Posted to News on 23rd Aug 2017, 17:08
Renishaw to showcase manufacturing solutions at TCT Show
Engineering and scientific company Renishaw will showcase its end-to-end innovative manufacturing solutions for a range of industries, including automotive, consumer goods and healthcare at next month's TCT Show (NEC, Birmingham, September 26-28). The event is collocated with Interplas and PPMA.
Highlights on the Renishaw stand will include the RenAM 500M metal additive manufacturing system, with laser powder bed fusion technology, designed and built in-house by Renishaw for series part production; Renishaw vacuum casting; the race-winning TransFIORmers Moto2 bike and HiETA Technologies heat exchange solutions.
The TransFIORmers Moto2 bike features an unconventional front suspension system with an innovative 3D printed wishbone. The weight of the component was reduced by a factor of 40 per cent whilst increasing stiffness. Renishaw AM technology was also used by HiETA to prove out and produce sufficiently thin walls for a light weighted heat exchange component for a micro turbine which acts as a range extender in an electric car.
Improving the design process
"Additive manufacturing is already improving the automotive design process and increasing the number of lighter, stronger and improved products," said Stephen Crownshaw, Additive Manufacturing Business Manager at Renishaw. "In the motorsport industry, having a rapid turnaround of prototype parts can be a competitive advantage. By using metal additive manufacturing, new functional parts can be produced and tested quickly."
The world's first metal 3D printed bicycle frame, manufactured by Renishaw for Empire Cycles, will be exhibited alongside the Robot Bike R160 customisable titanium and carbon mountain bike frame. The R160 features titanium lugs with double lap joints which would be difficult to produce by traditional methods, but are considered ideally suited for manufacture on Renishaw metal AM systems.
A range of Renishaw healthcare solutions including dental and medical metal 3D printed parts will also be highlighted. Renishaw metal additive manufacturing systems are used to produce a diverse range of parts for healthcare from dental structures and craniomaxillofacial implants through to ports for neurological therapies.
