Engineering, quality, history and pride in delivering
Glenalmond Technologies, GATech, worked with Cranfield University to develop further the capabilities of Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) to make 3D printing in high-grade metals more efficient in large volumes. WAAM is focussed on large build, lower resolution meaning that it is ideally suited to large components previously forged.
| Powder | Wire | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | High | Medium |
| Quality | Variable | High (Ti, Fe, Ni), variable Al |
| Feeding | Complicated unless using side feed | Easy well established industrial process |
| Material efficiency | Typical 40 - 60% | 100% |
| Safety Issues | Yes – especially Ti/Al | No |
| Recycling | Possible with processing | Not required |
| Out of position deposition | No | Yes |
| Rotation problem | Coaxial – no, side feed yes | CMT – no, plasma - yes |
| Laser | Arc | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Capital | Very High (£200k - 4 kW) | Low (£25k – 4kW plasma or CMT) |
| Running | Medium | Low | |
| Efficiency | Power Source | 25% | 90% |
| Coupling | 40% | 85% | |
| Total | 10% | 80% | |
| Safety Issues | Very high | medium | |
| Build Rate | Medium - high | High - very high | |
| Feature Size | 0.2mm upwards | 1mm upwards |
| Design option (MMR = 65 kg/hr) | Buy to Fly (BTF) | Cost (£k) | Cost reduction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Machined from solid | 45 | 4.9 | |
| WAAM | 12.3 | 2 | 58% |
