JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #91 - August/September 2014 - 45

3D printing

Additive manufactured parts - now for use in
even the most demanding applications

By
Kevin Lambourne
Managing Director
Graphite Additive Manufacturing

here are several reasons that people
choose to use parts produced with
these new technologies, compared
with traditional manufacturing techniques:
- the production time is faster;
- the parts are cheaper; and
- the part geometry is very complicated
and is difficult or impossible to make any
other way.

The key to successful use

what is best for your specific project, and
then advise if the technology is best for
your design.

Available materials
There are some exceptions, but generally
there are seven commonly available material types:
- Epoxy resin: available in a wide range of
material properties. Surface finish is good
and the size of parts can be large. Very
well suited to prototypes, and can be used
for functional applications or production
parts in the right application.
- Nylon powder: available with
a range of added fillers to
improve mechanical properties. Surface finish
can be coarse and it
can be time-consuming to get a smooth
finish. Parts can have
some of the best
mechanical properties
and it is a very suitable
material for functional
parts for either mock-ups or
production.
- Acrylic resin:
parts have the best

resolution and surface finish and it is ideal
for visual prototypes. Long-term stability
and temperature resistance can be low,
but it can be used in some applications for
functional parts.
- Starch or acrylic powder: parts are
bonded together rather than melted. Similar surface finish to nylon powder but with
lower mechanical properties. Parts can
be selectively coloured during building,
which can be a useful feature for concept
models. Build size can be very large.
- Metal powder: extremely strong
functional parts can be produced and
these are the best choice where ultimate
mechanical properties are required
for functional parts. Due to
challenges in the technology,
greatest success will come
from designing parts for
the process and working
closely with the chosen
supplier.
- Thermoplastic extrusion: used in many small
'home' printers as well
as large frame industrial
machines. Mechanical

No91 August - September 2014 /

Ceramic SLAPainted & Plated

Feature Automotive

Given the demands on many designers to
produce parts with these requirements, it
is easy to understand why people are now
looking to get more functionality from
additive manufactured materials. This is
where Graphite is aiming itself, not only
for demanding one-off applications, but
also for ongoing production parts. With
one client, they have already produced
4,000 of a production component in four
months, and this looks set to continue.
The key to successful use of these technologies is making sure that the right material
is selected for the right application. With
hundreds of 3D printed materials available,
you need to select a partner that can advise

Graphite Additive Manufacturing is a company that is rapidly expanding and is branching out into new and challenging areas. The
company already supplies many Formula One teams with functional
parts for use on their race cars, and test parts for their wind tunnel
models. You'd be forgiven for thinking that '3D printed' parts used
in this way would be limited and just for very specific applications.
The reality is there is a very wide range of applications that additive manufactured (AM) parts can be used for.

jec composites magazine 45

JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #91 - August/September 2014

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #91 - August/September 2014