PM - Blanko€¦ · Web viewAviation industry: Laser melting with metals (LaserCUSING) Expert...

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█ Aviation industry: Laser melting with metals (LaserCUSING)

Expert panel:

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Claus Emmelmann, CEO, Laser Zentrum Nord GmbH, Hamburg

Frank Herzog, CEO, Concept Laser GmbH, Lichtenfels

Peter Sander, Head of Emerging Technologies & Concepts, Airbus, Hamburg

Laser melting with metals in Aircraft manufacturing: 3D printing enables "bionic" aircraft designs

A component used in the Airbus A350 XWB was a finalist in the running for the "2014 German Industry Innovation Award"

A first: the first titanium component produced using 3D printing onboard the Airbus A350 XWB

Interview 08-2014 Volume: Words: 4.185 | Letters: 23.475

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Lichtenfels, August 20, 2014: Laser melting with metals gains importance in aircraft manufacturing: quicker throughput times, more cost-effective components and heretofore unimaginable freedom of design are often-cited advantages of this technology. However, a range of new benefits are now becoming apparent, such as lightweight construction, bionics and a new approach to design. A bracket connector used in the Airbus A350 XWB was honored as a finalist in the running for the "2014 German Industry Innovation Award."

Previously the component was a milled part made of aluminum (Al); now it is a printed

part made of titanium (Ti). Naturally it is significantly lighter than it used to be. But what

does the change in manufacturing strategy mean for aircraft manufacturing in the future,

in terms of prospects and technology? It should also be mentioned that industry insiders

expect global aircraft manufacturing capacity to double over the next 20 years. We

spoke with the project partners:

Editor: Recently we have been hearing about "composite aircraft" and now additive

manufacturing technologies, such as laser melting with metals and laser sintering of

polymers, are being employed in aircraft manufacturing. How does this change the

design of structural elements used in aircraft?

Peter Sander: Our primary objective is to reduce weight. This approach helps our

customers, the airlines, operate their aircraft more economically. Additive layer

manufacturing or laser melting with metals, also known simply as 3D printing, allows us

to design completely new structures. They are actually more than 30% lighter than

conventional designs realized using casting or milling processes. Another factor is that

we can proceed directly from 3D designs to the printer, that is, the laser melting system.


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Usually tools are required to manufacture aircraft parts – this is now no longer the case

for us. This saves money and shortens the time until the component is available for use

by up to 75%. To cite an impressive statistic: previously we budgeted around six months

to develop a component – now, it's down to one month.

Claus Emmelmann: The advantages for structural elements used in aircraft are

obvious. The high degree of geometrical freedom of design enables more effective

lightweight construction solutions compared to conventional approaches. For the

brackets we're currently focusing on, this means a considerable weight reduction, which

in turn translates into lower fuel consumption and the potential to increase the load

capacity of aircraft. These represent important steps toward more sustainable solutions.

Editor: How does the additive process change project processes?

Claus Emmelmann: That's a good question, since it's not only the weight of the

component that has changed. Project processes can also benefit from the

characteristics of laser additive manufacturing. Since tools are not required in the

process, it's now possible at an early stage to produce functional samples of

components that are very close to being ready for series production without incurring the

high cost of tools or other pre-production expenses. This means that sources of error

can be identified in the early stages of the design process, which allows for optimization

of processes within the project as a whole.

Editor: What are some of the effects that result from transitioning from milled or cast

components to printed components?


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Peter Sander: Milling of aircraft parts in particular results in up to 95% recyclable waste.

With laser melting, we produce components with "near-final contours," which are

associated with waste of only around 5%. This makes the process especially attractive

when valuable and expensive aircraft materials, such as titanium, are being used.

Compared to casting, we have the additional advantage of not requiring any foundry

tools. This is tangibly reflected in saved time and improved cost structures. Furthermore,

additional safety considerations are associated with cast parts, such as cavities. Last

but not least, they are heavier than printed components.

Frank Herzog: In addition to reduced resource consumption, the freedom of design

enjoyed by aircraft engineers is also quite attractive. The ability to economically keep

component density under control and determine the microstructure quality are additional

aspects. Another fundamental quality feature is the ability to define the force distribution

within the component, which is often impossible with conventional parts or is

considerably more difficult to achieve. This is an important argument when it comes to

safety-related components. Our QM modules integrated into the system technology

allows users to take advantage of real-time, inline quality control. Process mapping is a

key tool for ensuring quality. This makes reverse engineering possible and serves to

seamlessly document the process. Let's also consider the environmental aspects.

