3D Printing From Metal Barstock Using Friction Stir Welding

Meld Manufacturing offers a solid-state metal additive manufacturing process - no melting is involved. Metal parts are 3D printed in the open air using a process based on friction stir welding. This video shows a Meld AM machine tool that 3D prints by rotating, compressing and deforming metal barstock.
Learn more about Meld’s development and application of this process at www.additivemanufacturing.med....
Among the machines using this process is the world’s largest metal 3D printer: www.additivemanufacturing.med....
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[@vroomvroom4061]

I am honestly impressed that an engineer thought to use friction stir process for large, thick plates of steel for 3d printing. It is simple and has amazing fusion

[@haymaker299]

Amazing. Great short explanatory overview. Thank you Gardner Business Media for doing this service - we can't all 'do what you do' and 'go where you go', but we get to learn the upshot of it.

[@hyphen2612]

Considering how much secondary machining process would be required to get a Meld 3D part to a final product. I'd say this is more like a stock material printing machine, which is still really cool though! If you run a machine shop, you'd know how sometimes it takes a lot of time to procure stock materials in the proper size. Now if a shop has this machine, they only have to stock those printing bars and can make stock materials with some basic rough shapes done in house! This is really nice to improve turnarounds if the whole process is cost effective.

[@slevinshafel9395]

this can be nice method to make isogrid on cryogenic space tank. This reduce a lot of time. I like it.

[@buxsin]

You deserve more subscriber. Thanks for all the info you bring for us...🌹🌹

[@ChrisTrunek]

wow awesome! metal powder based printing seems like a toxic, expensive disaster waiting to happen at any minute (just like composite part manufacturing) with damn near unusable shrinkage and porosity issues. this seems wonderful and the feed system doesnt look like too much expensive hardware required to make it work (lasers, vacuum/gas systems, ventilation, etc etc). This machine looks like it would actually work for small to mid scale metal additive production of consumer (not medical/military/aviation) parts. I am legit interested for my business! thank you for sharing

[@lyokofans]

That is pretty cool. I believe this would also mean no changes in hardness right?

[@abdontroche]

so cool

[@NicosM51]

This is a great process. Way cleaner looking than powder based or hot weld based processes. And since cold welding is actually superior to traditionnal weld this get could very rapidly gain traction and become mainstream. Bonus : DMG already does hybrid additive+machining centers. They might come to this kind of additive technology too.

[@gunsngaming3771]

The big thing wrong with your comment is that you mentioned cold welding which this is not. This is friction welding (which produced heat) adapted for 3d printing.

[@markburton5292]

Heh, I like the pun "rapidly gain traction" since it is friction welding. not sure if you meant to have that pun in there but I like it either way.

[@sticky_ricebowl]

I wonder what limitations this has since for sure this will produce parts with differerent properties compared to something like a machined part

[@simonschneider5913]

this is nuts! ;) seriously, I love the ingenuity - but what about the atmospheric influences on metallurgy? also, i am pretty sure theres quite some internal stress induced....it seems like annealing is not exactly what is done here...?

[@bowieinc]

I’m curious as to how you put down your first layer?

[@AdditiveManufacturing]

Response from MELD: We heat the feedstock until it plastically deforms and then it is deposited onto the substrate.

[@lililililililili8667]

How thin can you go with the diameter of the rod? I wonder if you could get away with doing this using short sections of rod in a tool changer on a normal mill.

[@RaphMNTR]

Fascinating production technique! But as mentioned in the video it can get bigger... what I'm wondering: can it get smaller? Or can you change the diameter?

[@austinsharpe8157]

Not currently, however Ingersoll Machine Tools is using this Meld unit as part of a hybrid gantry machine that has both the Meld and a spindle unit combined, for milling after printing. Will be going to the U.S. Army to print things like tank hulls all in one piece without welding individual components.

[@RaphMNTR]

@@austinsharpe8157 Thanks for the info! Hybrid machine with additional milling spindle makes sense... Impressive that they are using it for tanks 😳

[@austinsharpe8157]

@zomgthisisawesomelol steel. This thing can print various metals, such as aluminum, steel, titanium, gold, you name it.

[@AdditiveManufacturing]

Here is the response we received from MELD: Yes, the MELD process can allow for smaller printing. Yes, you can vary the track width deposited depending on the material used.

[@JiuJitsuStuTru]

This would be great with a hybrid machine both subtractive and additive

[@lapinchiloca]

Its a great resource for "near net shape" parts... not useful for complex latticed parts though

[@pspoelstra2162]

Correct, but laser based powder bed fusion will by no means come close to the deposition efficiency. It's designed to serve a different purpose. Solid state AM will experience an uplift...starting at niche applications.

[@miestermind]

This is interesting. Since sintering is difficult. I'm curious on the dimensional limitations on this

[@AdditiveManufacturing]

Upper size limit not encountered yet! The largest metal 3D printer in the world actually uses this process: www.additivemanufacturing.media/articles/worlds-largest-metal-3d-printer-seen-at-ingersoll-grand-opening-event

[@stephencumbee845]

Is there a lower size limit? Could this kind of additive manufacturing ever be reduced to the scale of personal 3D printers like the Ender 3 or maybe something a bit larger?

[@louisk.1780]

isnt friction stir stirred up the materials into temporary liquid state to bond them together?

[@AdditiveManufacturing]

Not quite. There is no state change. Friction stir welding overcomes the material’s yield strength, but not its melting point. The material is deformed and applied precisely thanks to this controlled deformation, but it does not become liquid.

[@xinqiyang6413]

👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@mrsagang9211]

Ask and you shall receive!

[@chaorrottai]

Okay, now make one thats 1/5th the size in each dimension and let me buy it please.

[@TheAndyroo770]

Make mini home unit that uses picture nails for stock

[@WetDoggo]

the surface will definitely have to be machined afterwards

[@Guesswhokk]

This will be great if it allow for subtractive machining during additive layer intervals. Even so, it cannot create integrate "details" without machining. So..... is this really better than most types of "casting"?