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Materials market could reach over US$400 million
Concept Laser launches new laser AM centre Laser fusing specialist Concept Laser plans to open a new development centre at the company’s headquarters in Lichtenfels, Germany. The 600 m2 R&D centre will be used to test and develop the company’s LaserCUSING® process which uses high energy fibre laser, directed using a galvo scanning unit, to fuse metal powder in layers and build components. “The number of test reports produced by our development department has already risen by 30% from 2012 to 2013,” said Florian Bechmann, head of development at Concept Laser. “The new development centre will raise our capabilities to a new level – in terms of time, as well as quality and quantity.” The laser market in general is predicted to undergo a further growth spurt in terms of development. For instance, the range of lasers available is reportedly being extended and upgradeed from 400 to 1000 watt.
In the future, two, four or more lasers could operate in parallel in installation areas, improving the speed of generative component construction. As well as this, numerous application areas within medical engineering, turbine engineering or within the automotive industry are currently undergoing a significant move away from traditional technologies towards generative 3D printing processes on an industrial level, Concept Laser says. Metallurgical testing The redesigned development facility now houses a larger metallography laboratory and materials testing area for customers who have special, application-specific requests related to the powder materials being used. “These requirements relate to every facet of the areas of process design, quality assurance and safety, especially for reactive materials,” says Bechmann.
Materials market could reach over US$400 million The global market for 3D printing materials is expected to reach $408.5 million by 2018, says a new report. In particular, Asia-Pacific is expected to grow at a high CAGR from 2013 to 2018, followed by the North American region. Europe is expected to be the next fastest growing market, with a CAGR of 15.7% from 2013 to 2018, due to an increase in consumption. End user markets of 3D printing materials are growing steadily, especially in manufacturing industrial and consumer products. The ROW market is expected to grow the least, compared to other
regions in terms of revenue. North America & AsiaPacific accounted for more than 68% of the 3D printing materials revenue in 2012 and are the first and second largest consumer of 3D printing materials, globally. Both are expected to compete with each other to dominate the market by 2018, with advanced technological developments in 3D printing materials for end users. The report, published by MarketsandMarkets, covers plastics, metals, ceramics, and others. Metals covered include steel, silver, gold, titanium and aluminium.
North America & Asia-Pacific accounted for more than 68% of the 3D printing materials revenue in 2012.
US$1.9 million grant for powder-bed AM research
Mechanical engineering professor Jack Beuth is leading a research team in developing tools to improve powder-bed additive manufacturing processes.
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, USA, have been given a U$1.9 million grant by America Makes to improve powder-bed additive manufacturing (AM) processes. The plan is
metal-powder.net
to make metal components using higher volume manufacturing processes. In particular, the research team will work to control and understand metal microstructure and the mechanical properties of products made by two kinds of additive manufacturing processes: the EOS laser sintering process and the Arcam electron beam melting process. Both are powder-based additive manufacturing processes that directly build metal components from metal powders. At present, these two addi-
tive manufacturing processes are the most successsful at automatically fabricating any 3D shape of metals. Widening the powder options “At this time, high-quality results are only guaranteed if powders from the additive manufacturing machine manufacturers are used,” said mechanical engineering professor Jack Beuth, who is leading the research team. “For those processes to become high volume manufacturing processes, a wider
range of powder options is needed.” Beuth’s team plans to determine how to alter the additive manufacturing process to allow a wider range of powders to be used. The team includes 12 industry partners representing powder manufacturing, aerospace, medical devices, electronics and other industries. CMU, a founding member of America Makes, has purchased new metals-based additive manufacturing equipment to complete the research.
March/April 2014 MPR
43
In the future, two, four or more lasers could operate in parallel in installation areas, improving the speed of generative component construction. As well as this, numerous application areas within medical engineering, turbine engineering or within the automotive industry are currently undergoing a significant move away from traditional technologies towards generative 3D printing processes on an industrial level, Concept Laser says. Metallurgical testing The redesigned development facility now houses a larger metallography laboratory and materials testing area for customers who have special, application-specific requests related to the powder materials being used. “These requirements relate to every facet of the areas of process design, quality assurance and safety, especially for reactive materials,” says Bechmann.
Materials market could reach over US$400 million The global market for 3D printing materials is expected to reach $408.5 million by 2018, says a new report. In particular, Asia-Pacific is expected to grow at a high CAGR from 2013 to 2018, followed by the North American region. Europe is expected to be the next fastest growing market, with a CAGR of 15.7% from 2013 to 2018, due to an increase in consumption. End user markets of 3D printing materials are growing steadily, especially in manufacturing industrial and consumer products. The ROW market is expected to grow the least, compared to other
regions in terms of revenue. North America & AsiaPacific accounted for more than 68% of the 3D printing materials revenue in 2012 and are the first and second largest consumer of 3D printing materials, globally. Both are expected to compete with each other to dominate the market by 2018, with advanced technological developments in 3D printing materials for end users. The report, published by MarketsandMarkets, covers plastics, metals, ceramics, and others. Metals covered include steel, silver, gold, titanium and aluminium.
North America & Asia-Pacific accounted for more than 68% of the 3D printing materials revenue in 2012.
US$1.9 million grant for powder-bed AM research
Mechanical engineering professor Jack Beuth is leading a research team in developing tools to improve powder-bed additive manufacturing processes.
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, USA, have been given a U$1.9 million grant by America Makes to improve powder-bed additive manufacturing (AM) processes. The plan is
metal-powder.net
to make metal components using higher volume manufacturing processes. In particular, the research team will work to control and understand metal microstructure and the mechanical properties of products made by two kinds of additive manufacturing processes: the EOS laser sintering process and the Arcam electron beam melting process. Both are powder-based additive manufacturing processes that directly build metal components from metal powders. At present, these two addi-
tive manufacturing processes are the most successsful at automatically fabricating any 3D shape of metals. Widening the powder options “At this time, high-quality results are only guaranteed if powders from the additive manufacturing machine manufacturers are used,” said mechanical engineering professor Jack Beuth, who is leading the research team. “For those processes to become high volume manufacturing processes, a wider
range of powder options is needed.” Beuth’s team plans to determine how to alter the additive manufacturing process to allow a wider range of powders to be used. The team includes 12 industry partners representing powder manufacturing, aerospace, medical devices, electronics and other industries. CMU, a founding member of America Makes, has purchased new metals-based additive manufacturing equipment to complete the research.
March/April 2014 MPR
43