2017 has been a year of further growth for the WAAMMat family. We made a few promises this time last year, let’s see if we have delivered on them:
PROJECTS:
Metal3D: most boring name ever to call the most exciting project ever: a metal 3D printer for the International Space Station, funded by ESA, in collaboration with Airbus. It has now officially started
RoboWAAM: an InnovateUK funded project which will deliver a commercial WAAM platform based on robotic manipulation, has finally started and should produce something tangible around Q4 2018.
LAMP: entirely funded by BAE Systems, it is seeing the twin-robot cell approaching completion. We are finishing the checks on the AC/DC plasma power-source, and are currently integrating all the monitoring sensors in the local shielding device ahead of the first part to build
LASIMM: a 6M€ H2020 project funded by the EC which will deliver a novel modular platform based on additive, subtractive and cold-work processes, has completed its first year. Cranfield has delivered three reports already (in-process metrology, local shielding of Ti, and super-high build rate of steel/AA) and is contributing to the finalisation of the machine design.
ADMIRE: a 1M€ project also funded by the EC which will develop, test and run a course at Masters level entirely focussed on metal AM, has also completed its first year. The content of the course has been defined and we are on track to start piloting some modules from October 2018 onwards.
BIDS:
ESA: we participated to an ITT and we will give you an update on the negotiations in the next few weeks
EPSRC: we are still waiting to hear on the peer-review results for our ambitious LAMA proposal, and we shall keep you updated.
MILESTONES:
HiVE: we have built an Aft pylon bracket for Airbus, using local shielding and in-process cold-work
WLAM: we’ve produced net-shape structures in Ti64 using a laser as heat-source and wire as feedstock
WAAMMat: we welcome Northrop Grumman, Weir, and Bohler as members of the consortium
Mechanical properties: new data available for titanium (5553, O2 doped, TiB2 coated, Timetal 407), aluminium (Safra66 and ZL205A), Inconel 718 (better than forged if we include cold-work). All available on waammat.com/mechprop
New parts:
- Airbus Aft pylon bracket + D-nose cone
- Altran frame
- FNSS suspension beam
- Otto Fuchs frame
- more Ti64 tanks
- Northrop cylinder
- American Engineering and Manufacture shells
- MOOG inconel rods
- Roxel Ti cylinders
- metal pressing moulds,
- Weir steel structure
New materials:
- Safra66
- ZL205A
- Magnesium AZ92A
- copper (101% conductivity)
- more on Tungsten, Molybdenum and Tantalum
Freeform deposition: droplet deposition (= MX3D) but also continuous deposition in free-space without stopping
GOING INTO 2018:
- Delivering on all projects mentioned above
- Qualification of 2 parts - one for Oil&Gas, another for Aerospace
- Finalising WAAMSoft, WAAMCtrl, and WAAM APIs
- 6-metre Aluminium structure to be made using AC plasma
- 6-metre Titanium structure to be made using local-shielding
- High-build rate Ti deposition
- Commercialisation: WAAM3D ltd.
All the Best for a splendid 2018!!
The WAAMMat team