Reduced energy and resource consumption are features of the laser melting process.

LaserCUSING is a green technology and improves the often discussed environmental

footprint of production.

Claus Emmelmann: The process generally results in positive effects for manufacturing

costs for small to medium-sized unit quantities. For instance, the comparatively higher

relative investment costs for casting molds are eliminated, as well as any costs for tools

that may be required. Furthermore, laser additive manufacturing offers greater freedom


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of design, since undercuts and interior channels, e.g. for cooling, can be implemented

during manufacturing. Previously unimaginable geometries can be combined with

functionalities. Moreover, the material properties are slightly different. Materials

produced using laser additive manufacturing have greater rigidity while at the same

time, less ductility; this can be enhanced with the right heat treatment, however.

Editor: What potential applications do 3D printing techniques offer for aircraft

manufacturing and structural elements used in aircraft?

Peter Sander: Two areas need to be considered in this connection: process

optimization, on one hand and product design, on the other. For us, process

optimization means that we no longer require any foundry, injection molding or pre-

production tools. We can print components directly from the 3D design system. This

reduces our throughput time by up to 75%, with considerably lower one-off expenses.

It's easy to imagine how attractive this is for us, especially for series with few and very

few units. Lot size considerations are more significant in aircraft manufacturing than for

high-volume production, as is familiar in the automotive and consumer sectors. For

example, we installed several tons of test equipment in the first test aircraft. This

required thousands of Flight Test Installation (FTI) brackets, to be produced in very

small unit quantities. Spare parts are an additional, exciting area. In the future we will be

able to manufacture them close to where they're needed, without tools and on an "on

demand" basis – instead of having to finance large warehouses to store rarely needed

spare parts all around the world. This reduces capital commitment while providing huge

flexibility. And now, regarding the second point, component or product design: since with

laser melting we can manufacture very fine – even bone-like – porous structures, the

aircraft parts of the future will look "bionic." Nature has optimized functional and

lightweight construction principles over millions of years, minimizing the amount of


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resources required in clever ways. We are currently investigating and analyzing these

solutions found in nature with regard to their applicability. Initial prototypes indicate great

potential in this approach. The process is expected to launch a sort of paradigm shift in

design and production.

Frank Herzog: From the perspective of system manufacturers and process developers,

the process enables users to significantly augment productivity while offering numerous

options for automation. The size of components has also been significantly increased

thanks to the qualification of the 1000W laser technology. The use of multiple lasers will

play a role in the future. By relying on "intelligent exposure strategies," the laser can

apply layers to a component in a strategic manner in order to produce custom

characteristics in terms of structure, rigidity and surface quality. The quality and speed in

this area offer considerable potential to aircraft manufacturers.

Editor: In terms of lightweight construction and bionics, the weight reduction appears to

be a clear advantage. Nevertheless, at what point does the technology reach its limits

for safety-relevant components?

Peter Sander: Generally speaking, there are no compromises in aircraft construction,

since safety is the prime concern. Especially when one considers that our products

remain in the skies for up to 30 years. When it comes to metals in aircraft construction,

welding is the most common process. Aircraft manufacturers have long been familiar

with it. From experience, we know how welded components must be handled to satisfy

the high safety requirements. However, we still have to learn how best to take

advantage of implementing the new geometrical freedom in component design. Toward

that end, we will have to perform many structural tests and trials over the coming years.

The result will be a novel "bionic" aircraft design, I'm sure of it.


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Claus Emmelmann: Currently, certain limits are definitely reached in terms of

compromises in surface quality. These are comparable to those evident in cast

components, however. These phenomena result in considerably reduced fatigue

strength, especially with titanium. Yet precisely this parameter is essential for structural

components in aircraft manufacturing, which are exposed to high stress. Nevertheless,

downstream surface treatments, such as those using microwave radiation, can

significantly increase fatigue strength when combined with proper heat treatment.

Ultimately, values comparable to those of rolled material can be achieved when

necessary.

Editor: What physical loads or stresses are aircraft exposed to?

