As for FalconTech’s part of the bargain, it will be setting up an Additive Manufacturing Solutions Centre near its home base in Wuxi, which will be equipped with Renishaw’s additive manufacturing systems and supported by its manufacturing solutions know-how.
“This is an exciting new chapter for Renishaw in terms of our commitment to delivering the best solutions in additive manufacturing to key industries,” said Paul Gallagher, Managing Director/Vice President of Renishaw (Hong Kong) Ltd., after the agreement signing ceremony. “The combination of FalconTech’s knowledge of aerospace and its existing capabilities, combined with Renishaw’s leading edge technology and manufacturing expertise, gives us a dynamic partnership to provide the latest and most effective manufacturing solutions.”
The new AM Solutions Centre will allow FalconTech to quickly deploy Renishaw’s metal additive manufacturing technology throughout China, in an accessible way. In addition to a dedicated Renishaw additive manufacturing system, access to Renishaw’s technicians and engineers, and direct data transfer from a non-networked computer to the printer, the Centre will have a secure, access-controlled incubator cell, optional access to metrology and material analysis and finishing processes, and dedicated powder handling accessories to ensure purity.
“We are excited to be a Renishaw Solutions Centre partner in China,” said Mr. Shen Yu Lan, Managing Director of FalconTech Co., Ltd. “Combining FalconTech’s expertise in aerospace with Renishaw’s technology and manufacturing expertise, the Additive Manufacturing Solutions Centre can create a platform on which we can work in close partnership with customers to help them realise the benefits of AM in their products and manufacturing processes.”
Over the next year and a half, FalconTech will also be buying a total of ten RenAM 500M metal additive manufacturing systems, Renishaw’s first fully designed and engineered additive manufacturing system for industrial production. The laser powder bed fusion additive manufacturing system was specifically designed for the purpose of producing metal components in a factory, and has a build volume of 250 x 250 x 350 mm.
The system has a large, 19″ touchscreen user interface, with intuitive machine control software, and for easy navigation, the process steps of the build set-up workflow are illustrated by large icons, similar to a Windows operating system. Additionally, the RenAM 500M has a patented, high-capacity dual SafeChange filter system: in order for process emissions to be captured efficiently and quickly, the smart control system actively senses the filter’s condition, and automatically redirects the gas circuit to the clean filter before deteriorating process conditions begin. The user is alerted to change the filter housing and replace the cartridge, and then go on about their business, knowing that builds will be able to run for a long time in a controlled, stable atmosphere.
The first three RenAM 500M machines will be installed at the FalconTech-operated Renishaw AM Solutions Centre by the end of July. Discuss in the Renishaw forum at 3DPB.com.