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Possibilities and limitations of 3D printing

According to Leuders, additive manufacturing offers significant sustainability potential. This is particularly due to the ability to drastically reduce material usage. Unlike subtractive manufacturing processes, only as much material is used as is actually needed for the component. There are also no chips. Advantages are often seen in the subsequent usage phase as well, such as less waste or shorter cycle times for aluminum die casting and plastic injection molding when additively manufactured tools with near-contour cooling are used, according to the expert. The repair and refurbishment of tools and components, which are significantly facilitated by 3D printing, are also important. However, there are challenges as well, as Leuders admits. Additive manufacturing is still relatively young for the industry, so there is a need for optimization in terms of automation and process reliability.

And Lantzsch says that the potentials of additive manufacturing lie primarily in the feasibility of complex geometries and customized products that are hardly manufacturable using conventional methods. It is also clear that targeted material usage significantly reduces resource consumption. This advantage is particularly relevant when considering the entire product lifecycle. However, Lantzsch emphasizes that one must also be aware that the production and preparation of the material is energy-intensive. Integration into existing production processes is often still challenging because 3D printing is considered an isolated process by many.

These challenges 3D printing must overcome

For Leuders, a crucial point is the development of new process routes to meet the technical and economic demands of users. The design and configuration of additively manufactured components and tools also play a significant role in this. Moreover, as the expert notes, additive manufacturing at Voestalpine is closely linked to the topic of materials. The company is working intensively on developing new materials and their post-treatments to fully exploit the technical potential of metallic 3D printing.

Lantzsch sees one of the biggest technical hurdles currently facing additive manufacturing in the variety of materials. Many of the materials currently used were not originally developed for additive manufacturing, often leading to compromises in quality and performance. Therefore, the ILT cooperates with material manufacturers to accelerate the qualification of new materials for additive manufacturing. Intensive efforts are also underway in Aachen to improve process reliability and further develop existing systems so that additive processes become more stable and efficient. Another major topic is the standardization of processes to ensure consistent quality even in series production.