Metal powder expert Heraeus showed 3D printed gears made of amorphous metal (also known as glass metal) at Automate 2019 in Chicago. The gears are 3D printed using a standard SLM system using Heraeus materials. With this world premiere, Heraeus is pushing the boundaries of 3D printing and opening up new design possibilities for a variety of industries-from automation solutions and robotics to the aerospace, medical technology and automotive industries.
Heraeus printed amorphous metal gears are additively manufactured and weigh 2 kg. Due to the high cooling rates required, which mainly exceed 1000 Kelvin / second, previously amorphous metals could only produce small parts. Because the gear's topology has also been optimized during development, materials and process experts can reduce weight by 50% compared to traditional manufacturing versions. Heraeus has now redefined existing technological limitations in terms of size and complexity, revolutionizing design possibilities, such as the automation industry and robotics.
Use Heraeus' special materials for high-precision layer-by-layer production, reducing material use, weight and cost. Using 3D printing also reduces overall production costs. Using traditional methods, manufacturing complex parts requires many processes and manufacturing steps. Several separate parts must be produced for reassembly. However, 3D printers can do this in one process.
Amorphous metal is a solid metal material, usually an alloy, with a disordered atomic-level structure. Most metals are crystalline in the solid state, which means that they have a highly ordered arrangement of atoms. Amorphous metals are amorphous and have a glassy structure. But unlike ordinary glass, amorphous metals have good electrical conductivity. Amorphous metals are characterized by good corrosion resistance, excellent abrasion resistance and polymer elasticity. They also have soft magnetic properties and are easy to magnetize and demagnetize.