Precision machining and finishing
The realization process of a component in Additive manufacturing does not end with this technology alone, but very often requires mechanical processing to allow the achievement of roughness and tolerances required by customers.
That’s why 3D Metal provides a variety of machines to deliver the required part in a turn-key approach.
Wire EDM
EDM today is a technology commonly used in industry, to cut or profile the workpiece, where the presence of deep and narrow cavities makes it difficult and sometimes impossible, to machine with conventional milling techniques.
In the operation plant a Charmilles type wire EDM cutting plant is present.
CNC Turning
This is the most performing and evolved technology for the ability to create mechanical parts compared to the manual turning technology.
This machine is used to create parts by rotating on the same axis of the component and removing material in a straight line. The CNC lathe has a computerized system that allows in an automatic way to work the material obtaining high quality standards.
3 and 4 axis CNC milling
Through the milling process we produce custom-made elements and mechanical parts of small and medium dimensions, in small and medium production batches destined for many fields of use.
This is a well-established and reliable process that, thanks to several machining phases (usually roughing and then finishing), gives the piece the desired shape and tolerances.
In order to meet the needs of our customers, we have several state-of-the-art 3- and 4-axis milling systems.
The 3-axis CNC machines allow simultaneous machining in height, width and depth and are excellent for machining on free-form surfaces. CNC milling machines usually fall into this category.
4-axis CNC machines add rotational motion applied to the tool or workpiece. On 4-axis interpolated machines, the rotational motion occurs simultaneously with the other 3 axes.
Grinding machine
Grinding is the work obtained by using a grinding wheel made of abrasive material. Its function is to remove material with particular precision. It is a process suitable only for parts that require a high surface finish.
Heat, surface and finishing treatments
Metal components made in Additive Manufacturing when they leave the printing chamber have residual stresses inside them, due to the melting process of laser sintered powders. To avoid this type of internal stress and guarantee the specific properties of the material, it is advisable to carry out heat treatments.
The heat treatments that are carried out internally are:
- stress relief treatment
- aging treatment
- hardening treatment.
The stress relief treatment is a heat treatment that is carried out on metal products to minimize residual stresses, thus reducing dimensional variations during manufacture. It involves heating to a temperature that reduces residual stresses without altering the mechanical characteristics of the material.
Aging treatment is a treatment that is carried out to increase the hardness of the metal. It is essential to complete the thermal cycle with hardening. This treatment causes the precipitation of the alloy by increasing the size of the component causing a deformation, increasing the desired hardness and yield strength.
Tempering treatment is a treatment that is carried out by heating and subsequent cooling of the material obtaining a structure of high hardness and toughness making the component subject to less wear.
Sandblasting and tumbling
- Tumbling and SandBlasting are used for removing substrate residue and lowering surface roughness. It is an economical finishing process because a large quantity of parts can be machined with little or no operator control.
- Sandblasting is a mechanical process by which the most superficial part of a component is eroded by abrasion due to a jet of sand and air. It is carried out for the superficial cleaning of metals. Are used: corundum, glass microspheres, stainless steel microspheres.
- Thanks to these surface treatments it is possible to obtain a better aesthetic result than the raw component just out of the printing chamber and after heat treatments.
Mechanical and electromechanical assemblies
3D Metal is able to assemble and test mechanical and electromechanical assemblies and subassemblies .
Including procurement of commercial components.
Testing
3D Metal performs geometric and dimensional tests, an essential phase for each production area that allows to verify possible non-conformities with respect to the design sent by the customer.
Upon request, it is possible to issue material certification and release tests (Moca certification) for the food, pharmaceutical, medical and cosmetic industries.
