Additive manufacturing (AM) / 3D printing

Metal Powder Bed Fusion

Selective Laser Melting (SLM): Part One

What would an ancient craftsman think if he saw a complex metal part take shape before his eyes in a small cabinet? He would likely think he was witnessing magic.
That kind of magic is commonplace these days, as more companies market machines that use high-powered lasers and metallic powders to produce items directly from computer-aided designs.

Selective Laser Melting (SLM): Part Two

Selective Laser Melting (SLM) is a rapid additive manufacturing technique, which uses a high power-density laser to melt and fuse metallic powders together.
It is possible to manufacture highly complex parts with good mechanical properties (comparable to wrought) and in this paper, we cover details about how to assess and manager defect formation through the process of SLM.

Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) Part Two

Selective laser sintering (SLS) was one of the first additive manufacturing techniques, developed in the mid-1980s and was adapted over time to be applicable for practically all structural materials such as plastics, metals, glass, ceramics, and composites.
A key advantage of the SLS technique is that post-processing requires minimum time and therefore it can be classed an efficient option for industrial application.

Selective Laser Sintering (SLS): Part One

Selective laser sintering (SLS) was one of the first additive manufacturing techniques, developed in the mid-1980s and was adapted over time to be applicable for practically all structural materials such as plastics, metals, glass, ceramics, and composites.
In this article we explore the SLS process and highlight some of the key advantages this technique can provide on the geometries and mechanical properties of the finish component.

Ultrasonic Additive Manufacturing (UAM)

Ultrasonic Additive Manufacturing (UAM) is essentially a hybrid of two AM process; sheet lamination and Computer Numerical Control (CNC).
Due to its specific process parameters UAM has several distinct applications including the manufacturing of functionally graded materials, structurally embedded electronic systems and fiber reinforced metal matrix composites.