vtt powder piloting service: additive manufacturing (am)

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Powder Piloting Service

Material solutions, from powder to product.

VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd

Service for Additive Manufacturing (AM)

www.vtt.fi/powder

http://www.vttresearch.com/services/smart-industry/factory-of-the-future-(2)/materials-and-manufacturing/material-solutions-from-powder-to-product

http://www.vtt.fi/powder

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Service for introducing new material

compositions to SLM from materials to

performance validated product.

Utilization of AM technologies such as

Selective Laser Melting increases rapidly

Number of commercially available AM

customized powders is limited and pricing

of is high

Additive Manufacturing (AM)

www.vtt.fi/powder



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Selection of material composition meeting demands of component

operation conditions

Evaluation of material suitability to SLM process (thermodynamics,

phase structures)

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1

3

4

5

Material selection

and design

Powder processing &

modification to SLM

Processing

parameters for SLM

Processing of

test components

Design and

manufacturing of

real component

Development steps from powder to product: Additive Manufacturing (AM)

Is there powder commercially available with needed properties?

modification of power properties to meet demands of SLM

production of powder with desired specs

Processing and modification of powders to meet process demands

Design of experiment (DoE) for process parameter mapping

DoE based processing parameter optimization

Heat treatments, HIP, grinding, machining, polishing

Specimens for lab material testing e.g. tensile test specimens in

different orientations

Design and optimization of component for SLM process and for

operation conditions

Manufacturing and post treating of component

Component performance testing (lab and/or field testing)

www.vtt.fi/powder



405/12/2017 4

Development steps from powder to product: Additive Manufacturing (AM)

Does processing parameters lead to

desired properties?

GA

TE

2.

Does material properties meet

demands of component?

GA

TE

3.

Does powder fill demands

of SLM process?

GA

TE

1.

www.vtt.fi/powder

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1

3

4

5

Material selection

and design

Processing

parameters for SLM

Processing of

test components

Design and

manufacturing of

real component

Powder processing &

modification to SLM



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Demands and restrictions from operation conditions

Strength, corrosion etc.

Demands and restrictions of SLM process

Thermodynamics, prediction of phase structures, need for preheat,…

Powder properties, flowability, packing density, particle size distribution

STEP 1. Material selection & design

Additive Manufacturing (AM) www.vtt.fi/powder



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Can be done by “light” more traditional way or by ICME approach.

STEP 1. Material selection & design




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Is there powder commercially available with needed properties?

If yes, modification of power properties to meet demands of SLM

If no, production of powder with desired specs

Possible technologies

Atomization, milling, air classification, plasma spheroidization,…

Characterization of properties

STEP 2. Powder processing & modification




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400

600

800

1000

1200

100 150 200 250 300

Sca

nn

ing

spee

d(m

m/s

)

Power (W)

VED 50 VED 100

Experimental designs

Using D-optimal design

of experiments.

Printing samples and

measuring density using

image analysis.

Fitting a numerical

model and calaculating

the optimal parameters.

90

100

110

120

130

140

150

400 900

Hatchwidth

(µm)

Scanning speed (mm/s)

VED 50 VED 100

Hatc

hw

idth

(µm

)S

cannin

gspeed

(mm

/s)

Scanning speed (mm/s)

Power (W)

STEP 3: Processing parameters for SLM




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Post treatment

Heat treatments according to targeted

structural properties

Densification and homogenization by

hot isostatic pressing if necessary

Surface grinding & polishing

Desired performance testing

Heat treatment Procedure Hardness

Stress relief anneal Held at 650°C for 2h 45 HRC

Hardening and tempering Held at 1030°C for 30min + quench in oil

Tempered at 400°C for 2+2h

55 HRC

Conventionally manufactured

(Reference)

Held at 1025°C for 30min + quench in air

Tempered at 550°C for 2+2h

52 HRC

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

2000

Str

ess (

MP

a)

Initial Optimized Reference

Ultimate tensile strength (Horizontal)

As built

Stress relief

annealed

Hardened

and

tempered

STEP 4: Processing of test components




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Co-creation with VTT experts

Re-design for AM, topological optimization

Real, printed case component

Component performance testing

Cost estimation of manufacturing of case component

Component

selection

Redesign

3D printing

Cost estimation

STEP 5: Design and manufacturing of real

component




111105/12/2017

Material H13 tool steel

Optimized mass: 489 g (compared to original

mass 1.446 kg) 66% reduction

No drilling no pluging no leaking!

Better fluid flow due to optimized fluid channels

Will be still further optimized

Final version will be tested in operative conditions

Case 3D printed optimized hydraulic

valve block




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Topology optimization +

Additive Manufacturing




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For more information

please visit our website.

Interested?

VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd

www.vtt.fi/powder



vtt powder piloting service: additive manufacturing (am)

Technology