Peter Sander: In addition to basic static stresses, aircraft are exposed to extreme

temperature fluctuations during ground and flight operations, for example. The most

significant, however, are the permanent loads that demand the maximum from the

affected parts. These include takeoffs and landings, as well as flight operation with

permanent turbulence which can lead to several meters of deflection at the wing tips. In

short, aircraft are exposed to stresses that can be extreme in nature, and which must

always be withstood.

Claus Emmelmann: I would like to add something. While aircraft are indeed exposed to

a wide range of extremely complex load spectrums, only static loads are relevant when

it comes to designing support structures, such as brackets. This facilitates

implementation of this technology, which is still in its infancy, in aircraft manufacturing.


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Editor: What methods or instruments do you use to monitor and/or validate processes

with the LaserCUSING?

Peter Sander: As an aircraft manufacturer, monitoring during the component's

construction phase is one of the most important aspects for industrial applications. In

practice, the "Inline Process Monitoring" provided by the QMmeltpool QM Module from

Concept Laser means that the system uses a camera and photo diode to monitor the

process within a very small area of 1x1 mm². The process is then documented.

Frank Herzog: Mr. Sander has referred to a very important aspect here. QMmeltpool,

QMcoating, QMpowder and QMlaser modules are the fundamental instruments we rely

on for active quality assurance while the component is being manufactured. They

measure laser output, the melt bath, the layer structure of the metal powder and monitor

and document the entire manufacturing process seamlessly. An additional aspect is the

capability to work in a closed system, which guarantees that the process remains free of

particles and contamination. The decisive factor is that all disruptive influences that

could negatively influence the process can be eliminated. It's accurate to call this a

regulated manufacturing process that provides repetition accuracy and process

reliability. As mechanical engineers and system manufacturers, our task is to deliver

seamless validation of the systems and peripherals.

Claus Emmelmann: We use the QMmeltpool and QMatmosphere quality management

software in our M2 cusing system from Concept Laser. This now enables us to monitor

and document key data, such as laser parameters, melt pool parameters, as well as the

composition of the inert gas atmosphere. This effectively eliminates disruptions due to

contamination. Furthermore, as part of a research project we are developing our own

quality management concept based on optical coherence tomography.


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Editor: Can you describe the approaches to quality management in more detail?

Frank Herzog: We are constantly improving our Quality Management Modules, "QM

Modules" for short, in order to set the standard in terms of prediction quality and

operability, as well as influencing the ongoing construction process. There are currently

25 development engineers working in the laboratory at our new development center,

where they analyze the microstructures of components, and test for rigidity and density

distribution. They use microscopy to understand what is happening at the atomic level.

Materials expertise is an essential tool to offer users security and safety. As a pioneer in

this technology, we have decisively improved the quality of technology over the past 15

years. Penetration of the aviation, aerospace and medical technology industries has

only been possible thanks to such improvements. Application-specific approvals

represent additional quality features that we are working on in a strategic manner.

Editor: Does the additive manufacturing approach change the thinking around design in

aircraft manufacturing? If yes, how is this evident?

Peter Sander: To me, the "freedom of design" stands out: the degree of design freedom

with which we can determine the force distribution in the component with great precision

at the Laser Zentrum Nord thanks to CAD design. The next generation of aircraft

engineers will understand 3D printing and all the opportunities it brings in greater depth.

Thinking around design and production is currently changing. I would also call it a

paradigm shift, as Mr. Sander has already indicated. We should also remember that

resistance to new things is only slowly overcome. Our production engineers are

currently well-trained in casting and milling, so we need new insight and experience.

Last but not least, some advocacy work has to be done in the form of practical examples


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we can point to in aircraft manufacturing. In general, laser melting technology is capable

of developing safety-related components that are even better, lighter and more durable

than the components available today.

Claus Emmelmann: Within the scope of various projects already completed for Airbus,

we have been able to determine that the opportunities presented by laser additive

manufacturing have fundamentally led to new ways of thinking and lightweight

construction solutions. Especially with regard to structurally optimized components,

which generally have a high degree of geometrical complexity, it is possible to

implement the form in a very direct way to achieve a high degree of lightweight

construction. In the past, compromises with lightweight construction have been

necessary due to the restrictions of conventional manufacturing – restrictions we are

now able to elegantly avoid.

Editor: Spare parts for civil aviation aircraft are considered cost-intensive and a

logistical challenge due to their long lifecycles. Spare parts experts have to meet the

challenges of global availability, warehouse stock, lifecycle and time pressure. How can

additive manufacturing improve this situation?

