Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials IFAM
Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials IFAM

Additive Manufacturing - Selective Electron Beam Melting

PBF-EB - the solution for your application

Duplex steel (plant engineering), titanium (aviation)
Ni-base for high temperature application / aviation
Titanium for aviation
TiAl for aviation
TiAl for Automobile
Stainless steel for plant engineering
SEBM for toolmaking
Fe base for hybrid manufacturing
Powder for LBM

Introduction

Design Demonstrator for PBF-EB made of Ti-6Al-4V (CAD Template: University Duisburg-Essen, Department of Manufacturing Engineering)
© Fraunhofer IFAM Dresden
Design Demonstrator for PBF-EB made of Ti-6Al-4V (CAD Template: University Duisburg-Essen, Department of Manufacturing Engineering)

Selective Electron Beam Melting (PBF-EB) is a powder-based process for the additive manufacturing of 3D parts. The powder bed is selectively melted layer-by-layer by an electron beam under high vacuum atmosphere.

Advantages compared to manufacturing routes like casting / forging are:

No additional auxiliary equipment needed
•  Increased efficiency in raw material use
•  Significantly reduced amount of finishing operations
•  Freedom in design – “design for function”
•  Processing of high-melting and / or highly reactive materials
•  Decreased lead times for design and fabrication, shorter time-to-market
•  High degree of component customization

Properties SEBM LBM
Beam Source
 Electron Beam Laser
Powder Rough (45 - 105...150 µm) Subtle (10 - 45 µm)
Atmosphere Vacuum Inert Gas
Beam Deflection
 Deflection Coils Galvanometer
Preheating Electron Beam
(Ti-6Al-4V: 700 °C)		 Under Development (Heating Start Plate: 250 - 500 °C)
Residual Stress / Effort Support Structures Low
 High
Surface Quality
 Very Rough (Ra ~ 40 µm) Rough (Ra ~ 20 µm)
Internal Structures Restricted Good
Construction Rate (Ti-6Al-4V) ~ 80 cm³/h ~ 30 cm³/h

R&D Competencies

Process

Overview Materials PBF-EB

TI

NI

FE

OTHER
Ti6Al4V IN 718 316L Cu
TiAl Y'
 1,4306 refractory
    1,4462 super INVAR
    CP2M  
    Ferro-Titanite  
    1,7227  
    Rapidur  
    FeCrV
  

Bold: Materials of the Plant Manufacturers

Equipment

A2X Q20+
3kW, Tungsten Filament
 3kW, LaB6 Cathode
Installation Space 2002 x 380 mm3 Installation Space Ø 300 x 380 mm3
For High Temperature Materials Automatic Beam Calibration
  Process Monitoring (LayerQam)

Customer Benefits

Market studies prove the importance of additive manufacturing as an indicator of innovation [REF]. Especially selective electron beam melting has a very high potential for the production of complex-shaped components. By combining PBF-EB technology with existing powder metallurgical competence, Fraunhofer IFAM Dresden can act as a strong and reliable R&D partner in these fields.

Your advantages:

- "Fast" and "broad" material development

- Cross-industry R&D competence

- Many years of experience in the field of PBF-EB through successfully completed publicly funded and industrial projects

- Process-specific design know-how (e.g. in VDI guidelines)

- Potential evaluation of your components for additive manufacturing

- Independent advice on powder specification and procurement including powder analysis

 

Optimized component "Main Gear Bracket Rear" (Demonstrator), Produced by Selective Electron Beam Melting
© Fraunhofer IFAM Dresden
Optimized component "Main Gear Bracket Rear" (Demonstrator), Produced by Selective Electron Beam Melting

Main Gear Bracket

  • Safety critical component in aviation
  • Reduced weight due to topology optimization: approx. 40
  • Component is fatigue loaded → max. roughness < 3 µm → finishing of the entire component (CNC milling + electropolishing)
  • Demonstrators were successfully tested in an endurance test
  • Due to its volume and geometric complexity, the component is "EBM only".
Cutting Crowns of FeCrV10 Material in Hybrid Design on Material 1.2343
© Fraunhofer IFAM Dresden
Cutting Crowns of FeCrV10 Material in Hybrid Design on Material 1.2343

Cutting Crown

  • Wear-loaded component for the shredding industry (e.g. shredder machine)
  • Conventionally very expensive to produce, as the processing is very time-consuming and cost-intensive.
  • Potentials with additive manufacturing: Savings in processing costs, increase in tool life by increasing the component height, cost optimization through hybrid manufacturing
  • Using EBM, the material was successfully processed: density >99%, crack-free quality achieved
  • Hardness (as built / after heat treatment): approx. 51 HRC / up to 65 HRC
  • Demonstrators were manufactured monolithically as well as in hybrid construction (on a starter plate made of 1.2343); a part of them is tested under real conditions
  • Material FrCrV10 in this combination is "EBM only", since the high content of hard material and the susceptibility to cracking require processing at elevated temperature (approx. 900°C)
 

© Fraunhofer IFAM

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© Fraunhofer IFAM

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