‘When lightweighting components, it is best to assume metal earlier than aluminium.’ – Colin Hautz

If you wish to optimise your additively manufactured components, it is best to consider using metal supplies earlier than aluminium, in keeping with ArcelorMittal Powders CEO Colin Hautz.

Hautz made the purpose on this week’s Additive Perception podcast the place, along with detailing ArcelorMittal’s motivation for getting into the additive manufacturing market, he additionally sought to clarify the advantages of utilizing metal over aluminium within the manufacturing of components.

ArcelorMittal, as one of many largest producers of metal on the earth, will search to distinguish itself within the additive manufacturing market by solely providing metal powders. And in doing so, Hautz believes the corporate will assist customers of additive manufacturing to use a number of benefits of utilizing metal.

“I don’t have something towards aluminium, however from my thoughts, it is best to assume metal first,” Hautz advised the Additive Perception podcast. “The explanation I say that’s the quantity of fabric you will have to print for the half shall be smaller, your printing time shall be decrease and your printing value then goes down. Perhaps the metal half is a bit bit heavier, however you’re printing quicker, after which the query comes, ‘how a lot weight discount would you like and the way a lot is it value?’ that value steadiness is the query.”

ArcelorMittal, then, shall be coming into the additive manufacturing market appreciating that what additive manufacturing can do is nice, however customers ought to all the time take into account what they want it to do.

Recognising that lightweighting is a key consider many a producer’s determination to leverage additive manufacturing, Hautz factors out that metal has extra energy density than aluminium, that means a producer would use much less quantity of fabric to print a metal half in comparison with an aluminium one. With much less materials getting used, there’s a potential cost-saving available, and ArcelorMittal is eager to supply its prospects with that cost-saving.  

“Metal continues to be the primary materials in automobiles regardless of aluminium chasing that market with lightweighting for the final 20 years,” Hautz mentioned. “And we’ve gotten there by repeatedly bettering the options and repeatedly bettering the supplies. After we take a look at the full value of the completed half and what it has to do, then the primary engineering query ought to be, can I do it in metal? If the reply is not any, then I can go to aluminium or take a look at each metal and aluminium after which play the steadiness off of value versus weight.”