Effect of SLM on engineering process

 

Effect of SLM on engineering process

The switch to Selective Laser Melting into the core business of Promatrix will have a relatively low impact on the engineering-process it currently maintains.

In the current situation, customers supply Promatrix with a completed Computer-aided Design (CAD) model of the desired mold. The in-house engineering department of Promatrix works with the customers to make finishing touches to the model and plays an advising role for aspects like material.

CNC machining and additive manufacturing both require these CAD-models to complete their operations. These CAD-models are loaded into the machines software, which converts the model to a set of instructions which are carried out by the machine in order to fabricate the mold.

The difference between these production methods which affects engineering is that additive manufacturing allows for more geometrical freedom in the design of the mold. This is because of the nature of the technology, it allows for undercuts and hidden features to be created, where this is not possible using conventional CNC-milling. (CNC Machining vs 3D Printing, sd)


Figure 1 Additive manufacturing (Design freedom of additive manufacturing, sd)


However, the extra workload that is added by the addition of this possibility is fully in hands of the customers and does not affect the workload for Promatrix.

 


Source list

CNC Machining vs 3D Printing. (sd). Opgehaald van www.china-machining.com: https://www.china-machining.com/blog/cnc-machining-vs-3d-printing/

Design freedom of additive manufacturing. (sd). Opgehaald van www.makepartsfast.com: https://www.makepartsfast.com/in-what-ways-does-additive-manufacturing-give-users-design-freedom/

 

 


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