Additive Manufacturing

Rapid growth

100 percent

  • in the next 5 years

Our competence center for additive manufacturing will be happy to advise you.

Contact us

Additive Manufacturing

Introduction of additive manufacturing into industrial production

Today, when we talk about additive manufacturing, 3D printing, rapid prototyping or generative production, we’re  talking about more than just a trend. Analysts predict that the addictive manufacturing world market for materials, machines, software and services will be worth around 20,2 billion euros in 2019*. 

* Source: www.canalys.com/static/press_release/2015/canalys-press-release-20150414-global-3d-printing-market-reach-202-billion-2019.pdf

Industrializing additive manufacturing

Individualized mass production, functional design, high energy and resource efficiency as well as shorter innovation cycles – the advantages of Additive Manufacturing are being leveraged more and more in the industrial environment. Whether powder bed fusion, directed energy deposition, material extrusion or jetting – all these techniques build up workpieces layer by layer based on digital 3D design data. These techniques allow extremely complex structures to be created, which are both light and stable – in fact, finally, parts can be cost-effectively created with batch sizes of just 1. And digitalization offers the best possibilities of covering the requirements associated with Additive Manufacturing.    

Reduce time-to-market

By virtually linking design and production, engineering data can be generated on the fly.This also means shorter innovation cycles.

Increase flexibility

Volatile markets and customized mass production require flexible manufacturing that is simultaneously highly productive.

Improve quality

A closed loop control for quality assurance, as well as traceability and integrated genealogy enable complete process transparency.

Increase efficiency

Optimizing resources for products and production ensures energy and resource efficiency as decisive competitive factors.

Totally Integrated Automation

Where all automation components interoperate efficiently

The intelligent automation of production systems plays a decisive role in the industrialization of Additive Manufacturing. Totally Integrated Automation, the industrial automation from Siemens, ensures that all the automation components interoperate efficiently. The open system architecture covers the complete production process and utilizes a standard approach across the board: consistent data management, global standards and unified hardware and software interfaces. This common approach minimizes engineering costs, shortens time to market and increases flexibility.

PLC-based automation solutions with SIMATIC

With SIMATIC, the core of Totally Integrated Automation, users can depend on the highest degree of integration and seamlessness. The basic automation based on SIMATIC, the SINAMICS drive system and SIMOTICS motors to move the mechanical units of the machine for powder bed fusion and jetting techniques offer some unique advantages:

  •  As a result of its scalability, solutions can be extremely flexibly and cost-effectively adapted to address the actual requirements
  • Shorter time to market is achieved through integrated engineering and efficient programming in the TIA Portal
  • Diagnostic functions are simply configured and do not have to be programmed

Powder bed fusion

With the powder bed fusion technique, the powdered material – i.e. metal, plastic or ceramic – is applied to a build platform, the powder bed. The laser beam precisely melts the powder and fuses defined points to the layer below. The laser repeats this process until the part to be created has been completed.
One possible configuration is shown here as example. Customized automation solutions can be configured to address the specific requirements of the machine.

Binder Jetting

In the binder jetting process, the powderbased material is applied to a build platform. When lowering the build platform, a print head applies adhesive (the binder) gluing the powder layer by layer. This allows parts and components to be built without requiring any support structures.
One possible configuration is shown here as example. Customized automation solutions can be configured to address the specific requirements of the machine.

PLM software

PLM software enables the full potential of additive manufacturing to be realized as early as during product design    

SIMATIC

The SIMATIC industrial automation system is the optimal basis for fulfilling the constantly increasing demands on modern machines and equipment    

SINAMICS family

Always the converter from the SINAMICS family that fits your application
 

SIMOTICS motors

SIMOTICS motors are used for moving mechanical units    

CNC-based automation solutions with SINUMERIK

The 5-axis technology of SINUMERIK 840D sl provides a high degree of flexibility in the Additive Manufacturing domain. Whether material extrusion or directed energy deposition – the SINUMERIK 840D sl CNC together with the SINAMICS S120 drive system and SIMOTICS motors facilitate precise and dynamic multi-axis motion control.

Material extrusion

Material extrusion is a technique frequently used in the plastics domain. This process involves melting and applying a very fine stream of plastic.
One possible configuration is shown here as example. Customized automation solutions can be configured to address the specific requirements of the machine.

Directed energy deposition

In the directed energy deposition technique, the metal powder is directly fed to the weld location and melted using a laser.
One possible configuration is shown here as example. Customized automation solutions can be configured to address the specific requirements of the machine.

PLM software

PLM software enables the full potential of additive manufacturing to be realized as early as during product design

SINUMERIK 840D sl

SINUMERIK 840D sl 5-axis technology opens up new levels of freedom in additive manufacturing    

SINAMICS family

Always the converter from the SINAMICS family that fits your application    

SIMOTICS motors

SIMOTICS motors are used for moving mechanical units 

Learn more about industrializing additive manufacturing

Download brochure

References

Successful application of additive manufacturing processes

Additive manufacturing processes are gaining in popularity. Whether for weight reduction or increased design freedom – learn how numerous industries have already successfully profited from additive manufacturing.
Laser powder cladding and machining

Hybrid treatment for optimum surface

  • Innovative additive proceedings and high-precision 5-axis milling enables entirely new component structures in finished quality.

  • SINUMERIK 840D sl controls the machine for hybride multitasking.

  • Consistent design and programming solution including post-processor and simulation for additive and subtractive processes is available with NX. 

Watch video
Spare parts on demand

Armrests

  • The 3D printing of armrests is not only advantageous when it comes to sourcing spare parts – it also scores highly with regard to design.

  • As, for example, with the Siemens COMBINO train. The requirement here was to integrate another switch into the train driver’s armrest.

  • By using powder bed fusion (plastic), this function could be integrated at no further cost.

90% shorter repair times

Burner tips for gas turbines

  • Optimized components made of metals and alloys can be made exactly according to the construction plan on the computer.

  • Powder bed fusion (metal) has already been used successfully for many years by Siemens in the energy sector at the Swedish Finspång plant. It is now used to repair gas turbine burners – a service revolution.

  • In this specific case, the repair time was shortened by 90% – from 44 weeks to 4 weeks – thus the turbines could be connected more quickly to the grid.

Watch video
Shortened innovation cycles

Guide vanes for gas turbines

  • Additive manufacturing enables production of highly complex structures with high-performance materials such as nickel-base alloys. Products with these properties are very important for turbine construction, for example.

  • Complex topologies are produced directly in one piece.

  • Additive manufacturing saves a great deal of weight and the cooling ducts on the inside of the vane can also be designed more delicately and, therefore, more efficiently.

News and Events

News about additive manufacturing

The rapid development of additive manufacturing is constantly yielding new information.

Our social media channels for additive manufacturing

Competence Center

Contact

For more information about the industrial applications of additive manufacturing, please contact the competence center for additive manufacturing.

Want to find out more?

Contact us

Other relevant topics

PLM

PLM

With Siemens PLM’s new NX Hybrid Additive CAM technology, companies can control innovative and groundbreaking machine tools for hybrid manufacturing.

Aerospace

Aerospace

Saving on component weight is a decisive factor. If, e.g. solid components could be printed with optimal weight in the future, substantial weight and space savings are possible.

Automotive

Automotive

The automotive industry profits in particular from significantly increased freedom in designing components and in the resulting construction – for fast time-to-market.

Spare parts for gas turbines

Spare parts for gas turbines

You can profit from additive manufacturing when sourcing spare parts too. The repair time for a burner from a gas turbine can be reduced tenfold.