Winterthur, Switzerland, March 3, 2015 — Oerlikon Metco has expanded its materials portfolio with novel, superalloy powders optimized for new applications in laser-based and electron beam additive manufacturing processes that save customers’ development time and resources.
In keeping with recent developments in the fabrication of components by additive manufacturing processes such as laser sintering (LS), laser melting (LM), laser metal deposition (LMD) and electron beam melting (EBM), Oerlikon Metco has expanded its R&D and materials engineering competency to support customers producing components using those processes. These parts are formed layer-bylayer using metals, alloys and metal matrix composites. The high growth opportunities from aerospace, defense and automotive industries must meet demanding requirements to create increasingly complex components yet exhibit mechanical properties obtained using traditional manufacturing methods.
For key applications, superalloy materials are preferred for their strength and corrosion resistance at high temperatures. Oerlikon Metco has been involved in multiple projects to correlate materials, manufacturing processes and metallurgical mechanisms to create tailored materials for additive manufacturing processes. The company is equipped to custom-design materials and currently markets optimized alloys such as MetcoClad 718, MetcoClad 625, MetcoClad 625F. Aiding these activities is Oerlikon Metco’s ability to offer clients high-end testing and characterization services that ensure materials meet customers’ requirements with top-performance results.
“Additive manufacturing has created an increased interest for developing metals and alloys materials,” explains Materials Product Line Manager, Thomas Glynn. “The boost in process-specific powder development activities prepared us to meet this market trend through innovations that reinforce our knowledge in the relationship between powder characteristics and resulting component quality.” Oerlikon Metco has over 50 years of experience in developing powder products for challenging industries with critical material requirements.
Current powder manufacturing activities include initial prototype quantities, pilot production lots, and scale up to produce and deliver many tens of tons of materials per year suitable for laser-based and electron beam additive manufacturing applications.