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AML3D receives an order from Boeing for mandrel tools made of Invar-36 material[Ultra-low expansion coefficient iron-nickel alloy]

Recently, the Australian company AML3D received an order from Boeing to 3D print large metal tools for the aerospace manufacturer. This is the company`s first order from Boeing and may become its entry into the lucrative aviation industry. An entry point in the field of aerospace manufacturing.


AML3D adopts a wire-based arc additive manufacturing process, 3D printing by connecting metal wires to the welding system of an industrial robot arm, and provides commercial large-scale "metal additive" manufacturing services for customers in the fields of defense, maritime, and automobiles. .

This time Boeing is seeking to manufacture a spindle tool made of Invar-36 material, weighing about 150 kilograms. The value of the purchase is only A$50,000. For a company of this size, this is really not a big order. However, it is an opportunity for AML3D. Boeing will not only evaluate and test the mechanical properties, organizational structure and integrity of parts, but more importantly, evaluate the ability of AML3D to be produced in accordance with Boeing's specifications. In view of the size of the partner and the potential commercial benefits of its future cooperation, this order from Boeing is of great significance.

3D printing technology refers to the relevant materials consulted and pointed out that the arc additive manufacturing technology uses layer-by-layer surfacing to manufacture dense metal solid components. Because the arc is used as the energy beam, the heat input is high and the forming speed is fast. It is suitable for large-scale and complex components. Low cost, high efficiency and fast near net shape. Facing the manufacturing cost and reliability requirements of special metal structures, the structural parts are gradually becoming larger, integrated and intelligent. Therefore, this technology has incomparable efficiency and cost advantages in the formation of large-size structural parts that other additive technologies cannot match. Compared with the additive manufacturing technology that uses laser as the heat source, arc is not sensitive to metal materials, and there are abundant materials that can be formed, such as aluminum alloys and copper alloys with high laser reflectivity.

Invar-36 is an iron-nickel alloy with ultra-low expansion coefficient. It has a very low thermal expansion coefficient between -250℃ and +200℃, and has good plasticity and toughness. It is a weldable material, so it can be used for 3D print. It is worth noting that in the arc 3D printing process, there is no need to fill the entire printing room with inert gas, but only the protection of the partial printing area, which eliminates the limitation on the size of the printed parts. Therefore, the manufacturing cabin of AML3D is scalable and can even be printed by two robotic arms.

AML3D has demonstrated its technical ability to produce parts for the maritime sector and has been approved by DNV, the world's largest classification society. In 2020, the company delivered a 3D printed propeller to a Japanese customer, and is also 3D printing impellers for ThyssenKrupp and Williamson, a leader in the maritime field. Based on this, AML3D has begun to gain a foothold in the field of maritime manufacturing. Once it becomes a supplier to Boeing, this company will undoubtedly enter the aerospace field.

Being able to become a supplier to a giant in the traditional industry will undoubtedly have a profound impact on the growth and development of a 3D printing company. There are precedents in this area, and Norsk Titanium is a typical representative. In 2017, Norsk announced that it had obtained a procurement contract from Boeing and would use the company's rapid plasma deposition (RPD) process to produce 3D printed titanium structural parts for Boeing 787 aircraft; in 2018, Norsk began to qualify these parts Certification; in 2019, the relevant certification work was completed, and the world's first industrial-scale aerospace additive manufacturing plant was built in New York; in May 2021, Norsk was successfully listed on the Euronext and became a commercial aerospace first The supplier of the first-class manufacturer. The cooperation with Boeing made the company the first company in the world to produce 3D printed titanium alloy structures approved by the FAA, and has achieved a series of subsequent achievements.

Therefore, integrating into the traditional manufacturing industry and becoming an indispensable part of it may become a path for the development and growth of 3D printing companies. No matter how high the technological content of the equipment developed, it can solve the problems for the users, and finally get the chance of survival and development.

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