Thermwood and U.S. Navy Complete Validation for AM Marine Program
The validation program centered on printing an unclassified scale nose of a submarine using Thermwood’s Large Scale Additive Manufacturing (LSAM) system.
Thermwood Corp. has entered into a collaborative program with the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division to explore the use of additive manufacturing technology in developing marine models for ship and ship systems testing.
The initial validation program was centered on printing an unclassified scale nose of a submarine using Thermwood’s Large Scale Additive Manufacturing (LSAM) system, an industrial additive manufacturing system intended for the production of large-scale components. The part was printed using 20 percent carbon fiber-filled ABS in 11 hours and 45 minutes using traditional horizontal layer printing and a 40-mm melt core. Final trim required 5 hours. Both printing and trimming were completed on the same machine, using Thermwood’s 10 × 20-ft. LSAM at its demonstration lab in Southern Indiana.
Because of layer cooling requirements, the print rate for this part was less than half of the maximum rate the machine is capable of, according to Thermwood. The company expects that, moving forward, the program will include the printing of additional components using both horizontal and vertical layer printing.
This story originally appeared on compositesworld.com.
Related Content
-
Robot Vs. Gantry for Large-Format Additive Manufacturing (Includes Video)
Additive Engineering Solutions, specialist at 3D printing very large parts and tools on gantry machines, now also uses a robot for large-format AM. Here is how the robot compares.
-
Video: For 3D Printed Aircraft Structure, Machining Aids Fatigue Strength
Machining is a valuable complement to directed energy deposition, says Big Metal Additive. Topology-optimized aircraft parts illustrate the improvement in part performance from machining as the part is being built.
-
How Norsk Titanium Is Scaling Up AM Production — and Employment — in New York State
New opportunities for part production via the company’s forging-like additive process are coming from the aerospace industry as well as a different sector, the semiconductor industry.