Nordmetall GmbH, Neukirchen, Germany, specializes in dynamic materials testing, and development projects that advance technologies for manufacturing components from high-strength steels. To improve its process technologies, Nordmetall recently acquired a GEFERTEC arc403 for additive manufacturing.

Nordmetall CEO Dr. Norman Herzig explains: “We work on many customer projects that include components made from high-strength steels – and build-up welding is one of our standard manufacturing techniques. Now, with our arc403, we can automate this process instead of relying on manual operations.”

The arc403 uses the 3DMP process, which is based on arc welding technology using wire as the starting material. 3DMP is fast and easy to handle compared to powder-based 3D printing. The wire material is available at for most standard materials. The arc403 enables 3-axis production of metal components with a maximum mass of 800 kg.

The research projects that Nordmetall handles for customers usually require the same type of material to be used in 3D metal printing processes; the carrier plate and the welding wire must be of the same type of steel.

Nordmetall CEO Dr. Herzig regards the 3DMP process as a key technology for the future: “This additive manufacturing technique has great potential for reducing the time required to produce components made from high-strength steels – and lowering costs at the same time!”

GEFERTEC
www.gefertec.de