To exploit the full potential of additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, MAN Diesel & Turbo is investing some €2.6 million in its MAN Center for Additive Manufacturing (MANCAM) in Oberhausen. With the first time use of standardized components, the German OEM now established 3D printing as an in-house standard.
Design specialists, materials experts and production engineers come together at MANCAM to use additive manufacturing on even more components and products – notably compressor impellers or fuel nozzles for engines.
Dr Roland Herzog, Head of Material Technology at MAN’s Turbomachinery unit pointed out the huge potential of additive manufacturing for the production of gas turbine components. “Additively manufactured guide vane segments that we are now incorporating into our type MGT6100 gas turbines have proven particularly suitable,” he said. “The approval for serial production is the result of intense cooperation with highly specialized suppliers and development partners such as the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology.”
3D printing covers a range of production processes and the technology’s potential is currently being developed in various industries, including machine and vehicle manufacturing, the aerospace industry and medical technology. As well as for plastics, there are now process which allow the use of 3D printing based on metallic materials, e.g. Selective Laser Melting (SLM) and Electron Beam Melting (EBM).
Depending factors like lot size and material cost, these technologies open up numerous benefits over conventional production processes along the entire product value chain– from development and production through to maintenance and service.
“As well as shortened development cycles, 3D printing gives more freedom for innovative, superior component designs, reduces production and delivery times and enables us service-wise to produce spare parts on call,” Dr Herzog said.
Dr Uwe Lauber, Chief Technology Officer and CEO is convinced that 3D printing gives MAN “a clear competitive advantages in terms of our products“ which helps speed up the trend to decarbonise industry and power generation. “The techniques considerably reduce the path from an innovative design to a finished product. The digital data from our R&D departments can be converted into better products more quickly than before, while customers are supported throughout the entire product lifecycle with 3D printing-based services."