Sciaky creates “world’s largest,” metal AM system
Devin Jones
Additive Manufacturing General Machine BuildingThe printer is custom built for FAMAero and can produce parts ranging from eight inches to 19 feet long, with gross deposition rates between seven to 25 lbs of metal per hour.
Sciaky, Inc., an additive manufacturing subsidiary of Phillips Services INdustries, Inc, is providing the world’s largest metal AM system, to a privately-owned metal 3D printed parts bureau based out of Fenton Michigan.
With a nominal part envelope of 146″ (3708 mm) wide x 62″ (1575 mm) deep x 62″ (1575 mm) high, FAMAero will utilize Sciaky’s Electron Beam Additive Manufacturing system (EBAM) to cut down on production time and costs associated with traditional manufacturing methods. The size of the machine lends itself well to customers involved with aerospace, defense, oil & gas, and sea exploration industries, where there is an abundance of applications for large-scale metal parts. With this type of scalability, FAMAero will be able to produce metal parts over 12 feet in length (roughly 3.7 meters).
“FAMAero is well-positioned to be North America’s go-to source for fast and affordable metal 3D printed parts and prototypes,” said Scott Phillips, President and CEO of Sciaky, Inc. “Based on recent market dynamics, we believe FAMAero is on the cusp of a burgeoning trend in the metal 3D printing marketplace, which will undoubtedly grow globally over time.”
The printer is custom built for FAMAero and can produce parts ranging from eight inches to 19 feet long, with gross deposition rates between seven to 25 lbs of metal per hour. Consistent part geometry stems from it’s closed-loop control as well it’s real-time imaging and sensing system.
Previously this year Sciaky also worked with Lockheed Martin to 3D print their titanium cylindrical domes which carry large amounts of fuel for satellites. Printed on Sciaky’s EBAM 110 machine, the 46-inch fuel tank met NASA’s performance and reliability standards back in July, allowing it to become a stand product option for LM 2100 satellites.
“Our largest 3-D printed parts to date show we’re committed to a future where we produce satellites twice as fast and at half the cost,” said Rick Ambrose, Lockheed Martin Space executive vice president. “And we’re pushing forward for even better results. For example, we shaved off 87 percent of the schedule to build the domes, reducing the total delivery timeline from two years to three months.”
