Hybrid ( Additive and Subtractive manufacturing)

[Rocketman]

I am familiar with laser welding, often repair or modify injection mould tools with the process. Basically it doesn't ruin the steel/ali and is far more localised to just the area you want to weld. For instance on a recent tool my client welded all the witness lines where inserts were and then machined back to the original surfaces leaving it witness line free. Childs play compared with this machine

I have never come across one of these amazing machines that DMG Mori have produced. Basically you build the part up you want from nothing with a laser metal deposition process then the machine is programmed to mill off unwanted/tight tolerance areas - all in one machine!

It's a pretty amazing process well worth watching the video

Extra reading here to explain the process and how it's different.

http://www.economist.com/blogs/babbage/2013/12/advanced-manufacturing

 

[eSCHEn]

Witchcraft!

 

[Digger6135]

Where will it end? the advances in technology are astounding!

Digger6135

 

[rtbcomp]

That's taken 3D printing to another level.

 

[AndyStobbs]

Can it do aluminium ?

Very impressive isn't it, all joking aside.

 

[RonA]

I am familiar with laser welding, often repair or modify injection mould tools with the process. Basically it doesn't ruin the steel/ali and is far more localised to just the area you want to weld. For instance on a recent tool my client welded all the witness lines where inserts were and then machined back to the original surfaces leaving it witness line free. Childs play compared with this machine

I have never come across one of these amazing machines that DMG Mori have produced. Basically you build the part up you want from nothing with a laser metal deposition process then the machine is programmed to mill off unwanted/tight tolerance areas - all in one machine!

It's a pretty amazing process well worth watching the video

Extra reading here to explain the process and how it's different.

http://www.economist.com/blogs/babbage/2013/12/advanced-manufacturing

I've been really good this year, if I leave a note for Santa do you think he'll leave me one in my stocking. Perhaps I might need another machine to make a bigger sock first. Truly amazing piece of kit & from what I read more to come they're now talking about forming components by moving atoms around at the molecular level.
RonA

 

[Maker]

I can't help thinking it's not very energy efficient having a huge laser running for hours.
Very cool though.

 

[AndyStobbs]

I can't help thinking it's not very energy efficient having a huge laser running for hours.
Very cool though.

Bit like machining cranks from billets isn't very efficient use of metal compared to casting.

 

[Rocketman]

Can it do aluminium ?

Very impressive isn't it, all joking aside.

It can do aluminium

 

[Rocketman]

I can't help thinking it's not very energy efficient having a huge laser running for hours.
Very cool though.

Interesting thought, had considered it myself.

Hard one to quantify because you can take so much into the equation. If you have been to a mill where they make tool steel it's pretty intense process, not only that they need to roll the different plate thicknesses. Then you have the waste from purely subtractive manufacturing processes where the waste then goes off and needs to be recycled and go through the process again.

In comparison this method only uses the material more or less that you need but obviously takes a lot more energy to manufacture the part in the machine. The powder they use in the laser is one thing I have no idea on the manufacturing process - is it worse than making tooling steel rolled plates? Dunno.

Here is another thought a lot of steel for toolmaking come preheat treated with fine grain structure from the rolling process, how would one of the items made in this method stack up against using tooling steel?

I see this process being fantastic for development for automotive, motor sport, aviation etc. You can model a part needed for a engine prototype for instance run it on the machine that night and it will be ready by the morning. Where as normally you would need to order the material which might not be with you for 3 days before you can even start machining the part.

Of course with certain items this process can make thing otherwise impossible as it can build machine, build and machine as it goes and totally encapsulate details within the block.