Structural change
Groundbreaking technique will allow components to be custom-made, and could reduce the weight and improve fuel economy in aircraft and cars. Stuart Nathan explains.
Metal components with the strength of a solid block but a structure containing 70 per cent air could result from a new manufacturing process being developed at the
.
Known as selective laser melting (SLM), the system transforms powders of titanium, stainless steel and other metals into a light, strong lattice structure. The
The technique will allow engineers to specify and design the precise shape and structure of the component they need — something that is currently not possible. Starting with a powder of the metal or alloy to be used, the system uses an infrared laser to melt the powder and build up the components in a series of layers which can be as thin as 25 microns. The result is a structure consisting of flat layers supported by ‘poles’, around 50–100 micron in diameter, which channel the loads applied to the structure, giving it strength.
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