You might be familiar with the 3D printer. Yes, it is a unique printer that allows you to create a 3D object. However, most of us might know it for art or prototype. The application of 3D printer technology is more than that. Today, you also can find it in various manufacturing industries. One of them is ded additive manufacturing.
What is DED Additive Manufacturing?
DED is short for Direct Energy Deposition. It represents the laser technology used in this printing. The standard 3D printer uses heat elements to melt the 3D filament. However, the DED additive printer needs a laser, which produces a much higher heat temperature. The laser is necessary because DED printers use metal materials that need high heat to melt and shape.
Laser is the standard heating element for DED additive manufacturing. However, it is not only limited to this technology. Some DED printers also use electron beams or plasma arcs to provide enough heat to melt the metal material. The material itself comes in the form of metal powder or wire, similar to the filament you can find on the standard 3D printer.
However, the powder type is proved to be less efficient than filament. In many cases, the printer can only melt parts of it and the rest of the powder gets mixed into the melted material, creating a not-so-reliable result. Therefore, most of the industry uses wire material to get better efficiency.
How Does It Work?
It is similar to the standard 3D Printer. The first part is creating a 3D model using 3D software. Then, use that model to start printing. The material, either a metal powder or wire, will enter the nozzle onto a base where it will be injected into the printing platform. Then, the DED printer will melt the material with a laser, electron beam, or plasma arc and apply it to the printing area.
For the DED that uses an electron beam, the printing process must be performed in a vacuum area. It is necessary to prevent any interaction between electrons and air molecules that can deflect the electron and reduce the heating process efficiency.
Conclusion
The DED printer is one of the most effective manufacturing tools you can find today. It doesn’t require too many parts to build a product or item. Therefore, we can call it one of the best additive manufacturing solutions. It will become an integral part of the future manufacturing industry.