3D打印行业is taking an in depth look at how additive manufacturing is moving to production. Over the coming weeks the results of interviews with industry leading practitioners will be published.
本文是一系列研究的一部分Trends in Additive Manufacturing for End-Use Production.
本·费拉尔（Ben Ferrar）是LPW Technology Ltd.作为确定粉末和服务的供应商，以支持生产客户和研究合作伙伴，LPW致力于在关键的生产环境中使增材制造成为现实。雷电竞充值
3D打印行业: What is your percentage estimate of how much your materials are used for AM production versus other applications?
本·费拉尔（Ben Ferrar）:LPW全面的金属粉末范围是针对AM的全面表征和优化的 - 我们不为其他任何行业生产 - 这是我们粉末在全球安装的50％以上的AM机器中使用的原因之一。
问题的困难是，我们如何定义“生产”？如果您同时考虑完整的生产 - 数十台生产成千上万个零件的机器以及连续生产 - 几个月来生产相同部分（或同一应用程序的定制设计）几个月的机器，那么这将说明大约50％的粉末销售。其他50％用于原型制作，局和研发设施。
It’s the combination of all of these approaches that will lead to the level of understanding of AM that will eventually see it regarded simply as a reliable production method, no longer a novel disruptive technology.
3DPI: Do you have an estimate of the addressable market for AM in production?
BF: We estimate that 1,000 of the 3,000 AM machines worldwide could be considered in production, using the definitions above, rather than prototyping.
3DPI：哪些行业在使用AM生产方面正在领导？
BF: Several sectors are already in the vanguard of technical development and serial production for AM. AM is application-driven, the key to capitalising on the benefits it can offer is identifying the designs and components where it adds value. For example, in aerospace, IGT and energy, this is light-weighting, creating complex internal channels, and consolidating components; in medical applications, it’s integrating porous geometrics and introducing customisation. As these industries demonstrate the advantages of utilising AM, so others such as automotive are following.
GE, among others, is certainly helping to drive the adoption of AM technologies by publicising its commitment to the sector, and by bringing investment into the supply chain.
3DPI: What barriers does AM face for production and how are these surmountable?
BF: In manufacturing, cost is always an important consideration. We are finding that at this point, many of the companies moving towards production are less concerned about the cost of implementation than they are about the cost of getting it wrong. Managing the risk associated with introducing a disruptive technology into production cycles is one of the biggest barriers to overcome.
粉末降解，污染和粉末整个生命周期的管理都是生产者无法信心的领域。在LPW，我们从粉末的角度来看 - 使用高质量的金属原料将为实现最终建造部分中所需的机械性能提供最佳机会。最重要的指标不一定是每公斤粉末成本，而是每零件的总成本。如果您从更好的粉末中获得更长的寿命，那么零件的成本通常会更低。
We believe that supporting manufacturers by giving them the tools to control their feedstock will improve repeatability and accelerate the adoption of AM. To do this, we’ve developed end to end solutions with PowderLife, a suite of software and hardware that will transport, store, monitor, quarantine, track and trace powders. In this way, we’re reducing risk and adding confidence in the production process.
3DPI：AM有什么明显的用于最终使用生产的趋势吗？
BF: Industries are choosing to manufacture low volume, high-value components to learn about the technology, which makes sense. However, the validation and sustainability of the mechanical properties of high volume components for critical applications will be the tipping point for wide-scale uptake of AM technologies.
3DPI: Can you name any specific case studies where AM is used for end use production?
BF: Many of our customers ask us not to share their details, or even their industry specifics. However, we can say production ranges from IGT repair and aerospace hydraulic applications to medical devices and guides.
3DPI: Is there anything else you’d like to highlight in this area?
BF: New AM alloys will open up many new opportunities for AM, but they are still some way off being used widely. One of the key factors is timescales: AM is being used NOW and must leverage alloys which were designed for other processing routes.
New alloys will unlock more of the potential of AM in the future, but each will be subjected to acceptance and validation for its particular application(s). In industries like aerospace, this might take many years. It’s a good time to be exploring these materials, but this should not divert efforts away from existing alloys where there is still interesting work to be done and improvements to be made.
在LPW，我们正在投资合金开发的未来，并努力精炼，更新和收紧现有材料的规格，以确保它们提供制造商所需的结果和机械性能。
Nominations for the2018 3D印刷行业奖现在开放。让我们知道谁在领导该行业。
For more information aboutLPW Technology Ltdis available here.
本文是一系列研究的一部分Trends in Additive Manufacturing for End-Use Production.
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