GE Research and voxeljet have joined forces under the U.S. Department of Energy’s funding to develop the Advanced Casting Cell (ACC), a large sand binder jet 3D printer. This initiative aligns with the U.S. strategy for clean power-generation.
The partnerships extend to GE Hydro, GE Onshore Wind, GE Offshore Wind, Clemson University, ORNL, and Hodge Foundry. The primary focus of the ACC is to bolster the domestic manufacturing of large metallic near net shape components. The ACC’s deployment is envisioned for crafting sand molds that can be utilized to produce these metallic components.
A critical application of this technology is to manufacture 3D printed sand molds for the nacelle of the GE Haliade-X Offshore Turbine. This process could substantially reduce the manufacturing time from ten weeks to a mere two. As a pointer to the potential market impact, the wind turbine nacelle market valuation stood at $6.6 billion in 2021, with expectations to cross $15 billion by 2029.
“We’re excited to be a part of this future-driven and innovative project,” said Dr. Ingo Ederer, CEO of voxeljet.
“The development and cost-efficient manufacturing of clean power-generation technologies is in high-demand because it is key to meeting and overcoming global climate challenges. We are confident that additive manufacturing, and specifically our large-scale Binder Jetting technology, is the right choice to manufacture complex parts used in these next-generation wind turbines.”
The introduction of the ACC can potentially curtail hydropower costs by a notable 20% and decrease lead times by four months. Additional endeavors include optimizing a 16-ton rotor hub and establishing a robotic welding procedure for a >10-ton Francis runner. Concurrently, an advanced manufacturing curriculum is underway to upskill the local workforce in this 3D printing technique.
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