Germany-based
Aconity3D GmbH, a specialist in wire-based additive manufacturing (AM), says multi-material applications place high demands on processes, systems, and integration, with different materials, complex setups, and limited flexibility, making many multi-material concepts difficult to implement in practice.
However, according to Aconity3D, a new multi-material welding head for the company’s AconityWIRE system offers a solution that addresses these challenges directly, as the multi-material welding head enables the processing of up to three different wire materials within a single build — a solution that is ‘practical, flexible, and ready for real-world applications’.
“Using an integrated and stable process, material combinations can be realised without changing the system — and the welding head opens new possibilities for repair applications. Wear or damaged areas can be selectively restored using material-optimised combinations; for example, by depositing function-specific materials onto existing components, repairs, reinforcements, and local material modifications can be implemented efficiently, reproducibly, and without extensive retooling.
“As a result, customers benefit from: expanded design freedom through multi-material concepts; high flexibility for build and repair applications; reduced system and process complexity; and shorter development times from idea to application. Furthermore, the new welding head is available as either a production add-on for the AconityWIRE system or as a stand-alone process module for flexible integration into existing machines.”
Aconity3D also says the new multi-material welding head is already being used successfully. “At the
Rosenheim University of Applied Sciences, the welding head is used for research, process development, and multi-material applications. Here, material combinations are tested, processes are validated, and research results are transferred into application-oriented scenarios, thereby demonstrating that multi-material welding is no longer purely a research topic, but is ready for practical application.”