More than 100 Metal 3D Printing Systems now in Production Globally
Above: More than 10 Million turbine repairs have resulted from Optomec Metal 3D printing systems/Image Credit: Optomec
As per a recent survey conducted by Optomec, a leading global supplier of production-grade metal 3D printing and repair systems and software, through more than 100 of its metal 3D printing system customers, specifically for gas turbine component repair, concluded that over 10 Million turbine blades have been refurbished using its metal additive manufacturing technology.
OPTOMEC METAL 3D PRINTING SYSTEM
Optomec is a privately-held, rapidly growing supplier of Additive Manufacturing systems. Optomec’s patented Aerosol Jet Systems for printed electronics and LENS 3D Printers for metal components are used by industry to reduce product cost and improve performance. Together, these unique printing solutions work with the broadest spectrum of functional materials, ranging from electronic inks to structural metals and even biological matter. Optomec has more than 300 marquee customers around the world, targeting production applications in the electronics, energy, life sciences and aerospace industries.
LENS METAL 3D PRINTING SYSTEM
Above: Optomec LENS Technology for Component Repair / Video Credit: Optomec/YouTube
The LENS technology uses energy from high-powered laser to print parts layer-by-layer directly from powdered metal materials. It can either be used to build a new part or repair an existing part by adding specific amount of material.
Optomec has metal 3D printing systems installed at all leading gas turbine OEMs, in both the Aviation market for aircraft engines and the Energy market for power generation. Additionally, many of the third party Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) shops also use Optomec systems. The solutions include Optomec’s Huffman brand 5-axis Laser Cladders and its LENS brand Metal Additive 3D Printers—both based on Directed Energy Deposition (DED) technology that Optomec was first to bring to market.
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Common production applications include the repair of turbine blade tips, seals and wear surfaces; compressor blades, including titanium alloys; vanes, shrouds and other high value components. Optomec’s automated solution typically replaces manual operations, such as Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) welding, and drastically reduces the cost of routine maintenance. The ROI of Optomec’s machinery has been recently calculated to be in excess of 180%. In addition, Optomec’s laser-based processing provides superior mechanical performance due to its optimal metallurgy and minimal heat input, compared to manual operations.
Mike Dean, Marketing Director at Optomec said, “We are really excited to reach this important milestone for both the Additive Manufacturing segment and, more important, for our gas turbine customers. Chances are that if you fly much, you’ve probably flown with an engine that was maintained with an Optomec laser cladder.”
Optomec’s customers benefit specifically from innovations in the following critical areas:
- Proprietary vision and adaptive control software
- Controlled inert atmosphere processing for superior metallurgy
- Turn-key repair process recipes
- Automation solutions that enable higher throughput batch processing
Optomec’s laser cladding systems are the most widely-adopted in the industry and are approved for aviation maintenance in 15 countries.
Optomec is a privately-held, rapidly growing supplier of Additive Manufacturing systems. Optomec’s patented Aerosol Jet Systems for printed electronics and LENS metal 3D printing systems for metal components are used by industry to reduce product cost and improve performance. Together, these unique printing solutions work with the broadest spectrum of functional materials, ranging from electronic inks to structural metals and even biological matter. Optomec has more than 300 marquee customers around the world, targeting production applications in the electronics, energy, life sciences and aerospace industries.
LENS is a registered trademark of Sandia National Labs; Aerosol Jet is a registered trademark of Optomec.
AutoClad is a common trademark of Optomec, Inc.
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