Effect of SLM on production process

 

Effect of SLM on production process

Promatrix produces high quality aluminium molds by CNC-machining them from blocks of aluminium. The machine park consists of thirteen advanced CNC-milling machines of which several are equipped with automatization in form of a robot cell, which allow these machines to autonomously switch between workpieces and tools like drill bits. The machines are ‘operated’ and monitored by specialised employees.  (Expertise Promatrix, sd)

Promatrix produces their products in very small, mostly singular, batches. Most molds produced by Promatrix consist of prototype/test molds for the automotive industry. The customers need these specified molds to produce the specific products they need, these molds are often very complex and detailed. Because of the complex and unique nature of these molds, it is a feasible option to produce these molds using additive manufacturing. Additive manufacturing though being slower than conventional machining has a higher material utilisation rate and allows for more design freedom, as mentioned in the engineering blog. (Guide to Selective Laser Melting (SLM) 3D Printing, sd)

In order to switch the production method of Promatrix to additive manufacturing in form of selective laser melting, the current system have to be replaced with systems that are capable of selective laser melting aluminium. SLM has a higher throughput time than CNC-milling, therefore in order to keep the same level of throughput quantity more SLM-machines are needed than there were CNC-milling machines. Despite for this reason having less operators per machine the assumption has been made that these machines require less interference from operators. Because additive manufacturing does not require specific tools and bits to be swapped out or specific settings like rotation speed and cutting path to be put in, where CNC-milling does. Therefore Promatrix isn’t required to hire new/more employees in order to introduce this new technology, however they do have to train their current employees to be able to understand and operate these new machines and this new technology. (CAD-model to endproduct, sd)

A great disadvantage additive manufacturing has opposed to CNC-milling is the relatively lower surface finish, therefore additive manufacturing will require relatively more supplementary processing. For this reason Promatrix will have to keep several CNC-milling machines.

 

The recommended SLM-machine to swap the CNC-machines for is the SLM®280 Production Series from SLM solutions.

Figure 1 SLM-machine (SLM®280 Production Series, sd)



It is detemined by interviewing the operational manager of Promatrix that the current thirteen CNC-machines need to be replaced before 2025. As a result of this research it is recommended to change the current machine park to sixteen new SLM-machines and 4 new CNC-milling machines for complementary processing. This will result in a total investment of €7.800.000 instead of the investment €7.150.000 needed to replace the current CNC-machines. 

 

Source list

CAD-model to endproduct. (sd). Opgehaald van promatrix.nl: https://promatrix.nl/van-cad-model-tot-eindproduct/

Expertise Promatrix. (sd). Opgehaald van promatrix.nl: https://promatrix.nl/de-pros-van-promatrix/#expertise

Guide to Selective Laser Melting (SLM) 3D Printing. (sd). Opgehaald van formlabs.com: https://formlabs.com/eu/blog/what-is-selective-laser-sintering/

SLM®280 Production Series. (sd). Opgehaald van slm-solutions.com: https://www.slm-solutions.com/products-and-solutions/machines/slm-280-production-series/

 

 


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