2024-08-13 11:51:25
- No need to wait months for new parts or tools, Guaranteed reduces downtime on expensive installations by repairing parts or tools in less time.
- The maximum size of the current WAAM unit is 10 x 5 x 6 meters, and the manipulator can handle weights of up to 10 tons.
- A hybrid approach is an example of this cost-effective solution. If you only 3D print specific features on a CNC milled or turned part, you can save significant time and costs while still taking advantage of the design freedom of additive manufacturing.
The AM company Guaranteed has left the start-up phase and is preparing for further development. This growth should come, among other things, from the production of hybrid components: applying the features of additive manufacturing to the basics of conventional manufacturing. “With the demonstrator developed together with the partners in the 3DOP (3D Printing Optimized Production) project, we want to show that this hybrid approach has added value”, says founder and CEO Joachim Antonissen.
In a former factory hall at ArcelorMittal in Zelzat, Belgium, Guaranteed has been using WAAM (Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing) technology to repair valuable machine parts and tools for industries such as the steel industry for several years. What started as a research project for the steel producer in collaboration with OCAS, the Belgian steel industry research institute, has now become a lasting value for the Belgian AM industry. The main reason for choosing Guaranteed’s WAAM approach was the shorter delivery times the company can guarantee. Instead of waiting months for a new part or tool, Guaranteed reduces downtime for expensive installations by repairing them in a shorter time. Another benefit is that customers can therefore reduce their spare parts inventory. The focus on repair work is also driven by sustainable development.
Shorter delivery time
The young Belgian company is particularly in need of repetitive work, i.e. parts that need to be refurbished from time to time. For example, Guaranteed won a contract from ArcelorMittal Gent to repair large support rollers in continuous casting lines. “Our technology has been proven as the default. We are expected to process around 100 rollers per year. Eight to 16 domes must be welded on each roller”, Joachim Antonissen explains about the contract. Repeated orders create the possibility of automating processes, such as by using fixed clamps for more efficient clamping. With repetitive work, it is also easier to arrange with external parties who carry out post-processing. Larger runs are reworked by external partners; smaller runs are carried out in-house. “We can then spread the development costs over several roles”, Joachim Antonissen adds, repetitive work has another advantage. Guaranteed is now the preferred supplier for the Ghent plant and is seeking to play the same role for ArcelorMittal’s other European plants as well as other potential heavy industry customers.
Working with one of our project partners, Valland, we demonstrated that with this hybrid approach we could save 35% in material and achieve a 35% performance improvement by modifying the valve design.
Process control: more likely than not
From the material database and the production database, Guaranteed demonstrated the possibility of correctly predicting the mechanical properties of WAAM components using machine learning. Likewise, based on the desired weld geometry, it was possible to predict which welding parameters should be used. This opened the door to a control loop system for the WAAM plant in Zelzate. Unfortunately, the certification companies have not yet accepted this. Joachim Antonissen: “They prescribe fixed recipes. Logically, after all, standards come from the industry’s desire for stable solutions and the insurance rationale behind certification. They are not ready for this step yet.”
Growth targets for hybrid components
Currently, Zelzat has two robots and three manipulators. By the end of 2024, production capacity will have doubled. “After that, the next step should be to develop operations outside Belgium”, says Antonissen. “The core competence remains in Belgium. Abroad, we will set up satellites so that we can work close to the locations of future customers.” Zelzat’s planned expansion includes increasing the size of weldable components. The maximum dimensions of the current WAAM unit are 10 x 5 x 6 meters, and the manipulator can handle weights of up to 10 tons. One of the applications that Guaranteed values most is the near-net-shape 3D printing of large tools and dies, for example for the automotive industry. Hybrid applications in the Norwegian shipping industry also offer prospects. Guranteed 3D prints pins on rolled plates as an alternative to forged crank pins. “Our reduced delivery times allow us to solve the delivery problem of this component at the customer’s site,” explains Joachim Antonissen. The application has been verified by DNV, and Guaranteed has now printed the first crank pins.
Hybrid Approach
This hybrid approach should be able to overcome the economic barriers facing 3D printing. WAAM can be a good alternative for heavy castings, such as 500 kg and above. “But if the customer is satisfied with the quality level of the casting, it is almost impossible to convert the additional cost of WAAM and the improved mechanical properties into value”, Antonissen clarifies this dilemma. For new part production, Guaranteed is therefore looking for hybrid solutions: applying specific features where additive manufacturing provides added value to basic components manufactured using conventional technologies. This has functional, economic and ecological advantages. This is why Guaranteed is involved in the 3DOP project, which involves a metal printing work package. In this work package, the boundaries of 3D metal printing are being pushed, both by repairing expensive components and by finding solutions that make 3D metal printing more cost-effective. The hybrid approach is an example of such a cost-effective solution. If only specific features such as CNC milled or turned parts are 3D printed, a lot of time and cost can be saved, while still taking advantage of the design freedom of additive manufacturing. Joachim Antonissen: “Together with Valland, one of our project partners, we have demonstrated that with this hybrid approach we can save 35% in material and achieve a 35% performance gain by modifying the valve design. The design modifications made to the casting geometry were intended to reduce printed material and simplify the manufacturing process.” Valves with a diameter of 700 to 800 mm weigh 80 to 90 kg and can be produced cost-effectively using AM. Machining only the surfaces that connect the valve to the rest of the plant reduces costs further. Guaranteed is also looking into applications in the oil and gas industry, working with KU Leuven to explore how to print multiple alloys in one component. “With WAAM, this task is easy to accomplish. As long as the materials are metallurgically compatible, we can switch without introducing additional production complexity.”
Demonstrators needed
Ultimately, these demonstrators must prove the feasibility of hybrid additive manufacturing. For Joachim Antonissen, being involved in the 3DOP project and sharing knowledge is a step in this direction, something he would have difficulty doing outside of European projects. “For many customers, AM is still uncharted territory. Of course, it’s not just a matter of having the resources and money to prove the concept. This project gives us the opportunity to reduce the risk for our customers while demonstrating the added value of WAAM. This should ultimately remove one of the barriers to additive manufacturing,” Joachim Antonissen is confident. “The hybrid crankpin is the result of a project a few years ago. Now we are a series supplier to a Norwegian company. I would be happy if one of the examples from the 3DOP project were industrialized. Because the network we are building will be very valuable for future work.”
3DOP Project Exclusive Joachim Antonissen has been involved in the European Horizon project in the past. He believes that the 3DOP project approach is unique in that, in addition to the technical perspective, it also focuses on knowledge transfer. “We now have a partner involved in the project, which is the main activity. This allows us to increase the impact of what the other partners are working on.”
1723616985
#Hybrid #approach #metal #printing #costeffective