Peter Sander: Since February of this year, Air Transat in Montreal has been flying with

the first spare part printed and delivered by Airbus. The former manufacturer of the

injection-molded part for a Cabin Attendant Seat in an A300/310 was no longer

available; the tools had been scrapped. At that time, the question we faced was whether

to invest in new tools, at a cost of US 36,000, or to take advantage of 3D printing. By

using the laser melting process, we were able to offer the part at a cheaper price from

the outset, without tool costs. As a result, we no longer store hundreds of parts in

warehouses, but instead, going forward we will operate decentralized spare parts


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printing centers and only manufacture plastic spare parts when they are requested. A

similar strategy is being pursued for metal components.

Frank Herzog: The example given by Mr. Sander is analogous to the situation for laser

melting with metals. Additive manufacturing is generally characterized by various

aspects: decentralized, rapid turnaround, quick time from implementation to the finished

component. It allows for lower logistics and warehousing costs. It uses fewer resources

than conventional manufacturing methods, which makes it a green technology. Even

production-on-demand is possible, as was discussed. We also have to consider the

small lot sizes common in aircraft manufacturing, which are another factor in favor of an

additive process. With regard to the safety aspects of components, engineers are

discovering that 3D printing offers many answers to problems posed by force

absorption, the required durability, high quality standards and bionic design.

Claus Emmelmann: I also regard supplying spare parts for aircraft construction as a

high-potential area. It will be possible to hugely improve materials and warehousing

costs. I would say that the decentralized factor addressed by Mr. Herzog is the real key

advantage. In case of a component failure, the spare part can be produced directly

where it is needed. This minimizes transport distances and above all, delivery times,

leading to shortened aircraft overhaul times.

Editor: What is the perspective of aircraft manufacturers on resource protection and

green technologies?

Claus Emmelmann: I can only underscore the importance of those topics. In

conventional manufacturing using milling processes, the blanks are produced from plate

material. In extreme cases, this can produce up to 95 % recyclable waste. In laser


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melting, the process produces parts with near-final contours, which means we only

produce around 5 % waste. But even this waste can be reused after undergoing a

screen sorting process. In aircraft manufacturing, we work with the "buy to fly" ratio, and

90 % is a fantastic figure. Naturally, this figure is also reflected in the energy balance

sheet.

Editor: What general changes have 3D strategies produced in aircraft manufacturing, in

your opinion?

Peter Sander: Initial studies show that the number of manufacturing steps necessary

has been cut in half, since the process yields blanks with near-final contours. Welded

components composed of multiple parts are also attractive, as they can now be

manufactured "in a single process" without welding equipment. Additive 3D printing is

enabling new, more rapid speeds for component development and the construction

process, drastically shortening previous development timelines. The cost structure of

our projects is also changing significantly. The new approach has also allowed

lightweight construction to develop further. And it is leading to new design perspectives,

which will be evident in the different geometries used.

Claus Emmelmann: Since we do not require any special tools or clamps for the

additive manufacturing process, we can produce the component directly from the 3D

CAD data. This time factor ensures that in many cases we can work considerably faster

than with conventional manufacturing processes. Speaking of production costs: if the

direct cost of manufacturing a milled component is compared with the cost of

manufacturing the same component using laser additive manufacturing, the additive

process is usually found to be less cost-effective. However, when the components are

redesigned and improved thanks to the new design possibilities, e.g. by making them


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lighter or with higher functional performance characteristics, there are already many

examples of circumstances in which the use of additive manufacturing processes offers

cost advantages.

Editor: What opportunities do you see for integrating various functions, such as cooling

functions, into the components of the future?

Peter Sander: Similar to aircraft structures, we are currently rethinking the entirety of

aircraft systems. We are facing a new continent of opportunities and options, so to

speak. We need maps of the unknown terrain before us, as it were; in other words,

experience and production strategies. We already have all of that for conventional

processes. But here we are entering new territory, one with fascinating opportunities on

the horizon. Initial prototypes produced in our development work show significant

potential in terms of reducing costs and weight. Functional integration is one of the

possible new options. I am convinced that we will make good progress toward producing

safety-related components in better and more cost-effective ways.

