Renishaw's advanced engineering products at EuroMold 2013

Renishaw's laser melting technology is a process which is capable of producing fully dense, complex parts from a range of metal powders, including tool steel, aluminium, titanium and inconel. The additive manufacturing technology involves fusing the metal powder in layer thicknesses ranging from 20 to 100 microns using a high-powered yterrbium fibre laser. The process is digitally driven, direct from 3D CAD data.

Renishaw is contributing its knowledge in additive manufacturing to create key prototype parts for the BLOODHOUND Supersonic Car, which will attempt to break the 1000mph speed barrier during summer 2015. One of the most critical components is the nose tip for the car, which is subject to forces as high as 12 tonnes per square metre. To cope with such loadings, a prototype tip has been designed in titanium and will be bonded to BLOODHOUND's carbon fibre monocoque body which forms the front-half of the car.

Dan Johns, lead engineer at BLOODHOUND SSC responsible for materials, process and technologies, says: "We believe that the key benefit of using an additive manufacturing process to produce the nose tip is the ability to create a hollow, but highly rigid titanium structure, and to vary the wall thickness of the tip to minimise weight. To machine this component conventionally would be extremely challenging, result in design compromises, and waste as much as 95 per cent of the expensive raw material."

Following the acquisition of LBC Laser Bearbeitungs Center GmbH in May 2013, Renishaw is now able to offer additional additive manufacturing services, including design and simulation, and the contract manufacture of metal prototypes and production parts. LBC was established in 2002, and specialises in conformally cooled mould tools and tool inserts for injection moulding and die-casting applications.

Find out more about additive manufacturing systems and services at www.renishaw.com.