GKN Sinter Metals says that the first additive manufacturing (AM) machine in the automotive industry to enable series production of precision parts for engines and transmissions has started production at its plant in Radevormwald, Germany.
GKN Sinter Metals will use the MetalFAB1 to produce small and medium-sized series of automotive components for the original equipment and replacement parts markets. Customers include many automakers and their system suppliers. The MetalFAB1 can simultaneously print hundreds of parts in one batch, meaning on one single build plate.
‘Depending on how many data sets we feed into the MetalFAB1, these can be 300 identical or 300 different parts,’ said Dr Simon Hoeges, GKN AM director. ‘This gives us unprecedented production capacity and flexibility.’
The integrated and automated 3D printer is supplied by Dutch company Additive Industries. In a joint development program the technology can be improved for the needs of the automotive industry.
This story is reprinted from material from GKN, with editorial changes made by Materials Today. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent those of Elsevier.