Frank Herzog: Laser melting is synonymous with functional integration and added

value. Added value is evident in superior component quality. Close contour cooling in

tool construction for injection molding is one such application that we've initiated over

the past decade. In aviation, these cooled elements can be used for electronic systems

or hydraulic components. In terms of aircraft design, future components can strategically

accommodate the force vectors.

Claus Emmelmann: The capability of producing entire assemblies as a single piece

and of integrating additional functions into a component are among the major

advantages of laser additive manufacturing. Laser additive manufacturing will therefore


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continue to increase in importance, especially in areas in which we exploit the geometric

freedom of design and functional integration capability. Yet the options enabled by this

freedom of design should be taken into account early on in the design process in order

to differentiate it from conventional production strategies. Currently design and

development often fail due to lack of knowledge of the capabilities of this production

process on the part of engineers and production experts.

Editor: Aircraft manufacturing is characterized by very long lifecycles and comparatively

low batch sizes. What effects does this have on additive manufacturing strategies?

Claus Emmelmann: The comparatively small unit quantities involved in aircraft

manufacturing favor laser additive manufacturing techniques. The additive

manufacturing process does not allow us to take advantage of any economies of scale,

as is the case for other production methods. In concrete terms, this means that the unit

costs change only very slightly as production volume increases. Conversely,

conventional production methods, such as pressure casting, are more cost-efficient for

producing large unit quantities.

Frank Herzog: I agree. The lot size aspect, along with safety considerations and

durability constitute a special profile of requirements for aircraft manufacturing. The

strengths of laser melting also lie here: no tools required, production-on-demand, rapid,

cost-effective, high quality.

Peter Sander: Let's consider two aspects, namely quality, which is ensured through

inline process monitoring, as well as geometrical freedom, which is achieved through

being able to dispense with the aids that form the contours of parts; these make aircraft


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components produced using 3D printing with metals better, lighter, more rapidly

available and most importantly, safer – not to mention the cost advantages.

Editor: Critics say that the restrictions in terms of assembly space size curtail the

opportunities. On the other hand, proponents say that conventional assembly and

joining techniques mean that this in and of itself is not a real limitation. How do you

assess this discussion?

Peter Sander: Only the future will tell. Yet one thing is already clear to us at this early

stage: the material in question can be welded. This opens up the possibility of welding

together various components, which in turn means that joining techniques will be

employed to good effect.

Frank Herzog: I would agree, as this topic is still in flux. In the past, we have managed

to increase the assembly space by up to 700 %. Laser output has been increased to

1000 W while the assembly speed for aluminum parts has been accelerated by a factor

of 10 to 15, to cite only a few key figures. In my view, which is shared by many users,

this represents fantastic progress. With very large components, the internal stresses in

the part increase due to the nature of the process. This tendency to warp sets certain

limits. Ultimately it's not the assembly spaces that set the limits, but rather the task is to

explore the physical limits. The limits can be expanded further with an intelligent joining

technique, I'm convinced of it. In this sense, assembly techniques could play an

important role for large components that are to be manufactured cost-effectively. This

makes it possible to develop components with large volumes and extremely long

components that extend beyond the assembly space sizes offered by laser melting

systems themselves.


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Claus Emmelmann: In general, development of systems toward larger assembly

spaces is to be endorsed. Joining of individually produced substructures to form larger

components is technically possible, however this means that additional production

restrictions have to be taken into account for the component as a whole. In my view, this

restricts the design freedom of laser additive manufacturing. We should also note that

production costs are essentially determined by component production volume.

Therefore, from a cost-effectiveness standpoint, smaller components that can be

manufactured with the systems already available on the market are more worthwhile.

But that's the perspective of today; it can change in the future, of course.

Editor: What components produced using additive manufacturing are conceivable in

aircraft manufacturing over the next decade?

Peter Sander: If development continues in a similar manner, I see no technical

restrictions. The decision will then ultimately be based on cost-effectiveness and on the

industrial availability of metal powders and high-speed machines.

Claus Emmelmann: We won't be printing complete aircraft, even in ten years. But I'm

confident that in the future laser additive manufacturing will be capable of producing

increasingly larger and more complex components in a cost-effective manner. This will

be possible thanks to the rapid pace at which the system technology is being further

developed, and the increased productivity associated with such advances. I see great

potential in particular for structural components with dimensions of up to one meter, as

well as for engine components.

