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One of the key objectives of Industrie 4.0 is the ability to manufacture economically in single unit quantities. An announcement by Boeing and Norsk Titanium (www.norsktitanium.com) that the two companies have receive FAA approval on Additive Manufactured titanium structural components is a real game changer in the metal working industry. By incorporating Additive Manufacturing equipment into a metal working production operations several sought after benefits are to reduce complex assembly processes and eliminate processing steps further down the line. Reducing complex assembly processes has been achieved as subassemblies are built into a single piece. However, additional process steps are often required to create finish quality surfaces. In additive metal working the ability to process a workpiece with finish quality approaching the capabilities of subtractive machines has yet to be achieved. Additive machines using either laser or electron beam have yet to create high precision surface finishes off the machine. This is one of the reasons the market has seen the increasing demand for hybrid machines which incorporate both the additive and subtractive capabilities in a single envelope.
Achieving FAA certification is a driver to future growth in the additive manufacturing industry and will have a negative impact on five axis machine tools typically used in these applications. According to industry experts, this announcement will have a measurable impact on the sales of five axis machines as early as 2020. Less than 3 years from now. In additive metal manufacturing, the aerospace and automotive market have been the primary consumers of additive machinery for production of metal parts, building expertise internally which will allow a rapid adoption of the technology. This announcement is what the market has been waiting for which is overcoming the hurdle of producing certifiable production parts. To achieve this Norsk Titanium has developed a solution that is based on a traditional gas tungsten electrode plasma arc welding (GTAW) techniques, referred to as Rapid Plasma Deposition (RPD). The weld area is protected from atmospheric contamination by an inert shielding gas, argon, and titanium is used as the filler metal. A constant-current welding power supply produces electrical energy, which is conducted across the arc through a column of highly ionized gas and metal vapors known as a plasma. GTAW is employed in manual welding applications, but is considered extremely difficult to technology to develop expertise.
Norsk Titanium’s proprietary plasma arc technology is incorporated into the MERKE IV line of machines. The MERKE IV provides a highly controlled and pure environment. RPD appears to be a diversion from the more common laser and electron beam technologies being employed by companies such as ARCAM, CONCEPT Laser, Irepa Laser, Matsuura Machinery, Mitsui Seiki, DMG Mori Seiki, EOS and Optomec. However, Norsk Titanium’s machines require a larger footprint than any of the machines mentioned. Specifications are not easily acquired, but to get a relative sense of size, each MERKE IV weighs in at 11,000 metric tons. From my perspective, the MERKE IV machines are the ultimate in additive manufacturing technology and will also provide a major boost for Industrie 4.0 initiatives in the aerospace industry.
While the Norsk Titanium’s MERKE IV will have a negative impact on the five axis machine tool market, it will create a growth opportunity for Computer Numerical Control systems. The MERKE IV is based on a custom engineered motion control solution requiring 10 axes of precision servo motion. That is twice the axis count for controlling a five-axis machine tool. Applications such as these are relatively unique because the motion control system must be completely tied into the plasma cutting process. All aspects of the machine from control of the titanium part build platform, feeding and handling of titanium wire entering the machine, the real-time control of multiple plasma arc torches, and other factors play in to the resulting quality of the finished piece. Precision motion control has been key technology driver in the quality improvements achieved in traditional subtractive manufacturing and laser cutting, but will now play major role in the advancement of additive solutions.
One of the major obstacles in the aerospace market has finally been overcome with the FAA’s approval of Boeing's structural components on the Norsk Titanium machines. Boeing expects to reduce the cost of each 787 Dreamliner by $2 to $3 million per aircraft. Pricing for a hybrid laser additive machine from DMG Mori Seik runs about $1.5 million. Pricing of the Norsk Titanium’s MERKE IV and associated operating costs are not readily available, determining the return on investment cannot be assessed. However, if the technology is a leapfrog over existing alternatives, service bureaus will emerge to serve a burgeoning industry. This is a huge announcement for the industry and will drive many other manufacturers in the highly regulated aerospace market to consider additive as an option in their manufacturing strategy. As the technology is adopted, other regulated industries will be soon to follow offering companies seeking to implement the concepts of Industrie 4.0 into their manufacturing facilities another viable option.
Achieving FAA certification is a driver to future growth in the additive manufacturing industry and will have a negative impact on five axis machine tools typically used in these applications. According to industry experts, this announcement will have a measurable impact on the sales of five axis machines as early as 2020. Less than 3 years from now. In additive metal manufacturing, the aerospace and automotive market have been the primary consumers of additive machinery for production of metal parts, building expertise internally which will allow a rapid adoption of the technology. This announcement is what the market has been waiting for which is overcoming the hurdle of producing certifiable production parts. To achieve this Norsk Titanium has developed a solution that is based on a traditional gas tungsten electrode plasma arc welding (GTAW) techniques, referred to as Rapid Plasma Deposition (RPD). The weld area is protected from atmospheric contamination by an inert shielding gas, argon, and titanium is used as the filler metal. A constant-current welding power supply produces electrical energy, which is conducted across the arc through a column of highly ionized gas and metal vapors known as a plasma. GTAW is employed in manual welding applications, but is considered extremely difficult to technology to develop expertise.
Norsk Titanium’s proprietary plasma arc technology is incorporated into the MERKE IV line of machines. The MERKE IV provides a highly controlled and pure environment. RPD appears to be a diversion from the more common laser and electron beam technologies being employed by companies such as ARCAM, CONCEPT Laser, Irepa Laser, Matsuura Machinery, Mitsui Seiki, DMG Mori Seiki, EOS and Optomec. However, Norsk Titanium’s machines require a larger footprint than any of the machines mentioned. Specifications are not easily acquired, but to get a relative sense of size, each MERKE IV weighs in at 11,000 metric tons. From my perspective, the MERKE IV machines are the ultimate in additive manufacturing technology and will also provide a major boost for Industrie 4.0 initiatives in the aerospace industry.
While the Norsk Titanium’s MERKE IV will have a negative impact on the five axis machine tool market, it will create a growth opportunity for Computer Numerical Control systems. The MERKE IV is based on a custom engineered motion control solution requiring 10 axes of precision servo motion. That is twice the axis count for controlling a five-axis machine tool. Applications such as these are relatively unique because the motion control system must be completely tied into the plasma cutting process. All aspects of the machine from control of the titanium part build platform, feeding and handling of titanium wire entering the machine, the real-time control of multiple plasma arc torches, and other factors play in to the resulting quality of the finished piece. Precision motion control has been key technology driver in the quality improvements achieved in traditional subtractive manufacturing and laser cutting, but will now play major role in the advancement of additive solutions.
One of the major obstacles in the aerospace market has finally been overcome with the FAA’s approval of Boeing's structural components on the Norsk Titanium machines. Boeing expects to reduce the cost of each 787 Dreamliner by $2 to $3 million per aircraft. Pricing for a hybrid laser additive machine from DMG Mori Seik runs about $1.5 million. Pricing of the Norsk Titanium’s MERKE IV and associated operating costs are not readily available, determining the return on investment cannot be assessed. However, if the technology is a leapfrog over existing alternatives, service bureaus will emerge to serve a burgeoning industry. This is a huge announcement for the industry and will drive many other manufacturers in the highly regulated aerospace market to consider additive as an option in their manufacturing strategy. As the technology is adopted, other regulated industries will be soon to follow offering companies seeking to implement the concepts of Industrie 4.0 into their manufacturing facilities another viable option.