I'm kind of surprised this kind of work isn't already being done in a vacuum chamber or fully inert atmosphere. Using inert gas shielding obviously WORKS, but it's a *fix* for a problem the COULD be *prevented* by removing ambient oxygen from the equation altogether. It's not like you need a human to be right next to the machine for it to function, and even if you did, in the case of a fully inert atmosphere, you could employ the use of a sealed breathing apparatus. The amount of inert gas mix you expend using a gas shield for conventional welding can't be much less than what you'd need to replace a normal oxygen-rich atmosphere. I believe use of that type of vacuum/inert atmosphere set-up is inevitable, eventually. I'm saying I'm surprised it isn't standard, ALREADY.
Alden: they are probably using 35 cubic feet an hour of a argon/co2 mix shielding gas.... ..the current retail price is about $50 PER 300 cu ft. If they are using straight co2, the price is far cheaper. .I am sure Lincoln gets it for a lot cheaper..... so my guess is for [4] 24 hour days....96 hours at 3,360 cu ft, @ .16 cents would be about $537..... considering the cost of building an environment to remove the atmosphere , this is much cheaper for them..... I am sure in the future vacuum facilities will be built as they do with Electron Beam Welding....
How did they convert from CAD/STL file to G-code to robot instructions? Did they use a traditional slicing program, or build the robot program from scratch? I would like to build a 3-D printer using a SCARA robot, so I am searching for simple solutions.
From Lincoln Electric: Implementing the modest design changes did not take long. Start to finish: 3D laser scanning, CAD model creation and re-design, SculptPrint additive software slicing and robot programming, and 3D printing took 2 weeks.
I think this particular part could have been more efficiently produced by lost-foam casting. Cut the foam out on a CNC hot wire cutter, cast it, machine it. I think that could be done in two days or less.
Generally the mechanical properties of a WAAM part are very good since the alloys used for the printing have much better material properties than a casting alloy. So maybe they wanted a higher performing part.
How did they determine the material the original casting was made from? XRF gun? Simple spark test? Hardness testing for approximate tensile or did they take coupons from the cracked housing? Shape is just part of the design... Is the housing stationary, or part of the rotating element? Curious if future versions could benefit from reducing the weight. Also if the original was cast iron (making it difficult to just weld up the crack), are there any differences in vibration damping in the new steel part? I wonder how the other components may be affected by the change; as Rumsfeld said (paraphrasing) "it's always the unknown unknowns that get you." What if the bearings have a 10% reduction in life due to higher vibrating loads, for example? Or perhaps the standard deviation of the flux particle size goes up a few points? Based on the color change between the "raw" part to the finish machined version I take it there was a heat treat after the build (assuming just stress relief). Any concerns or issues with the large changes in cross section? Those inside corners look fairly sharp (relative to part size)... Did they change weld orientation based on stresses, or just to eliminate supports? I'm sure they wanted to leave the as welded look to show the manufacturing, but maybe shot peen to help avoid fatigue issues (so this one can make it 80 years too)? It didn't look like they added any reinforcement around the tapped hole that cracked either. I wonder what Omer Blodgett thought of WAAM. I couldn't find anything in a quick search, but would appreciate any links if they're available (probably wasn't called WAAM originally). Thanks, as always, for the interesting video.
I'm kind of surprised this kind of work isn't already being done in a vacuum chamber or fully inert atmosphere. Using inert gas shielding obviously WORKS, but it's a *fix* for a problem the COULD be *prevented* by removing ambient oxygen from the equation altogether. It's not like you need a human to be right next to the machine for it to function, and even if you did, in the case of a fully inert atmosphere, you could employ the use of a sealed breathing apparatus. The amount of inert gas mix you expend using a gas shield for conventional welding can't be much less than what you'd need to replace a normal oxygen-rich atmosphere. I believe use of that type of vacuum/inert atmosphere set-up is inevitable, eventually. I'm saying I'm surprised it isn't standard, ALREADY.
Alden:
they are probably using 35 cubic feet an hour of a argon/co2 mix shielding gas....
..the current retail price is about $50 PER 300 cu ft.
If they are using straight co2, the price is far cheaper.
.I am sure Lincoln gets it for a lot cheaper.....
so my guess is for [4] 24 hour days....96 hours at 3,360 cu ft, @ .16 cents
would be about $537.....
considering the cost of building an environment to remove
the atmosphere , this is much cheaper for them.....
I am sure in the future vacuum facilities will be built as they do with Electron Beam Welding....
I Can’t see why this part couldn’t be made as a traditional weldment and then machined.
Have you done an videos on Solid-State AM processes such as MELD? From my understanding, that is where aerospace is going for 3D printed housings.
Stay tuned! We will have a short video covering MELD coming soon.
How did they convert from CAD/STL file to G-code to robot instructions? Did they use a traditional slicing program, or build the robot program from scratch?
I would like to build a 3-D printer using a SCARA robot, so I am searching for simple solutions.
Response from Lincoln Electric:
Lincoln Electric uses its proprietary additive software, SculptPrint™ OS
RoboDK is the most appropriate/affordable hobby/small business solution for this as far as I know.
Great practical use of the WAM process. I'm curious as to total time to design, the four days printing is just part of the equation.
From Lincoln Electric:
Implementing the modest design changes did not take long. Start to finish: 3D laser scanning, CAD model creation and re-design, SculptPrint additive software slicing and robot programming, and 3D printing took 2 weeks.
wouldn't this method produce work with poor sheer and tortional strength
Too much talk…should run the video and documentary it
I think this particular part could have been more efficiently produced by lost-foam casting. Cut the foam out on a CNC hot wire cutter, cast it, machine it. I think that could be done in two days or less.
Generally the mechanical properties of a WAAM part are very good since the alloys used for the printing have much better material properties than a casting alloy. So maybe they wanted a higher performing part.
Just came across your channel. Very cool stuff.
Awesome, thank you!
Great video, but what about cost?
six day of work making one-of-a-kind items on a specialized machine my guess is 85000 .most likely much more for the electricity bill
Were the safety glasses really necessary?
OSHA & Insurance regulations.
interestenig channel cool!
Bravo, new subscriber from Florida, Paul
Welcome aboard!
❤️
How did they determine the material the original casting was made from? XRF gun? Simple spark test? Hardness testing for approximate tensile or did they take coupons from the cracked housing? Shape is just part of the design... Is the housing stationary, or part of the rotating element? Curious if future versions could benefit from reducing the weight. Also if the original was cast iron (making it difficult to just weld up the crack), are there any differences in vibration damping in the new steel part? I wonder how the other components may be affected by the change; as Rumsfeld said (paraphrasing) "it's always the unknown unknowns that get you." What if the bearings have a 10% reduction in life due to higher vibrating loads, for example? Or perhaps the standard deviation of the flux particle size goes up a few points?
Based on the color change between the "raw" part to the finish machined version I take it there was a heat treat after the build (assuming just stress relief). Any concerns or issues with the large changes in cross section? Those inside corners look fairly sharp (relative to part size)... Did they change weld orientation based on stresses, or just to eliminate supports? I'm sure they wanted to leave the as welded look to show the manufacturing, but maybe shot peen to help avoid fatigue issues (so this one can make it 80 years too)? It didn't look like they added any reinforcement around the tapped hole that cracked either.
I wonder what Omer Blodgett thought of WAAM. I couldn't find anything in a quick search, but would appreciate any links if they're available (probably wasn't called WAAM originally).
Thanks, as always, for the interesting video.
3D printing gonna replace a lot of cnc machining & fabrication jobs. Why would you need those jobs when you can 3D print it