GE Additive
Isak Elfstrom, Vice President – Research, Arcam EBM
Isak Elfstrom, Vice President – Research, Arcam EBM
GE Additive is to open up the development mode of the Arcam EBM A2X system to the universities and academic institutes that use the machine at no extra cost.
The company is also offering ten A2X platforms to new institutes with special pricing for purchase.
There are around 20 universities who currently have ownership of an A2X in this space, with academic researchers using them in materials science. Recognising their shared desire to push the envelope when it comes to materials and processes in the additive manufacturing field, GE Additive will supply academic users with a hardware key upon request that can unlock the development setting on a specified machine.
With this key, to be delivered in November at the earliest, researchers will be able to access a wider range of parameters to explore the development of new materials and new processes, and customise those parameters to their specific wants.
“We see this as a first step in giving our customers in academia the possibility to customise how materials are melted and the Arcam team will work together with them to further enable process, sensor, and hardware customisation to unlock the true potential of the EBM technology,” commented Isak Elfstrom, Vice President of Research at Arcam EBM. “By opening up the A2X, we also want to empower and inspire the next generation of engineers and material scientists to fulfil the potential of additive. By removing constraints and barriers to make additive technology platforms and parameters as open as possible, we want these smart minds to think even more laterally, around corners and invent and innovate.
“Rest assured, though, the key does not unlock the security features on the system.”
Elfstrom says the surface of what is possible with EBM has only been scratched so far. The company, just like researchers, wants to see how far the technology can be pushed. The machine is installed at 13 universities and seven institutes across North America, Europe and Asia, and Elfstrom says he has been blown away by some of the research projects being undertaken. The Oak Ridge National Laboratory has demonstrated how EBM can be used to control the orientation of microstructures with high precision within a component. Many are using it to process titanium alloys and materials that require high process temperatures. In Germany, the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg has built a full-length single crystal CMSX-4 with EBM.
“These are only some of the extraordinary results that has come out from our academic customers in the last few years,” finished Elfstrom.
Imagine what they could do when they get hold of that hardware key.
For universities and institutes not currently using A2X, but are keen to benefit from this initiative, GE Additive is also offering ten EBM A2X systems with special pricing for purchase.