Domin/Renishaw
Domin 3D printed manifolds
Renishaw has announced that it has supplied one of its RenAM 500Q additive manufacturing systems to fluid power specialist Domin, at the companys new technology centre near Bristol, UK. Domin will use the 3D printer to design and manufacture a range of servo proportional hydraulic valves, and says it aims to save the industry one gigatonne of CO2 by 2030.
Metal 3D printing allows Domin to create geometries with internal features, such as efficient, stiff structures, that could not be achieved through traditional subtractive manufacturing methods according to the company. Domin says it is now producing single parts with a good strength-to-weight ratio, while also reducing waste.
The company has combined 3D printing technology with other innovations such as high-speed motor control, modern electronics, big data and connected technology to create a range of four servo proportional hydraulic valves.
Domin designed the new range of high-performance hydraulic valves to satisfy the demands of fluid control systems in industries including automotive, aerospace and manufacturing. Domin will use the Renishaw RenAM 500Q system to build the valves at its new Technology Centre in Pucklechurch, near Bristol, where it is consolidating its manufacturing from one Polish and two UK facilities.
“We designed these servo valves to achieve a better-performing, more sustainable product at a lower price point,” said Domin CEO, Marcus Pont. “The success of these valves in a broad range of applications means demand is outpacing what we can supply. Renishaw is the go-to choice for coupling productivity with quality, and we expect that the increased capacity the new AM system provides will allow us to maintain low production turnaround times and deliver consistently high quality to our growing customer base.”
Bryan Austin, Director of AM Sales at Renishaw said: “With four high-power 500W lasers able to access the whole powder bed surface simultaneously, the RenAM 500Q system achieves significantly higher build rates than previous systems, which vastly improves productivity and lowers cost per part. This productivity enabled Domin to take its range to market competitively. Their valves require high precision machining to achieve tight tolerances and accurate positioning, and use high-grade materials to ensure strong chip shear and durability. Domin wants to manufacture them at scale and our RenAM 500Q system makes meeting these requirements possible.”
According to Renishaw, its RenAM 500Q system also features an intelligent gas flow system that assists in providing removal of process emissions from the laser path, resulting in a stable processing environment.
Pont added: “Most hydraulic systems today only operate at 23% efficiency, resulting in the wastage of billions of kilowatt-hours every year. Globally, hydraulics produces twice the CO2e emissions of the aerospace industry. Over its lifetime, each of these game-changing valves has the potential to save multiple tonnes of CO2e, and with them we can spearhead the advance of the fluid power industry towards a sustainable future.”
Austin concluded: “Domin is a great example of cutting-edge British engineering, and exactly the kind of innovator that’s going to help ameliorate the climate crisis. These high-performance valves show how additive manufacturing is increasingly suitable for high-spec, high production applications where it was previously uneconomic.”
Domin used Renishaw 3D printing in 2021 to produce additively manufactured servo valve products.
