30.12.2020 - Aluminium Association
A looped cycle of additive production has been created based on the Institute of Light Materials and Technologies (ILM&T), which is a member of the Aluminium Association. The investment in resources and facilities at the Additive Technology Centre amounted to EUR 3.5 million.
It became possible to launch the full production cycle at the company's own research and development centre due to the opening of the additive powder manufacturing site and the installation of new equipment including an atomiser and powder sizing and packaging line.
The additive powder production site has German equipment, but the powder processing system is domestic.
Opening the new site will enable the Institute to develop unique, high-strength and heat-resistant aluminium-based materials specially for additive manufacturing, providing an entire range of turnkey services for customers. This ranges from material creation and printing technology to engineering and optimising parts for printing technologies. Besides, the new equipment allows for the production of a variety of materials due to quick changeover capacity.
At present, a promising area of the Institute's work is the creation a high-heat-resistant aluminium alloy that will be able to perform at temperatures of up to 400°С, adapted for 3D printing. In 2019, the Institute launched a new line of unique aluminium alloys for 3D printing, which perform significantly better compared to their analogues. The products have been applied in the spheres of medicine, mechanical engineering and the space industry.
«'In just three years of the ILM&T's work, we have managed not only to create a team of real professionals, but also to provide all necessary resources and facilities that enabled the rendering of a full range of services from research to engineering. The Institute's specialists successfully developed and mastered the production of innovative solutions in the field of high-strength aluminium powders for additive technologies intended for shipbuilding and the space industry, as well as aluminium alloys with increased corrosion resistance for railway transport and construction. One of our crucial tasks in the near future is the reduction of production costs by recycling and optimising printing process parameters. These efforts will make it possible not only to accelerate the implementation of new developments, but also to expand their application to more industries in the future,' said Victor Mann, Chief Technical Officer at RUSAL. .
INFORMATION
The Institute of Light Materials and Technologies was created by UC RUSAL in 2017. The key objective of the Institute is to develop, master and launch new types of aluminium-based products and materials into the market.