Reprint permitted - copy requested


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Captions █████████████████████████████████████████████

Caption 1: Cabin bracket for the Airbus A350 XWB made of Ti, manufactured using

LaserCUSING

Caption 2: Airbus A350

Caption 3: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Claus Emmelmann, Laser Zentrum Nord: "I see great potential

in particular for structural components with dimensions of up to one meter, as well as for

engine components."

Caption 4: Peter Sander, Airbus: "If development continues in a similar manner, I see no

technical restrictions. The decision will then ultimately be based on cost-effectiveness

and on the industrial availability of metal powders and high-speed machines."

Caption 5: Frank Herzog, Concept Laser: "We are constantly improving our patented

Quality Management Modules ("QM Modules") in order to set the standard in terms of

prediction quality and operability, as well as influencing the ongoing construction

process."

Caption 6: "Inline Process Monitoring" with the QMmeltpool QM module: The system

uses a camera and photo diode to monitor the process within a very small area of 1x1

mm². The process is then documented.


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Caption 7: Active quality assurance using QMmeltpool: although the human eye is

incapable of detecting defects, QMmeltpool nevertheless identifies deviations in

component quality

Caption 8: Demonstration of a series construction job with deviating QMmeltpool

signals: reducing laser output (purple line), dosing factor deviations (blue line) and

series construction job (rest of the lines – in red and green)

Caption 9: QMcoating: without QMcoating, the layer may be insufficiently coated (the

red areas indicate a lack of powder material); with the QMcoating approach, however,

the powder dosing factor is adjusted within the tolerance range

Caption 10: QMcoating: Use of QMcoating can save up to 25% of the powder quantity

required compared to manual operation (potential savings = shaded area)

Image source for images 1, 2, 4: Airbus Image source for image 3: Laser Zentrum Nord GmbHImage source for all other images: Concept Laser GmbH, Lichtenfels

Concept Laser trade fair appearances ████████████████████

TCT, Birmingham (UK) 09/30 - 10/02/2014Jimtof, Tokyo (Japan) 10/30 - 11/05/2014Euromold, Frankfurt (Germany) 11/25 - 11/28/2014


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Contact ███████████████████████████████████████████████████

Concept Laser GmbHAn der Zeil 8

D-96215 Lichtenfels

Germany

Phone +49 (0)9571.1679 - 0

Website: www.concept-laser.de

Press contacts:

Concept Laser GmbHDaniel Hund

Marketing Manager

Phone: +49 (0) 9571 1679 - 251

E-mail: [email protected]

Airbus DeutschlandAirbus Communications,

Hamburg,

Phone: +49 (0) 40 743 - 72336

LZN Laser Zentrum Nord GmbHZeynep Aldogan

Phone: +49 (0) 40 484010 - 810

E-mail: [email protected]


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http://www.concept-laser.de/

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

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Overview █████████████████████████████████

About Concept LaserConcept Laser GmbH is an independent company from Lichtenfels, Germany. Since its founding

in 2000, it has been a leading innovator in the field of laser melting with the patented

LaserCUSING® technology across many industries.

The term LaserCUSING®, a combination of the C from CONCEPT Laser and the word FUSING

(to fully melt) describes the technology: the fusing process generates components layer by layer

using 3D CAD data.

The method allows the production of complex component geometries without tools to create

parts that are difficult or even impossible to achieve through conventional manufacturing.

With the LaserCUSING® process, conformal cooling can be used to create tool inserts as well

as direct components for the jewelry, medical, dental, automotive and aerospace industries. This

applies to prototypes and series parts.

The company offers both standard systems and custom concepts for metal laser melting. With

Concept Laser, full service as an option means that customers can either purchase their own

metal laser melting systems or rely directly on service and development services.

Laser machining systems from Concept Laser process powder materials made from stainless

steel, hot work tool steels, cobalt-chromium alloy, nickel-base alloy as well as reactive powder

materials such as aluminum and titanium alloys. Precious metals such as gold or silver alloys for

jewelry making are also an option.

LaserCUSING® offers new perspectives in terms of cost and speed for efficient product

development in industries such as:

• Jewelry


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• Medical and dental technology

• Aeronautics and space industry

• Tool and mold construction

• Automotive and racing

• Mechanical engineering

The systems reduce development time and costs substantially while offering much greater

flexibility in product development.

