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January 30 2024

Post-Processing Techniques in Additive Manufacturing

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There has been an increasing tendency to move towards additive manufacturing (AM) in recent years. This is due to the process’ enhanced ability to manufacture complex geometries, customised parts, and intricate designs in manufacturing work. However, the secret sauce in ensuring that AM parts reach their full potential is during the post-processing phase. This is because, post the fabrication phase, there may be subtle imperfections which if not attended to during post-processing, can compromise the functionality of the part or diminish its aesthetic value. This article dives into the significant role various post-processing techniques play and how carefully planned post-processing can be the difference-maker in AM.

Mass Finishing

Advanced mass-finishing post-processing techniques are designed to improve the surface finish of AM parts. These methods, which include vibratory finishing, heat induction bending services and centrifugal disc finishing, use media and compounds in a contained environment to polish and smooth parts. Advanced mass finishing plays a crucial role in the post-processing phase of AM, bringing several key benefits to the table. One of its primary advantages is the assurance of consistency and uniformity. Regardless of the diverse geometries of parts, mass finishing provides a consistent finish to each, ensuring that every piece meets the desired standard. Furthermore, this process significantly improves the surface quality of the parts. This enhancement is not just a cosmetic one; a better surface finish often translates to improved functional performance across various applications such as pressure vessels. Whether it is reducing wear and tear in mechanical components or amplifying the aesthetic allure of consumer products, the benefits are tangible and manifold.

Additionally, scalability remains one of the standout attributes of advanced mass finishing. Especially pertinent for higher volume production, this technique is adept at managing multiple parts simultaneously. By doing so, it not only maintains the quality across the board but also guarantees a high throughput, making it an indispensable tool for industries aiming for both quality and quantity in their manufacturing endeavors.

Shot Blasting

Shot blasting is another post-processing technique wherein tiny metallic or non-metallic shots are propelled at high velocity onto the AM part’s surface. This not only cleans the surface from contaminants but also prepares it for subsequent steps like painting or specialized coatings. Shot blasting is a pivotal link to finished fabrication, characterised by its speed and efficiency. The method can swiftly clean and prepare surfaces, positioning it as an ideal choice for expansive AM operations where time is of the essence. Beyond mere cleansing, shot blasting plays a pivotal role in surface profiling. The precision of the process ensures that the desired surface roughness is achieved, setting the stage for subsequent coatings. This meticulous preparation guarantees better adhesion of these coatings, which is integral for many applications.

Furthermore, the longevity imparted by shot blasting cannot be overlooked. The process meticulously removes both imperfections and contaminants from the parts. This thorough cleansing not only enhances the immediate appearance and functionality of the parts but also contributes to their long-term durability. As a result, shot-blasted parts often boast a prolonged lifespan, offering users more value and reliability from each component, reaffirming the importance of this post-processing technique in the AM landscape.

Conclusion

The growth and adoption of AM in industries worldwide have spotlighted the importance of a robust and efficient process chain. As AM continues to redefine manufacturing paradigms, businesses must recognize the pivotal role of advanced mass finishing and shot blasting in optimizing efficiency and accelerating production. As the saying goes, “A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.” In the world of AM, a well-thought-out post-processing strategy could very well be the strongest link in the chain!

November 14 2023

Strategies to Reduce Manufacturing Cycle Times

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While many industries are now operating as they did prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, manufacturers continue to grapple with complex challenges like global supply chain issues, unpredictable product demand spikes, and delivery driver shortages. These challenges have extended lead times, which, in turn, has placed significant pressure on companies to improve manufacturing cycle times. This has resulted in manufacturers finding ways to streamline their processes, automate manual functions, and redesign products so they are easier to produce. So, what are some of the strategies followed by manufacturers to reduce cycle times? Let us dive deeper into this topic through this blog.

Accessing and Centralizing Data

Manufacturing plants have traditionally been structured in a way that facilitates operations but results in information silos and a lack of transparency. Data is frequently stored in multiple sources such as warehouse and inventory management, manufacturing resource planning (MRP), manufacturing execution systems (MES), and edge computing. Data management is one of the top manufacturing technology trends and it provides an end-to-end view that can guide decision-making and optimize a manufacturing operation. Increasingly, manufacturers are creating a data fabric to centralize their data. This virtualized architecture layer and tool set connect data across disparate systems and creates a unified view. It prevents unauthorized access with unique security controls and automatically optimizes data for performance. Additionally, teams can connect systems without being slowed down by the complexity of traditional data programming, which leads to rapid application development.

