Manufacture of aircraft parts and other high-end metal parts, according to traditional methods need to use large equipment castings, and then high temperature forging, make it strong and durable. And now this traditional approach is subversive. The integration of casting and forging 3D printing technology pioneered by Professor Zhang Haiou of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, can make print and forging parts.
Yesterday, the Yangtze River Daily reporter learned from the school, this technology has successfully produced the world's first 3D printing forgings. Including Xi'an Aviation Engine Co., Ltd., a transition section of the engine parts, as well as the development of our country a new type of fighter aircraft, such as titanium alloy. The results broke the biggest obstacle to the 3D printing industry, opening the history of laboratory manufacture of large machinery.
It is often said that good steel should be tempered "forging talent". This is because only repeated forging, can be cast metal strength, toughness, fatigue life of a substantial increase to the level of forging. Modern manufacturing is high-end metal parts manufactured by casting, and forging, milling, but this method exists long process, repeated heating of huge energy consumption, heavy pollution shortcomings, and do not produce change material multi functional parts, such as aero engine whole vortex wheel.
With the birth and maturation of a 3D printing technology, Professor zhanghaiou 2010 Huazhong University of science and Technology College of mechanical engineering in the world made the first hybrid casting and forging international patent technology. Professor Zhang introduction, in traditional casting and forging technology, metal parts by casting equipment forming, and then forging press forging, impossible casting forging, but the generation of 3D printers changed all this, it can let the part edge edge printing, forging.
This technology has overcome the bottleneck of the Chinese and Western metal 3D printing. Is expected to lead the fourth industrial revolution of 3D printing technology by the international manufacturing industry favor, but Metal 3D printing because of "cast no forging", printed durable material, has been in the model making and stage show. Professor Zhang Haiou will be made one 3D printing technology with the traditional forging technology, realize the original innovation beyond the west.
It is reported that this technology has been able to print up to 2.2 meters, weighing about 260 kg of high performance metal forgings. The existing equipment has to print out the aircraft with titanium alloy, marine submersible, nuclear power steel and other 8 kinds of metal materials.
Xi'an Aero Engine Co., Ltd. of 45 steel engine transition section parts, because of the wall thickness difference is large, the traditional casting forming prone to cracks, porosity, loose, and, if by forging, die making, long processing cycle of the material utilization rate is low. The company and zhanghaiou team cooperation, casting and forging and milling the integration of 3D print this can be poor solderability of 45 steel parts, the current trial has been approved by the international standards for testing.

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