African Fusion June 2017

3D printing using CMT

3D printing enabled by Fronius’ CMT At the BED stand at Machine Tools Africa (MTA), which was held during May 2017, Fronius demonstrated the 3D-printing/additivemanufacturing capability of its CMT welding process. African Fusion talks to BED’s welding product manager, Craig Bister, and Thomas Hiermayr, Fronius’ sales manager for the Middle East and Africa.

A mong the demonstrations of Fronius welding equipment tak- ing place on theBED standat MTA this year, was a Kuka robot programmed to create 3D-printed metal vases using Fronius’ coldmetal transfer (CMT) weld- ing process. “While what we are doing here is an ‘eye catcher’, it demonstrates a very real metal-printing capability. We are making vases in interesting shapes by building up 204 layers of CMT-deposited weld runs on top of one another,” says Hiesmayr. “But globally, we now have indus- trial customers using the process to manufacture complex components and shapes such as propellers and wind tower blades,” he adds. The process can be done with any industrial robot capable of manipulat- ing a CMT welding torch. Welding starts on a flat metal sheet, but no complex moving bed is required. The shape is simply programmed into the robot and, because the CMT process is relatively cold, the welding can often be done as a continuous layer-on-layer process. “Whenmilling intricate shapes such as lattice structures where material has to be removed for lightweighting, 80 to 90% of the expensive base materials is wasted. Modern 3D printing techniques puts the materials exactly where they are needed, minimising waste and its associated cost,” says Hiesmayr. Most metal 3D printing systems are complex and expensive, based on laser sintering usingmachine beds that index downwards during the build. The CMT process with a robot, while not nearly as accurate, enables a rough shape to be established at a much lower cost. This can then be final-machined – to the accuracy and finish required – quickly and with minimal material loss. “Cranfield Institute of Technology in the UK, for example, is using our CMT processwith ABB robots tomanufacture titaniumcomponents for the aerospace

industry – andconfidence in the technol- ogy is developing quickly,” Hiesemayr tells African Fusion . “These are real components that are machined after 3D-printed and then ready for use in aircraft,” he says, adding that quantities fromone-offs to production runs can be accommodated. “What you see here is just the begin- ning. 3D printing and additivemanufac-

At Machine Tools Africa 2017, an industrial robot and Fronius’ CMT welding process was demonstrated manufacturing a 3D-printed steel vase.

turing are part of amodern trend that is here to stay and we are actively looking for opportunities. All that is needed to get started is a Fronius welding system with a CMT capability and a small robot. We believe this could be the most cost- effective way to adopt this new manu- facturing trend,” Hiemayr suggests. Also on show was the new Fronius TPSi MIG welding system, which is now CMT ready. “A CMT module can be add- ed, alongwith the CMT pull torchwith its wire buffer, to add full CMT functionality to the system,” continues Bister. “These machines are excellent for engineering companies, fabricators and welded component manufacturers,” he says. “With an array of modern features such as pulsemulti control, penetration stabiliser, arc length correction and the modern digital displays and input con-

trols, Fronius’ TPSi offers unparalleled welding performance. After a short basic training session, most welders are easily able to manage the machine and they quickly come to enjoy its unique feel,” Bister adds. He adds that the new Fronius TPS 270i MIG/MAG machine has also now become very popular with automotive panel beaters that are now having to do more and more aluminium welding. “Fronius is very strong in the auto- motive industry in South Africa. CMT has been specified for the manufacture of the new BMW XT line, with production starting in October this year, and for component suppliers such as Benteller, which nowhas a total of 22 Fronius CMT Advanced systems spread between its PE and Alrode South plants,” he concludes.

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June 2017

AFRICAN FUSION