Additive manufacturing, particularly metal 3D printing, has evolved from a promising technology to a serious constituent of industrial production. Industries such as plant engineering, aerospace, automotive and metalworking are facing a technological transformation that could have far-reaching implications for design, production and sustainability.
Dr. Stefan Leuders, head of Technology & Innovation at voestalpine Additive Manufacturing Center GmbH, Düsseldorf, and Dr. Tim Lantzsch, head of Laser Powder Bed Fusion at the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT, Aachen, discuss below the current trends in additive manufacturing (AM), analyse the opportunities and risks, and show which industries can particularly benefit.
Dr. Tim Lantzsch and Dr. Stefan Leuders explain the technological hurdles of additive manufacturing, in particular the challenge of developing new materials and ensuring process reliability in mass production
Dr. Tim Lantzsch: “An important trend I see is that materials and applications are increasingly being adapted to the specific requirements of additive manufacturing. Many of the materials used to date were not originally developed for additive processes. We also see that although the technology is expensive, its added value can be highlighted more clearly by reducing costs and focusing on niche applications.”
Dr. Stefan Leuders: “The current trends in additive manufacturing are strongly focused on working out how the specific advantages of the technology can be applied more comprehensively and, of course, making better use of them. What I find particularly promising is the increasing willingness to rethink long-standing development approaches and not to apply them one-to-one to new products that may later be manufactured using an additive process route. For me, it’s not primarily about replacing existing processes, but rather about increasing product benefits through AM.”
The full interview can be read at:
https://www.ilt.fraunhofer.de/en/press/press-releases/2024/10-8-interview-am-lantzsch-leuders.html
