Berlin-based company Gefertec has developed a new patented 3D printing technology for metals using a wire feedstock instead of powder. The patented technology is named as the 3DMP® process.
About Gefertec
Gefertec develops new methods for the production of metallic parts that extend beyond the limits of conventional production processes, thereby offering unique possibilities to designers, engineers, and companies.
Gefertec was founded in 2015 and in a short span of time it developed a patented 3D printing technology which uses wire as a feedstock instead of powder as used in most of the metal 3D printing technologies. The 3DMP® technology is based on modern arc welding in the form of ready-to-use production machinery.
3DMP® Process Flow
3DMP® technology is based on modern arc welding in the form of ready-to-use production machinery.
The Gefertec software carefully converts the CAD data received from engineers into sliced up individual digital layers for printing. It acts as the interface between the planning data and the arc-welding machine.
Then, the blank part is printed fully automatically and in a controlled manner. This step is followed by a 3D scan for quality control.
Lastly, it provides an option of milling the printed part right at the printing station itself thus saving valuable time.
3DMP® Technology
Above: Gefertec video introduction of the 3DMP technology/Video Credit: Gefertec
3DMP® technology is based on modern arc welding in the form of ready-to-use production machinery. By combining the arc welding with the CAD data of parts to be printed like in case of 3D printing, the technology tactfully connects the conventional and modern manufacturing processes.
It offers 3 or 5 axes of motion freedom which helps in maximum flexibility in terms of the component volume and enables the additive production of high-quality metal parts.
In conventional welding, an electric arc is used to join metals. Gefertec leverages the advantages of this technology to offer a layer by layer deposition process in a fully automatic and digitally controlled manner which is easy to operate.
It also integrates an option of a milling system which enables optimum finishing of the part right on the print bed. The fact that all of the machines include a SIEMENS control unit that has been specifically developed for machine tools is a synonym for easy handling by the operator.
During the design and development phase of the arc series, special emphasis was placed on ensuring easy implementation into the customer’s production process & easy operation of the machines.
Advantages of the Wire Feedstock
Using wire as the building material gives considerable advantages to the entire process. The notable ones are mentioned below:
- 100% material utilization as only the required amount of material is deposited.
- Since the material is in a wire form the material is not only easy to handle and transport, but also easy to store.
- The material costs as compared to powder materials sue to obvious simplification of the process.
- Since many metals can be drawn into wires, the material library is comparatively bigger than powder materials
- Wire materials show Optimum processability
Conventional manufacturing versus 3DMP®
In comparison with conventional manufacturing, 3DMP technology can effectively and efficiently replace all the types of conventional manufacturing and machining methods for metal parts, such as forming, cutting, joining, coating, milling, turning, etc.
As per the company, in comparison to the conventional manufacturing techniques, the 3DMP® technology is the most economically efficient additive manufacturing method with huge cost savings.
The reduction in the process, material, investment, and production costs results from the fact that 3DMP® only has 3 steps instead of a large number of conventional process steps.
Benefits of the 3DMP® Technology
The proprietary 3DMP technology offers significant benefits and some of them are listed below:
- Outstanding design freedom
- New market opportunities
- Greater diversity of materials
- Improved mechanical properties
- The most economically efficient additive method for the production of metallic parts
- Reduction of manufacturing costs by up to 60%
- Lower material costs
- Lower investment costs
- Maximum material utilization
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