3D printing of industrial metallic glass - amorphous metals twice as strong as steel— is taking off. Two German companies are bringing these products to market: Heraeus AMLOY brings expertise in the production and processing of amorphous metals while TRUMPF introduces powerful experience in additive manufacturing.
Amorphous parts display isotropic behavior, evident in materials like glass or metal—meaning that properties are the same in every direction.
It is easy to understand why the two companies see the benefit of using a 3D printer for amorphous metals as they are created via molten metal that cools rapidly. Fabrication can be performed on a large scale and at a lighter weight, reducing the use of materials and eliminating extra waste. Parts can also be created in one piece rather than numerous parts that must be assembled afterward.
Heraeus AMLOY is currently optimizing their amorphous alloys for use with TRUMPF’s TruPrint systems, especially the latest-generation TruPrint 2000 machine.
Two 300-watt lasers scan the machine’s entire build chamber in parallel. Using a laser focal diameter of just 55 micrometers, users can carry out both low and high-volume production of amorphous parts with extremely high surface quality.
Star Trek fans of course remember transparent aluminum from the 1986 film Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. But this idea was drawn out at least fifty years earlier.
Phil Nowlan and Dick Calkins wrote and drew the Buck Rogers, 2430 A.D. comic strip that appeared between 1929 and 1931. Philip Frances Nolan was the author of the incredibly popular Armageddon – 2419 A.D. published in Amazing Stories in 1928.
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 4/7/2020)
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