Considering the dense and high-strength metals the aerospace sector uses, they always need to be on top of their game when it comes to tools. This is especially the case when cutting titanium, which is light but showcases the highest strength among non-alloy metals. This also makes it pretty difficult to form into desirable parts while retaining favourable properties. This is why a 3D printed milling cutter is making waves at the Avalon International Airshow, netting its creator a sizeable $15,000 innovation prize. The steel tool presents a very cheap solution to a common industrial cutting problem.
PhD candidate Jimmy Toton from RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia, is the creator in question. He has just won the 2019 Young Defence Innovator Award along with the monetary rewards for his research. “Now that we’ve shown what’s possible, the full potential of 3D printing can start being applied to this industry, where it could improve productivity and tool life while reducing cost,” Toton said.
The project took shape over at RMIT’s Advanced Manufacturing Precinct. Toton and his research team developed the high-performance cutting tools using the facility’s Laser Metal Deposition technologies. The products benefited from the complex internal and external structures that this form of additive manufacturing allows. And so they could produce a powerful tool while cutting costs in both the materials and the supply chain.
3D Printing & Industrial Tooling
The 3D printed milling cutter is not just an impressive device because of what it can do. It’s also representative of a shift in how the defence and aerospace industries think of tooling. Digital designs and in-house printing capabilities may change the game in this regard.
Toton conducted the research with Defence Materials Technology Centre (DMTC) and industry partner Sutton Tools. It makes sense such companies are showing an interest in this tool considering the implications. It has the potential for changing the way the Australian market can operate in local and global supply networks. Far flung countries are often beholden to suppliers and their schedules, but 3D printing can simplify the entire process, by producing parts on-site and on-demand.
“Manufacturers need to take full advantage of these new opportunities to become or remain competitive, especially in cases where manufacturing costs are high,” Toton said.
Equipment costs, breakdowns and deliveries can be burdensome to many a company. Especially, if we’re considering a single part in a vast machine ecosystem. Thus, it can be beneficial for companies to develop the parts themselves or somewhere local rather than relying on suppliers. According to Toton ideas like a 3D printed milling cutter may save companies “tens, if not hundreds, of millions of dollars”.
Featured image courtesy of RMIT University.
