High-performance electron beam tec...

High-performance electron beam technologies and metal 3D printing equipment

ISPMS SB RAS developed new production technologies and industrial robotic equipment for high-performance wire/rod-feed electron beam additive manufacturing of large-sized metal and polymetallic parts.

Electron beam additive manufacturing (EBAM) is one of the most efficient industrial technologies for metal 3D printing.

The EBAM technology consists in the layer-by-layer deposition of metal fed in the form of a wire/rod and melted by the electron beam gun, resulting in near-net-shape parts. The competitive advantage of the technology is a high production speed, being up to 12 kg/h, which is unachievable by other additive manufacturing technologies for metal parts.

The EBAM technology produces large-sized (up to 7000 mm) high-density homogeneous metal parts, including from refractory and heat-resistant alloys. Other advantages are the possibility of printing with two and more materials to form composite metal structures as well in the vacuum chamber to prevent oxidation.

According to the Web of Science database, ISPMS SB RAS is in the top 10 of the leading global research institutes involved in the development of electron beam technologies and equipment for additive manufacturing of large-sized metal structures.

The EBAM technology ensures the production of near-net-shape parts that require minimum machining.

EBAM technologies and equipment developed at ISPMS SB RAS were tested at the leading enterprises of the key industries: Progress Space Rocket Center, Power Machines, Severstal, Sespel Cheboksary Enterprise, etc.

The technologies and industrial robotic equipment developed at ISPMS SB RAS for high- performance wire/rod-feed electron beam additive manufacturing of large-sized metal and polymetallic parts are protected by 9 patents and know-how.

Along with large commercial printers with the chamber volume more than 10 m3, which allow building parts up to several meters in size, the equipment line includes 3D printers with the chamber volume less than 1 m3. They are intended for use in universities and research institutes as well as in design and engineering bureaus to find EBAM solutions for alloy parts and to choose process conditions.

The technologies and equipment for wire-feed electron beam additive manufacturing were developed with the support of the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education within the Federal Target Program “Research and Development ...”.

The production of 3D printers for wire-feed additive manufacturing is launched at the facilities of the industrial partner, the Sespel Cheboksary enterprise.

Contact

Valerii E. Rubtsov, Doctor of Science (Phys. & Math.), e-mail: rvy@ispms.ru, phone: +7 (3822) 286 863

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