A Complete Guide to Aluminum 3D Printing
Table of Contents:
Characteristics of the Material
Aluminium (Al) is a chemical element with the atomic number 13 that covers much of the earth’s crust. It is a metal that does not become ferromagnetic, which means that a magnetic field can’t make it magnetic. Many of the aluminium alloys that support additive manufacturing contain both metallic and metalloid elements, such as aluminium, silicon, magnesium, or copper. Here are some of the most common aluminium alloys:
• AlSi7Mg contains aluminium with 7% silicon and magnesium alloys.
• AlSi10Mg is an alloy of aluminium, silicon (10%), and magnesium.
• AlSi12 is an alloy of aluminium and silicon (12%).
• AlSi9Cu3 is an alloy of aluminium, silicon (9%), and copper (3%).
Bauxite provides the mineral source for aluminium. The Bayer process converts bauxite into alumina, and then electrolysis extracts the aluminium. Aluminium, as a light metal with a low melting point, also conducts heat and electricity extremely well. Aluminium plays one of the most significant roles in industry since many applications rely on it. Now let’s look at how this metal supports 3D printing, including how it contributes to the Best 3D Printing Service offerings.
3D Printing using Aluminium
Many different methods exist to make 3D printed items out of aluminium. Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) stands out as one of the most common methods for metal additive manufacturing. In this process, a laser fuses the metal layers that the machine spreads over a powder bed point by point. We also include Electron Beam Melting (EBM) technology in this family. The only difference is that it uses an electron beam as its energy source instead of a laser.
Additional methods that support metal printing with aluminium include binder jetting, cold metal fusion, and wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM). Finally, we also find aluminium used with FDM technology, though not as frequently. This process mostly works with plastic filaments, although some businesses have developed ways to create stronger parts using this technology.
Using aluminium for 3D printed items has both advantages and disadvantages when compared with other metals. One of the good things about aluminium is that it offers a high-performance material with unique mechanical and chemical properties. It has a high strength-to-weight ratio, withstands weathering, and allows the creation of complicated geometric shapes. Aluminium 3D printed products, on the other hand, lack the stiffness of steel parts. Also, aluminium does not provide biocompatibility like titanium, so it does not serve well in the medical field, as we will see below.
After 3D printing, users usually perform some post-processing procedures on most aluminium parts. This is because many technologies that support this metal belong to the powder bed family. So, one of the first things users do is remove excess powder and supports, if they used them.
Also, the machine typically produces parts with a rougher surface than parts that other powder materials make. Polishing, tumbling, or shot blasting are all good surface finishing methods after treatment to achieve the best and smoothest result. You can also apply heat treatments to strengthen the final parts.
Main Uses
No matter how they are manufactured, 3D printed aluminium alloy parts have interesting features that can be applied in many different fields. They are light and have a good chemical resistance, and they have one of the best strength-to-weight ratios of any metals. Making short series or prototypes is one of the most typical uses for this metal. Some are for structural lightweighting or heat transmission, such as specialised heat exchangers. When combined with silicon and magnesium, it is the best choice for many people in the aerospace and automotive industries, where the standards are very high. These applications are now supported by the growing market for Custom 3D Printing Malaysia services.
Porsche made 3D-printed aluminium pistons for their top model, the GT2 RS, in the automotive industry. The company was able to get up to 30 more horsepower out of the 700-horsepower twin-turbo engine by using metal additive manufacturing. This also made the car more efficient and powerful. Mercedes-Benz, on the other hand, is 3D printing aluminium parts for its trucks and cars to make the roads safer.
The aircraft sector is also using aluminium 3D printing in its business, and it’s not falling behind. For the A350 XWB and other planes, as well as for its communications satellites, Airbus made parts out of aluminium alloys. Boeing has also used metal additive manufacturing to make aluminium parts for their helicopters, satellites, and aeroplanes. This new technology can make structures lighter and let planes go farther on less fuel. This shift has prompted many firms to turn to a trusted 3D Printing Company in Malaysia for localised expertise and supply solutions.
Aluminium Companies in the 3D Printing Business
As we mentioned earlier, the material mostly exists in powder form, although some technologies also support it in wire form. Currently, only two firms manufacture aluminium in filament form for FDM 3D printing: The Virtual Foundry (Aluminium 6061 Filamet™) and Zetamix (alumina-based, which means aluminium oxide).
On the other hand, many more companies use this powder. Several firms that currently develop aluminium powder include Elementum 3D, APWorks, Uniformity Labs, ECKA Granules, Equispheres, and Constellium, to name a few. It’s also interesting to note that some companies that manufacture 3D printers, like EOS, also produce their own powdered materials.
Contact us to learn more about Aluminium 3D Printing or to get started with a custom project tailored to your needs.