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New 3D Metal Printing Technique Combines Lasers and Advanced Robotics

Posted by samzenpus on from the build-it-better dept.

An anonymous reader writes: A new alternative to rival other 3D metal printing techniques is being developed by a team of manufacturing researchers at the Southern Methodist University. Led by Professor Radovan Kovacevic, the group have presented a technique called Laser-Based Direct Metal Deposition (LBDMD) which builds on traditional FDM and laser technology to create high-quality metal objects as parts for a range of fabrication uses. The technology uses multi-axial positioning robotics which eliminates the need for a support structure and human intervention.

5 of 26 comments (clear)

  1. Very cool by ShieldW0lf · · Score: 2

    I particularly like the way they rotate the part so that gravity is always pulling in the most convenient direction.

    Makes the one I built look downright primitive.

    --
    -1 Uncomfortable Truth
  2. What is new here? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

    Maybe I am missing something, but where is the big innovation in this? The company I am working for (DMG MORI - world's largest manufacturer of CNC turning and milling machines) already has a commercially available version of this (if you can affort it, machine is ~900k€ as far as I know):

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9IdZ2pI5dA

    In the linked article a lot of words are being spend, but in the Laser-Based Direct Metal Deposition (LBDMD) is nowhere really explained.

    Can anyone clear this up?

  3. Hmm.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    1) I'd expect problems with oxide inclusions unless they are going to use a lot of argon to shield the melt pool. Maybe they should look at coating the metal powder with small amounts of polyethylene to act as an oxygen scavenger above the fusion pool.

    2) I'd expect to see a lot of thermal stresses in parts made by intermittently melting a small part of the surface. Annealing before surface machining would probably make sense.

    3) Has anyone managed to create a powder explosion using metal dust? This looks like the ideal technology to try it out.

  4. Tech Tree Headline? by xxxJonBoyxxx · · Score: 2

    >> New 3D Metal Printing Technique Combines Lasers and Advanced Robotics

    Anyone else think that headline sounds a lot like a mod for a Civilization tech tree?

  5. How is this different from Mori Seiki's? by Shark · · Score: 2

    It seems they've been doing this for a little while now. Basically, you build and mill the casted part in the same operation.

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    Mind the frickin' laser...