRL 1 TRL 2 TRL 3 TRL 4 TRL 5 TRL 6 TRL 7 TRL 8 TRL 9 CATAPULT UNIVERSITIES RESEARCH ORGANISATIONS RESEARCH COUNCILS VALLEY OF DEATH INDUSTRY AND COMPANIES PRIVATE SECTOR *TTI HIP Vessel is currently FUNDS broken.
MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGIES 0.72m NS&NNS Machined Demonstrator Schedule ASSEMBLY COMPONENT MANUFACTURING MANUFACTURING DATA Advanced Tooling & Fixturing Electronics Net Shape & Additive Simulation Metrology & NDT Intelligent Automation High Integrity Fabrication Informatics *TTI HIP Vessel is currently broken. Non- Conventional Machining Operational Efficiency
0.72m NS&NNS Machined Demonstrator Schedule + 85 Industrial members + 21m Revenue + 460 Staff *TTI HIP Vessel is currently broken.
National Centre for Net Shape & Additive Manufacturing Demonstration factory taking raw material and part designs and producing fully finished parts where every stage of the process is carefully monitored and controlled
Net Shape & AM Technologies Net Shape (forming parts in tools) Powder Hot Isostatic Pressing (Powder HIP) Cold Isostatic Pressing (CIP) Combined CIP + HIP Metal Injection Moulding (MIM) Additive Manufacturing (free form) Powder Bed Fusion Electron Beam Melting Laser Melting Directed Energy Deposition Laser Cladding Arc cladding
Acknowledgments AMAZE FP7 Emmanuel Muzangaza - MTC Chris Ryall MTC David Wimpenny - MTC National Centre for Additive Manufacturing group at the MTC Prof. Moataz Attallah University of Birmingham
Adaptronic chamber: Aim Why we developed the adaptronic chamber for EBM: 1. Powder usage 2. Time saving 3. Material development 4. Cost 5. Chamber flexibility 6. Pre-heat optimisation strategies
Standard Vs Adaptronic Adaptive chamber Cost benefit in new material development Chamber customisation with consequence reduction on powder usage (production) Flexible hopper insert Reduced build time set up time
Spec of the EBM A2XX Maximum build size : Ø 350x380mm (W x D x H) Model-to-Part accuracy, long range1 +/- 0.20 mm (3σ) Model-to-Part accuracy, short range1 +/- 0.13 mm (3σ) Surface finish (vertical & horizontal) Ra25-Ra35 Beam power 50 3500 W (continuously variable) Beam spot size (FWHM) 0.2 mm 1.0 mm (continuously variable) EB scan speed up to 8000 m/s Build rate 55-80 cm3/h (Ti6Al4V) No. of Beam spots 1 100 Vacuum base : <1x10-4 mbar
EBM - Adaptronic chamber 380Dia x 350 190x190x150 A2XX with new chamber
EBM - Adaptronic chamber Previous studies from Del Paso University in Texas on S12 CAD of the MiniVat inserted in the ARCAM S12 system (FRANCISCO MEDINA,2013)
EBM Del Paso University S12
Hardware: chamber Powder usage for A2xx vs MTC new chamber A2XX standard MTC Chamber size 350Dia x 380* 190x190x150* start plate size Start Plate Insulation Powder required Min Powder* Required (for 150mm height) 300 x 220 170x170 ~15kgs ~4kgs 80kgs 14kgs
Hardware: chamber 200mm Designed and manufactured insert which fit inside the standard hopper. 2 sheets to contain the powder in the middle, plus >40 Kg of powder Hopper outlet reduced
Hardware: rake Removed the external teeth 220mm total length of recoating blades Not needed 220mm Not needed
Powder distribution Machine settings modified for single fetching from one side 2 rake move instead of 3 Only 1 side powder regulation is used to save time and material No right side regulation required
Pre-heat Development (Ti6/4)
Software: Preheat experimental studies Different pre-heat 1 setting were tried in order to better understand the thermal heat (pre-sintering) influence using a smaller chamber. Three builds were completed using 3 variables: 1. Standard Arcam theme setting (70um layer) 2. Lower sintering preheat settings less repetitions 3. Higher sintering pre-heat increased preheat 1 repetitions ~28min Start plate heating 4.3hrs build time (18mm Z height) ~3hrs cool down
Build time and Preheat time Preheat 1 settings studies have been optimised to reduce the build time. Pre-heat Contours + Melt Raking (14s)
Gas Atomised build experiment
Metallurgical evaluation using GA powder 1 2 3 2 2 2 1 Standard pre-heat 3 1 High pre-heat 3 1 Low pre-heat 3
Standard PA Vs GA powder PA GA
Powder morphology: PA Vs GA powder PA GA More studies (tensile, HV, HIPping) are in progress.
Conclusion: time and cost analysis Chambers Conventional Adaptronic Powder required to fill the chamber before starting the first layer Start plate pre-heating time (~730⁰C) 300x150x10mm 15Kg 60min 190x190x10mm 3Kg 28min Amount of powder required 150mm tall builds 80Kg 14Kg Powder cost for 150mm build 12K (~15K ) 2.1K (~2.6K ) Cooling time ~7h ~3h Raking time (recoating) 19sec 14sec
Conclusion: time and cost analysis Powder required to fill the chamber before starting the first layer Start plate pre-heating time (~730⁰C) Chambers Conventional Adaptronic Savings 300x150x10mm 190x190x10mm 15Kg 3Kg 12Kg 60min 28min 32min Amount of powder required 150mm tall builds 80Kg 14Kg 66Kg Powder cost for 150mm build 12K (~15K ) 2.1K (~2.6K ) 9.9K Cooling time ~7h ~3h 4h Raking time (recoating) 19sec 14sec 5sec
Conclusion Hardware changes were successful Software reconfiguration have now been understood Chamber is suitable to demonstrate the use of new material
Further work Further investigation is required to understand the influence on pre-heating and build time savings Metallurgical and mechanical evaluation need to be undertaken Further optimisation of powder outlet is required Improving and analysing sintering level
Thank you riccardo.tosi@the-mtc.org