Ultrasonic additive manufacturing (UAM), developed by Fabrisonic, combines a unique room-temperature metal-deposition process with the ease of traditional CNC milling.

Markforged opened a 25,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Billerica, Mass, that will enable the company to more than double its production capacity, support increased demand for its metal and carbon-fiber 3D printers and create new jobs. The new facility will support the fabrication of all Markforged materials that are used by companies in the aerospace, automotive and manufacturing fields. It currently hosts 35 members of staff. Markforged expects to add another 25 hires in the coming years.

Delta H supplied a dual-chamber aerospace heat-treating (DCAHT) system to Sintavia, a Hollywood, Fla-based provider of additive-manufacturing services. The furnace features dual chambers operable to 1200°F and 500°F with precision control and temperature uniformity and a roll-away stainless steel quench tank. The DCAHT system qualifies as Class 2 (+/-10°F) per AMS 2750E and includes all controls, data-acquisition technology and spare-parts package to be in full compliance with all aerospace pyrometry standards, including Nadcap.

Siemens and Materials Solutions opened a highly advanced metal AM innovation center in Orlando, Fla. The 17,000-square-foot facility offers a pairing of design with manufacturing, implementing robotics, rapid prototyping, scanning, digital tools and on-site metal AM. Materials Solutions – a Siemens Business – uses selective laser melting (SLM) technology for the manufacture of high-performance metal parts, with a focus on high-temperature superalloys. The Siemens innovation center will focus on rapid problem solving supporting the company’s energy businesses, while Materials Solutions will offer additive services to support the innovation center and external customers. 

Sintavia LLC, an independent metal additive manufacturer, acquired QC Laboratories Inc. (QC Labs), a nondestructive testing (NDT) services company based in Hollywood, Fla. The acquisition enhances Sintavia’s NDT capabilities for commercial aerospace applications, particularly with respect to surface-finish conformance testing. QC Labs specializes in radiographic (X-ray and gamma), fluorescent-penetrant, ultrasonic, magnetic-particle and eddy-current inspections. The company holds approvals for these processes from Honeywell Aerospace, Lockheed Martin, General Electric, Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, Cessna, Eaton, Aerojet Rocketdyne and Rolls-Royce.

Sandvik acquired a 30% stake in privately owned Beam IT, a provider of metal additive-manufacturing (AM) services and advanced end-use components. Italy’s Beam IT supplies metal AM end components to demanding industries, including automotive, energy and aerospace, and holds several relevant quality certifications to serve these industries. The company has more than 20 powder-bed-fusion printers installed.

Protolabs launched production capabilities for its metal 3D-printing service. The new capabilities use secondary processes to improve the strength, dimensional accuracy and cosmetic appearance of metal parts. Protolabs uses direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) technology, which is ISO 9001- and AS9100D-certified, to 3D print metal production parts. Once parts are built, several secondary options like post-process machining and heat treatments are possible, and quality-control measures like powder analysis, material traceability and process validation are taken.

Metal additive manufacturing or metal 3D printing are terms that everyone in the metal-processing industry is seeking to understand. The “what” and the “how” are becoming clearer every day.

In the past, the applications of metal additive manufacturing, otherwise known as 3D printing, have primarily been confined to prototyping.