Hexagon (Stockholm, Sweden) and Raytheon Technologies (Arlington, Virginia, USA), a leading manufacturer of linear motion control solutions, have partnered to deliver a simulation tool that will enable evaluation and optimization of metal additive manufacturing (AM) processes through the prediction of thermal history and defects at the laser path and powder layer scale.
Combining technologies from Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division and Raytheon Technologies’ Pratt and Whitney businesses, the new software will predict defects before the expensive and time-consuming process begins. This analysis will help designers and engineers evaluate the print outcome and test combinations of materials, geometries, and print processes.
“We have partnered with Raytheon Technologies to deliver an intuitive and accessible tool that will help engineers quickly predict and mitigate risks,” says Jeff Robertson, Hexagon’s director of global business development. “The ability to evaluate full laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) parts on the meso-scale will reduce the effort to achieve part certification and thereby support industrialization of metal 3-D printing.”
The software will be available to a range of companies engaged in additive manufacturing and will be complementary to Hexagon’s existing Simufact Additive tool. The similarity to the existing user interface will allow easy integration into existing manufacturing processes by users without the need for extensive training.
“By combining our additive manufacturing expertise with Hexagon’s, we are bringing a solution to market that helps manufacturers with all levels of experience make better products with greater efficiency,” says David Furrer, Pratt & Whitney senior fellow for materials and processes.
Source: Hexagon, https://hexagon.com and Raytheon Technologies, www.rtx.com.