Additive Manufacturing (AM) also known as 3D printing is a fast-moving technology that is giving Designers and Inventors unlimited freedom to create what their imagination holds.
Additive Manufacturing involves layering material while forming the layers into a dense and strong substance from its original form of powders and binder materials being condensed. This technology makes creating “out of the box” items more easily created with less traditional restraints on angles.
Understanding AM technology and how to go from a solid model to a functional part in-hand is not as easy as it seems. Our Team has worked with both Additive and Subtractive Manufacturing to create and manufacture items into final products with high-quality finishes.
Btec has the experience in integrating new AM Technology with traditional manufacturing capabilities to give you best of both worlds.
Some things to consider
There are over a dozen of AM equipment manufacturers and hundreds of AM suppliers
Which type of equipment is best for the material and configuration of your part?
Is the raw material (powder) available for that equipment?
What properties does the powder contain and will those properties allow it to meet final expected properties of the product (with or without post processing)?
A ‘printed’ part typically needs post processing (ie: Heat Treat, HIP, etc.) to meet the desired mechanical properties
What is the recipe? The recipe for the properties you desire is not the same recipe with traditional raw materials
Printed surface tolerances vary by equipment, raw materials, and size of part
How much material is needed on a surface to meet the final tolerance requirement?
How much material is needed to allow for shrinkage or movement during heat treat or HIP?