For centuries, complex parts have been made by removing material. The process involves many steps, creates extensive waste, and requires consumable tooling that becomes costly over time. With revolutionary additive manufacturing equipment from Michigan Custom Machines, these inefficiencies are subtracted from your workflow.
What is additive manufacturing?
Additive manufacturing, or AM, is a transformative approach to industrial production that enables the creation of lighter, stronger parts and systems. Sometimes called 3D printing or rapid prototyping, the process leverages computer-aided-design software or 3D object scanners to direct hardware to deposit material, layer upon layer, in precise geometric shapes.
Compared to traditional production methods, AM changes the way products are designed and built. This has enormous benefits to companies ready to fast-track additive manufacturing into their production process.
Reduces Material Waste
By name, additive manufacturing involves methodically adding material until a part is created. It begins by placing a base layer of material, then adding subsequent layers until the design is realized. There is no discarded material, except for the occasional burr.
Eliminate Fabrication Steps
With traditional manufacturing, making complex components requires multiple machining processes. Time to manufacture is long, and labor is high. Additive manufacturing produces piece parts at one time, saving money and time.
Affordable Prototyping
Subtractive manufacturing operation is costly, which makes one-off items or small batches expensive. With additive manufacturing, creating 3D prototypes is significantly cheaper and faster. Often called rapid prototyping services, you’re able to make necessary design adjustments, print a new part, and determine whether the updated object meets requirements.
Less Inventory Space Required
Traditional manufacturing requires a warehouse full of raw materials or premade parts to get started. If the design is updated, those parts are nonconforming. With additive manufacturing, products are made on-demand.
Supports Complex Designs
Lattices provide strength and cut weight, but they’re challenging to create with traditional manufacturing methods. Intricate structures are easy to produce using additive manufacturing.
Your expertise is manufacturing, ours is machine building
Michigan Custom Machines is a leading designer and builder of turnkey machinery for production and lab environments. Our custom additive manufacturing equipment combines best-in-class tooling and software into an easy-to-use fabrication solution, helping professionals take designs from concept to finished product.
We can make additive manufacturing equipment to suit your application. The process begins with a consultation. A data-driven approach is utilized to meet your production goals, ergonomic requirements, and workflow needs. Expert project managers keep you in the loop every step of the journey.
The American Society for Testing and Materials, or ASTM, recognizes seven methods of additive manufacturing. We can incorporate any of them into your custom 3D printing equipment.
- Vat Photopolymerization
- Material Jetting
- Binder Jetting
- Material Extrusion
- Powder Bed Fusion
- Sheet Lamination
- Directed Energy Deposition
Quality materials, better results
Since additive manufacturing constructs components or assemblies by applying layers of material, the substances used are essential. Types used in 3D printing services are:
- Stainless Steel
- Tool Steel
- Copper
- Inconel
- Plastics With Carbon Fiber, Nylon, And Fiberglass
To improve properties such as surface quality, geometrical accuracy, and mechanical properties, post-processing and finishing of components produced with additive manufacturing techniques is often needed. With Michigan Custom Machines-built equipment, you can offer the following:
- Full-Color Finishes
- Plastic Finishes
- Metal Finishes
Your custom additive manufacturing equipment solutions provider
Michigan Custom Machines has constructed custom additive manufacturing machines and processing equipment for clients in many industries, including aerospace, automotive, medical, and industrial. Our core competencies include:
- Custom Machine Designing
- Custom Machine Building
- Machine Installation
- Equipment Remanufacturing
- Total Process Solutions
From tailor-made rapid prototyping equipment to upgrading existing machinery to accommodate new 3D printing services, Michigan Custom Machines is ready to help fast-track additive manufacturing into your process.
Give us a call for more information about our additive manufacturing equipment building capabilities.