After 8 years of precipitation and development in China, TCT Asia 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing Exhibition have become the largest 3D printing industry exhibition in Asia. TCT Asia 2022 continues to bring cutting-edge additive manufacturing technologies to the industry.
Highlight 1: Speed up production
In the field of powder bed laser-activated metal 3D printing technology, the development of multi-layer, large-scale additive manufacturing equipment, from the hardware level, in order to improve the speed of additive manufacturing, to meet the production needs of large-scale complex aerospace parts, or to achieve more The mass production of small parts is a clear trend in the field of powder bed laser melting additive manufacturing in recent years.
For example, BLT-S400 metal additive manufacturing equipment is an upgrade for mass production "intelligent" manufacturing, which can achieve full-scale stable printing and large-size forming. Dual-laser and triple-laser optional bidirectional intelligent powder feeding process greatly improves efficiency, The device has been verified by large-scale applications, which has laid a foundation for mature and stable operation.
At this year's TCT exhibition, not only large-scale metal 3D printing equipment was exhibited, but exhibitors also demonstrated the additive manufacturing of large-scale metal complex parts for the industry, which intuitively reflected the role of this technology in the application side. For example, IN718 high-temperature nickel-based alloy 3D printing oil and gas nozzles, additive manufacturing of aero-engines; Saturn 1 Mars engine expansion and expansion.
The acceleration of 3D printing technology is not only reflected in the level of additive manufacturing equipment. The efficiency of each link of design, printing, and post-processing will have an impact on the speed of additive manufacturing. At the 2022 TCT exhibition, you can see the optimization of the additive manufacturing design of printed parts by international and domestic 3D printing companies. These optimizations will improve the speed of the entire process of additive manufacturing.
For example, Blite presents a full set of mounting brackets. The exhibit is a topology-optimized structure, with a thin-walled cylinder at the bottom and scattered ribs at the top, making full use of the forming space of the BLT-S400 equipment. The unsupported design also greatly saves time in post-processing 3D printed parts, thereby speeding up the entire additive manufacturing process.
As another example, EOS demonstrated an unsupported printing impeller, which overall reduced support removal time by 1.5 hours.
Highlight 2: Two-way development of "big" and "small" trends
In addition to the metal 3D printing large-scale parts mentioned in Aspect 1, the ceramic and polymer (plastic) 3D printing exhibits also reflect the "big" trend of 3D printing technology development.
For example, the large-size silicon carbide ceramic reflector displayed by Gandu Smart was manufactured by DLP 3D printing equipment with a forming size of 550mm×550mm×300mm; voxeljet showed a complete car grille 3D printed by HSS high-speed sintering technology.
The representative technology of the "small" trend is micro-nano-scale 3D printing technology. For example, the 3D-printed glaucoma guide nails displayed by Morocco Precision have a minimum aperture of 0.2 mm, and the guide nails also have a micro-spring structure; Yunyao Shenwei demonstrated its high-precision metal 3D printing technology, which can currently achieve 2- Ultra-high precision of 5 microns.
Highlight 3: Intelligence
3D printing is a typical digital technology, which is born with the genes of intelligent manufacturing. At this TCT Asia exhibition, you can see intelligent technology and software closely integrated with the design and manufacturing process of 3D printing parts.
For example, in terms of intelligent design, EOS showed a prototype Aerospike rocket engine with a complex internal structure. The design of this prototype adopts Hyperganic artificial intelligence algorithm engineering, which greatly accelerates the pace of innovation.
Siemens showcased an end-to-end integrated platform additive manufacturing solution, covering design, simulation, and production solutions, as product lifecycle management (PLM) solutions. Orton showcased the AI-driven Oqton Manufacturing OS production management system, linking design, CAM, 3D printing, reverse engineering, and quality inspection.
For another example, Xikong Intelligent exhibited a laser additive process monitoring system, which made 3D printing from "blind printing" to "knowable and controllable", changed the quality certification mode of 3D printing post-inspection, and added quality control methods. Improve print quality and efficiency.
Highlight 4: Plastic 3D printing technology for end-product production
The mass production of 3D printed midsole for Adidas sneakers has subverted people's impression that plastic 3D printing technology is limited to prototype manufacturing applications. After years of technical precipitation and the expansion of additive manufacturing thinking of manufacturing users, plastic 3D printing technology has presented a number of technical routes in the field of end-product manufacturing.
For example, OECHSLER brings the latest additive manufacturing solutions for the lean production of high-end car seats. The car seat cushion components designed and 3D printed by OECHSLER adopt a lattice design, which still has good air permeability for a long time. Different areas of the seat cushion in contact with the human body achieve diverse mechanical properties through different lattice designs. OECHSLER has produced more than 2 million 3D printed parts through its production sites in Germany, the US, and China (Taicang) and has accumulated extensive application experience in the high-volume lean production of 3D printed lattice structures.
INTAMSYS Yuanzhu Smart showcased the end-application components manufactured by industrial-grade FFF 3D printing equipment, including high-performance material housings in the aerospace and defense field, PEEK implants in the medical field, and engineering plastic 3D printed parts such as ASA robot housings.
HP showcased a range of end-use plastic parts made with its MJF 3D printing technology, including ski goggle frames, prosthetic sleeves, scoliosis orthoses, and subsea research devices that can withstand enormous water pressure.