Sciaky, Inc., a subsidiary of Phillips Service Industries, Inc. (PSI) and leading supplier of industrial metal 3D printing solutions, revealed that its Electron Beam Additive Manufacturing (EBAM) technology deposited over 12,000 lbs. (5,443 kg) of titanium in 2020. Despite the global COVID-19 pandemic, Sciaky’s industry-leading high deposition rate (HDR) metal 3D printing solution surpassed previous titanium deposition calendar year marks.
Sciaky also revealed that most of the titanium 3D printing can be attributed to the production of parts for the field-certified aerospace and defence applications, as well as a wide range of 3D printed titanium prototypes for research and development (R&D) applications. However, the company as not disclosed the details of the projects as they are protected by nondisclosure agreements (NDAs).
Sciaky's EBAM metal 3D printing solution is a wire-based directed energy deposition (DED) process. Wire feedstock is available in titanium, tantalum, tungsten, Inconel, niobium, nickel-copper/copper-nickel, aluminum, molybdenum, zircalloy, and stainless steel. In many cases, wire feedstock is 50% cheaper (or more) than powder feedstock. In addition, wire feedstock is safer and easier to store than powder feedstock (the powder used in titanium is known to be highly flammable).
As the most widely scalable metal 3D printing solution in the industry (in terms of work envelope), Sciaky's EBAM systems can produce parts ranging from 8 inches (203 mm) to 19 feet (5.79 meters) in length. EBAM is also the fastest solution in the metal additive manufacturing market, with gross deposition rates up to 25 lbs. (11.34 kg) of metal per hour.
EBAM brings quality and control together with IRISS® – the Interlayer Real-time Imaging and Sensing System, which is the only real-time adaptive control system in the metal 3D printing market that can sense and digitally self-adjust metal deposition with precision and repeatability. This innovative closed-loop control is the primary reason that Sciaky's EBAM 3D printing process delivers consistent part geometry, mechanical properties, microstructure, and metal chemistry, from the first part to the last.