Maximize Machine Uptime

A significant contributor to manufacturing cycle time spikes is critical machines going offline. Improving machine uptime builds overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), which measures the amount of manufacturing time that is productive. Machine uptime depends on the quality of the maintenance of the equipment. Some manufacturers only fix machines when they break, others schedule regular maintenance, and some focus on proactive defect elimination. The most effective method is predictive maintenance, such as using AI in video surveillance to improve productivity. Connecting machines and IoT devices allow manufacturers to access data and use analytics to identify flagging performance issues and wear and tear before machines fail. It also ensures maintenance technicians focus on the most urgent problems. With predictive maintenance, manufacturers can identify performance declines before they negatively impact cycle times. It also increases the lifespan of machinery, which reduces the cost of equipment replacement. Predictive maintenance reduces breakdowns by an average of 70% and maintenance costs by 25%.

Identify and Eliminate Bottlenecks

Performance slowdowns can be caused by manual processes, poor work floor layout, or a design that could be improved to simplify product assembly. Even something as simple as extended pipe fabrication setup times can increase operational costs and bottleneck time-to-market. The two critical components to consider are process stability and process speed. Stability refers to the standardization of a process – how much variability is evident? If the average cycle time varies significantly, it will be challenging to make process improvements and accurately measure speed, or efficiency enhancements, so high variability must be the first issue addressed.

Once the average cycle time is stable, performance lags caused by bottlenecks or process deviation can be identified. One way to accomplish this is by utilizing process mining tools. Process mining examines how a process occurs in the real world from log data in software systems. For example, running process mining on water tank development process might identify that employees manually enter data that could be automated or captured via an application form or a photo scan. Or it might be observed that a single handoff between employee stations takes unnecessary additional time. This could indicate the need to change the operations floor layout to shave a few seconds off each handoff (which results in significant savings over time).

Concluding Remarks

While manufacturers can develop strategies to improve floor operations, the correct and appropriate implementation of these strategies is the differentiator between visible improvements and sunk costs. Also, a holistic approach is generally necessary to reduce manufacturing cycle time and quality remains king – after all, reduced cycle times do not help if quality is compromised!

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June 13 2023

Process of Welding Pipes

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During his career, a metal fabricator will be expected to work on a wide range of jobs, using various metals of different thicknesses. Joining curved pieces of metal is more difficult than welding flat sheets, so by far, the most challenging process one is likely to come across is pipe welding, where it will be required to join cylindrical metal tubes using either SMAW or gas shielded arc welding processes involving pressure vessels. The pipe welding positions and techniques are often quite uncomfortable, especially if the pipe is fixed and access is restricted. As a result, learning the structural welding basics will give one a much better understanding of TIG and MIG welding in general, which is a great foundation for more complex procedures. This blog will explore this topic in further detail.

How to Weld Pipes – Basis Guide and Process

If a welding joint does not use a tacked backing plate, it’s known as open root welding, which is the most common process used while pipe welding. This is particularly difficult because one will essentially be welding across a gap (albeit a small one) so it’s important to use the right technique so that one does not make a mess of the whole job. Every welder will have a ‘good’ side and a ‘bad’ side when it comes to welding, depending on whether they’re left- or right-handed. For right-handed welders the left-hand side of the pipe is the challenge; for left-handed welders, it’s the right-hand side of the pipe which is the most difficult. Anticipating this obstacle and learning how to overcome it is the best way to ensure super strong, neat welds every time.

Pipe fabrication, and specifically welding, often uses quite thick, heavy-duty materials, and the open root nature of the welds means that penetration can be poor if not done properly. Leaving poorly penetrated welds on tough, industrial pipe welding jobs can be disastrous. It will need to be ensure that full penetration is achieved, however since that it’s unlikely that welding can be done from the inside of the pipe as well as the outside, one can combat this potential problem by using a groove weld.

Testing Pipe Welding

Inspecting the weld visually is one such method, which is by far the cheapest, quickest and easiest. It involves nothing more than looking at the weld to discern its quality, which can be a very subjective process. It can’t be used as a reliable method for detecting internal weld defects, so this method is mainly used when poor quality welds won’t put anyone or anything in danger.

Liquid dye penetrant testing is the second method, where a dye is sprayed or brushed onto the surface of the metal. The dye will highlight any surface cracks or imperfections which aren’t visible to the naked eye, making it more effective than a visual inspection, although the cost of the dye does mean that it’s marginally more expensive.

X-ray testing is the only really practical method of detecting internal weld defects, which is why it’s used on jobs where the quality of the weld is important for safety reasons. It works in a very similar way to X-rays which we have on the human body to look at broken bones, except on a much grander, more industrial scale. As a result, there are some risks associated with this method, so it should only be carried out by trained professionals. These three methods are called non-destructive testing (NDT), where the welds must remain intact. It may be appropriate to actually break apart the pipe weld by separating it into sections and testing the strength and quality of each one.

Conclusion

Mastering the art of pipe welding will take one’s welding career far beyond the potential of hobby or ordinary flat plate welding. The welder will learn some of the most challenging welding techniques in the industry, but will also gain a highly prized skill set which is desired by employers and which will probably lead to a higher salary. One won’t need any extra special equipment, but this isn’t a welding process for the half-hearted!