Industrial Automation Magazine India

BARC and Intech Additive Solutions to make 3D printed miniature metal components

Published on : Friday 12-08-2022

BARC collaborates with Intech Additive Solutions to successfully design and 3D print miniature metal components.

Bengaluru, August 10, 2022 – Intech Additive Solutions, a leading end-to-end solutions provider in Metal Additive Manufacturing (AM) systems, Design for AM and AM Software, collaborated with Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) to successfully design and 3D print miniature metal components.

Miniature metal components play a very vital role in several critical applications in miniature robotics (bio-robotics), especially in field of customised electroporation devices such as drug delivery, pre-treatment of food, cosmetic therapy of skin, etc.

Given their size and complexities, manufacturing, output management and timely deliveries of these components through conventional methods pose a never-ending challenge. Metal 3D Printing technology therefore becomes an ideal ally in such scenarios for manufacturing miniatures, intricate and semi-sculptured components by virtue of its design and the economically feasible solutions.

This was made possible with Intech Additive's iFusion LF series of printers that boast of their capability to manufacture small to large metal parts for multiple industrial applications.
 

The iFusion LF series of metal printers are designed to achieve high build rates, manage optimized cost-per-part (CPP) and cost-effective manufacturing. Automated powder handling, part removal and powder sieving are a few of its comprehensive features specifically designed to meet the needs of higher productivity and serial production prevalent in the industry. iFusion LF1 is a large-format LPBF Metal 3D Printer amongst the iFusion range in Intech Additive's portfolio with one of the largest in-class build volumes of 450mm X 450mm X 450mm.

Equipped with Intech's very own software AMOptoMet and AMBuilder, it was possible to achieve a "first-time-right" scenario while printing the miniature components.

AMOptoMet is a first-of-its-kind and the world's only new alloy parameter development software. It is a software suite for optimization, tuned for calculating and optimizing the process parameters of a given alloy for the Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) technology. AMBuilder is a build processing software with an intuitive workflow and a host of intelligent features. AMBuilder's optimal orientation of parts, support generation, and path generation assisted in the build preparation of the miniature component.

BARC provided the initial designs of the miniature components for possible adaptation to the AM process. Intech's team of DfAM experts suggested and implemented further design modifications for the optimum functioning of the components.

"In my opinion, engineers at Intech have good acumen of technical brilliance, sense of practicality and leadership. I have observed that the engineers do follow 'first principle thinking', which is very essential for any indigenous out-of-the-box solution for new technology. I am proud to say that within a short span of 6 months, engineers of Intech have achieved the pinnacle of authentic product-oriented manufacturing with due persistence and passion.", said Dr. Debanik Roy, Scientist, Division of Remote Handling & Robotics, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, in his appreciation letter to Intech Additive.