Metal powder bed fusion is an amazing process. It brings simplicity and complexity together in manufacturing. It’s a process where precision meets adaptability and strength.
This outstanding process is worth knowing about. Keep reading for a brief introduction to metal powder bed fusion.
Solid Advantages
You use metal powder bed fusion in the additive manufacturing process of 3D printing. It’s where you take metal powder and fuse it using a concentrated energy source such as a beam or laser. Put very simply, the powder is solidified into layers and then developed into usable metal objects.
Metal powder bed fusion is used in many ways. It creates lightweight parts, customisable components, as well as manufactured items designed generatively. It’s the most common technique used to manufacture metal components.
The process includes:
- Direct metal laser sintering
- Electron beam melting
- Selective laser melting
3D printing allows the design and manufacturing processes to work together seamlessly. Combining these two different processes into a single system makes manufacturing more efficient. Whenever you change a design, the manufacturing process changes at the same time.
Manufacturing is a highly specialised industry that relies on excellent precision. Computerised systems such as Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM) are used. So, you’re fabricating parts with mathematical accuracy exactly according to design specifications.
Moreover, additive manufacturing removes fixed tooling. This gives designers greater flexibility which they use to improve their products. And, timeframes are much shorter, so parts can be manufactured within a day. Plus, waste is minimised because you can recover and reprocess materials that aren’t used.
Metal Powder Bed Fusion
Additive manufacturing has revolutionised the modern production process. With metal powder bed fusion, you can manufacture just about anything.
Through advancements in additive manufacturing technologies, you can manufacture better components. Products are lighter, stronger, and cheaper than their previous versions.
Metal powder bed fusion has made the future of the manufacturing industry significantly brighter. And really, the possibilities are endless.
Contact Steelmor for up-to-date advice on metal and steel fabrication.
