Gefertec and research partners to study gas used for 3D printing 

The main principle underlying operation of Gefertec GmbH’s 3D printer, the 3DMP, is electric arc welding.  

Wire serves as the build material, not powder. The near-net-shaped part is formed by welding one layer of wire onto another. After 3D-printing the part, it is then machined to final form.  

The Berlin-based company recommends its system for building large aerospace components from materials like titanium.

Success when arc welding depends heavily on various parameters--especially those related to the process gas. Gefertec and the industrial-gas producer Linde AG launched a research project to investigate the influence of the process gas and the oxygen percentage on the 3D printing process. MT Aerospace AG will perform the mechanical tests of the produced parts; testing will take place at the additive manufacturing laboratory of Fraunhofer IGCV, where Gefertec will install one of its machines.

The goal of the project is to discover the best method for using the 3DMP to build large Ti6Al4V parts at high production rates while meeting the quality requirements of the aerospace industry.

Click here to see a video of the 3DMP in action. 

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