3D metal printing BIZ | Hogeschool Saxion

Exploration of the possibilities of 3D metal printing.

What possibilities and limitations does 3D metal printing have as a production technique? What new challenges does this present for designers? 3D printing requires a different approach to the design process. The research group Industrial Design has composed design guidelines for this. Business economic aspects have also been investigated such as: How do you select the right products? Which costs are the most relevant? What is the environmental impact of metal printing?

The research is done by researchers, students and companies and has led to valuable and remarkable results. A selection tool has been developed to gain insight into the added value of 3D metal printing for your company's product portfolio! An extensive cost model has been set up to provide insight into the sensitivity of various cost drivers. It is striking that the machine operating hours and yield factors have a major impact on the cost price and that energy costs are almost negligible.

A life cycle analysis has provided insight into the environmental impact of 3D metal printing. Energy consumption is higher here than with traditional production techniques. Function integration, complex geometries and lightweight constructions make it possible to realize a much more efficient product. This results in energy saving in the usage phase, so a lower environmental impact over the entire product life cycle. We also investigated the barriers in the injection molding industry for applying 3D metal printing to complex inserts. The lack of relevant knowledge was experienced as the biggest barrier.

Various tests have been carried out to discover the limits of the material (RVS316L), the printer and the process. For this, use was made of the ConceptLaser Mlab 3D metal printer from Saxion. Design and production guidelines have been composed from the test results. The obtained results not only provide an insight into the do's and don'ts of 3D metal printing, but also explain why these guidelines apply. For example, the importance of good heat dissipation and correct support during the printing process was experienced.
Various products have been developed in collaboration with participating companies. These results have contributed to the testing and adjustment of the guidelines. It has also been found that the choice of software packages and their use are important for a successful end result. Due to the super-fast software developments, it is difficult to select a software package for the desired application. That is why an overview has been drawn up of various available software packages and the associated functions.