The high quality standards, level of experience and successful track record of Concept Laser

guarantee reliable and cost-effective solutions with proven performance in daily production, with

a particular focus on unit cost reductions.

About AIRBUSAirbus is the leading commercial aircraft manufacturer offering the most modern and efficient

passenger aircraft family on the more than 100-seat market. Airbus champions innovative

technologies and offers some of the world’s most fuel efficient and quiet aircraft. In 2013,

Airbus made a turnover of 42 billion euros.

Over the last 40 years, customer focus, commercial know-how, technological leadership and

manufacturing efficiency have propelled Airbus to the forefront of the industry. Airbus – which

now spearheads the newly consolidated “Airbus Group” – today consistently captures about

half of all commercial airliner orders.

Airbus’ comprehensive product line comprises highly successful families of aircraft ranging

from 100 to more than 500 seats: the single-aisle A320 Family, including A320neo, the best-

selling aircraft in aviation history, the wide-body long-range A330 Family (including the freighter

and the A330-based MRTT), the all-new next generation A350 XWB Family and the double-

deck A380. Across all its aircraft families Airbus’ unique approach ensures that aircraft share

the highest commonality in airframes, on-board systems, cockpits and handling characteristics.

This reduces significantly operating costs for airlines.


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Dedicated to assisting airlines enhance the profitability of their fleets, Airbus also delivers a

wide range of customer services in all areas of support, tailored to the needs of individual

operators all over the world.

Airbus employs 72 000 people of which 55 000 at Airbus and 17,000 in its subsidiaries. Even

though it is headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is a truly global enterprise with fully-

owned subsidiaries in the United States, China, Japan, India and in the Middle East, and spare

parts centres in Hamburg, Frankfurt, Washington, Beijing, Dubaï and Singapore. Airbus also

has training centres in Toulouse, Miami, Hamburg, Bangalore and Beijing, and more than 150

field service offices around the world. Airbus also relies on industrial co-operation and

partnerships with major companies all over the world, and a network of some 2,000 suppliers

(for the flying parts alone) in more than 20 countries.

As an industry leader, Airbus strives to be a truly eco-efficient enterprise. To that end Airbus is

the first aeronautics company in the world to have earned the ISO 14001 environmental

certification for all production sites and products for the entire life cycle. Airbus seeks to ensure

that air transport continues to be an eco-efficient means of transport, delivering economic value

while minimizing its environmental impact.

About LZN Laser Zentrum Nord GmbHIn cooperation with industry, research and policy, the LZN Laser Zentrum Nord GmbH (LZN)

was founded by the Institute of Laser and System Technologies in 2009.

The LZN represents an innovative and application-oriented technology transfer center for optical

technologies (OT) and production technologies. The basic idea of the LZN is to establish

innovative process chains built up from design to production and quality assurance. This should

promote for novel applications in the metal and plastic manufacturing for shipbuilding, aircraft

industry, automotive, machine and tool construction and medical technology. This should lead to

an economic and employment growth for companies.


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For the industrial manufacturing the use of Laser received a high priority as an outstanding OT-

tool. In addition to the state-of-the-art scoring methods such as Laser marking, Laser cutting and

Laser joining many procedures have been developed. These systems like Laser Additive Layer

Manufacturing, Laser Abliation and Laser-Remote-Welding are on the threshold of major

industrial applications. But the implementation of these procedures into marketable products is a

considerable business risk especially for small- and medium-sizes enterprises due to the

complexity of production processes and high levels of investment.

To reduce such innovation barriers, the LZN offers in the field of OT-supported production

technologies education, plant and process development, product development and research as

well as consulting.

By establishing the so-called LaserCompetenceFields (LCF) the LZN works for reducing the OT-

innovation barriers. Every LCF represents the entire process chain form the design to the

production up to the quality assurance in its particular industry. For interested companies there

is the opportunity to acquire skills in this novel production structures in order to integrate them

into their business.

These LCF’s are:

AirLAS for the aviation industry,

MedLAS for medical technology,

RoLAS for the automotive and metal sheets parts production,

ShipLAS for shipbuilding,

SynLAS for plastic processing,

ToolLAS for machine and tool construction.

For more information see:

www.lzn-hamburg.de or www.light-alliance-hh.de.


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http://www.light-alliance-hh.de/

http://www.lzn-hamburg.de/

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