February 2023 Volume 5

EQUIPMENT & TECHNOLOGY

Opportunities for Additive Manufacturing in Casting and Forging Identifying Opportunities, Challenges, and Gaps for Additive Manufacturing Research and Development By Brandon D. Ribic, Ph.D.

The development of additive manufacturing (AM) technologies for casting and forging applications has been investigated for more than 10 years. AM has demonstrated viability for spares production and supply chain gap-bridging manufacturing for casting applications. The efforts of the AMcommunity have led to various point solutions (qualified AM products for a single part number, often from a single serial number AMmachine) for a limited number of applications in production today. Some of the most noteworthy applications to date have been in the case of defense and sustainment applications. AM components for forging applications are less prevalent or often prohibited due to the criticality of these applications. The need remains for expansive understanding and data to address gaps and challenges that foster AM to complement or augment casting and forging operations, as well as to accelerate certification of AM parts for select casting and forging applications. Addressing these gaps and challenges will cultivate exploration of the unique design and material characteristics of AM which can address application geometric, integration, and performance requirements. Much like other manufacturing technologies, AMoffers conditional utility. Factors that may influence the utility of AM include:

In 2016, America Makes initiated a three-phase effort called Maturation of AdvancedManufacturing for Low-Cost Sustainment (MAMLS). The effort was qualification-focused and generated

material and product-specific data including: • AM process and post-process development • Material characterization and test data • Product scale demonstrations and proof testing • Material and product inspection data

Forging applications were not in the scope of the effort. In addition, large-scale AM technologies were not extensively explored. The program showed potential for further analysis of AM technologies to augment manufacturing operations and demonstrated utility for AM to produce casting tooling. Opportunities exist for further analysis of AM product certification, which was not the primary focus of the program. Motivations and opportunities for strategic AM R&D relevant to casting and forging manufacturing and applications are summarized. Motivations for AM for Casting Manufacturing and Applications In the case of casting applications, approaches exist to quantitatively verify and validate AM product quality, but there are opportunities for improved efficiency. Requalification is also a known challenge for AM processes. The long-term success of AM operations and supply chains depends on the ability to readily certify products. R&D to further understand the certification and airworthiness of AM components for casting applications are necessary. AMtechnologies are known to offer other benefits for low-rate, high mix casting production. A preliminary investigation was executed with the MAMLS program. The design limits and performance of these products manufactured using AM technologies need further evaluation. AM offers benefits not only for tooling design but also exhibits opportunities to augment productivity rates in upstream or downstream operations from the casting process. The ability to augment workflows and limit risks of downstream bottlenecks should be explored. To date, most of the work has focused on

• Current limits to AM capabilities • AM process productivity rates • Application criticality and operating environment • Demand volumes and timelines • Costs

These factors demonstrate that a successful transition is not dependent upon quality and technological feasibility alone. Cost, productivity, and time-dependent economic viability must also be considered. In addition, it is important to regularly assess the utility of manufacturing technologies, especially in the case of maturing technologies such as additive manufacturing, to maintain research and development (R&D) targets are aligned with appropriate transition opportunities and goals.

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