In the metal printing process, the support can play a role in heat conduction and prevent stress and deformation, but the presence of the support also brings a lot of inconvenience to post-processing. The appearance of the hollow support greatly reduces the difficulty of removing the support, and at the same time is beneficial to save materials.
Topology optimization is an important means to achieve a weight reduction of parts. With the optimization of the structure, a large number of hollow structures will appear in the parts, and support must be added during the SLM printing process to achieve smooth production.
Among the many cases of Materialise, one is to use a lattice structure to replace the support to realize the application of lightweight and high-strength design.
Case 1: Titanium aerospace parts with 63% weight loss
GE Aviation used 3D printing to manufacture the famous integrated fuel nozzle. They are one of many companies that understand that 3D printing technology can have a huge impact on the aerospace industry. This is not only reflected in the supply chain, but also in terms of weight reduction. Lighter aircraft can save more fuel.
Using Materialise software that is fully compatible with simulation and analysis software, users can manufacture lightweight and high-strength industrial metal parts. The part is 3D printed with titanium alloy at GE’s metal printing center in Bremen. Compared with components manufactured by traditional technology, the weight is reduced by 63%.
How to manufacture high-strength and lightweight components
In order to reduce the weight of the bracket and support structure, the Materialise team used the design optimization software 3-matic to detect which areas can be replaced with a honeycomb structure. These areas can reduce the use of materials while ensuring the required strength. The team then determined the size and location of the structural unit and redesigned the components to ensure that they could be printed.
The application team modified the beam diameter based on the stress and printability, and tested the stress accumulation in the final design to check whether topology optimization is required. After multiple simulation iterations, the weight of the bracket was reduced by 63%.
Final result
● The support that was originally worn-out is replaced by a functional lightweight structure
● Reduce the workload of post-processing
● 63% reduction in material usage
● Since the use of materials is reduced and the support area is enlarged, the thermal stress is reduced
With the seamless connection between 3-matic and finite element analysis software, the strength and printability of metal parts can be guaranteed. Such significant weight loss can greatly reduce aircraft fuel consumption and carbon emissions.
Case 2: Airflow cooler
When a fan is used to generate airflow, because the laminar flow is generated, the blades of the fan will block part of the airflow, resulting in reduced efficiency. The unique fin design inside this airflow cooler helps to form turbulence and increase the airflow velocity.
The outside of the airflow cooler is a conformable cooling water channel suitable for 3D printing manufacturing, which plays the best cooling effect. The lower surface temperature helps the internal hot air to diffuse outwards and obtain a larger contact area with the fins, thereby forming greater turbulence.
The lattice structure in the fins avoids the need for supporting structures, and is both light and strong. Careful consideration was also given to the design to avoid powder being caught inside the component as much as possible.
End
Whether it is weight loss, or printability, and even how to improve performance and avoid manufacturing defects, the design will be 3D printing to manufacture the entire chain of extremely important part.