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Feature19 March 2018,
updated13 December 2018Siemens AG / Gas and PowerMunich
Additive manufacturing has the potential to become a new key technology. For example it opens up new attractive prospects in the manufacture of gas turbines. This is why Siemens has been investing in this innovative technology right from its inception, and is now driving the industrialization and commercialization of these processes. Additive Manufacturing is a process that builds parts layer-by-layer from sliced CAD models to form solid objects. This enables highly precise solutions to be formed from powdered high-performance materials. Siemens is a pioneer in Additive Manufacturing and already uses the technology for rapid prototyping. Furthermore the company is now developing solutions ready for series-production for manufacturing gas turbine burner nozzles and repairing burner heads. Just recently Siemens achieved yet another breakthrough: the first gas turbine blades ever to be produced using Additive Manufacturing have successfully finished performance testing under full-load conditions.
Press Pictures
Siemens is driving the industrialization of additive manufacturing
The investment of €30 million in the state-of-the-art 3D printing facility at Materials Solutions Ltd. in the U.K enables the growth of the business by doubling the capacity of 3D-printing machines to 50. The new factory has a footprint of 4,500 m2 and is adopting a true industrial approach, housing multiple machines across a shop floor.
Reverse Engineering using Additive Manufacturing - bringing a 100-year-old, Ruston Hornsby vintage car onto the road again
Siemens was able to demonstrate the real opportunities of high-efficiency metals additive manufacturing by bringing a 100-year-old, Ruston Hornsby vintage car back to life using reverse engineering to recreate its steering box - all without any original technical drawings. Using the latest scanning technology, Siemens was able to digitally reassemble the parts of the broken steering box back together and create a working model which could be additive manufactured. It showed that customers can use AM to design components that can’t be manufactured traditionally. During a summer fest at the Lincoln site (UK) in August 2018, the vintage car was exhibited and admired by the audience.
Materials Solution – A Siemens Business; A competent and reliable partner for industrialized Additive Manufacturing
Materials Solution – A Siemens Business is a competent and reliable partner for industrialized Additive Manufacturing. Siemens is using Additive Manufacturing technologies but also provides its full competency as a partner to its customers from power, aerospace and automotive industries. As a supplier, Siemens provides market-leading solutions to fully digitalize Additive Manufacturing, from design and engineering software through cutting-edge simulation tools to full machine and shop-floor automation.
Reverse Engineering - 3D-printed steering box of the 100 years old Ruston Hornsby vintage car
Siemens was able to demonstrate the real opportunities of high-efficiency metals additive manufacturing by bringing a 100-year-old, Ruston Hornsby vintage car back to life using reverse engineering to recreate its steering box - all without any original technical drawings. Using the latest scanning technology, Siemens was able to digitally reassemble the parts of the broken steering box back together and create a working model which could be additive manufactured. It showed that customers can use AM to design components that can’t be manufactured traditionally. During a summer fest at the Lincoln site (UK) in August 2018, the vintage car was exhibited and admired by the audience.
Siemens achieves breakthrough with 3D-printed combustion component for SGT-A05
Pictured is a 3D-printed dry low emission (DLE) pre-mixer for the SGT-A05 gas turbine developed and tested by Siemens.
Siemens sets innovation milestone with first 3D-printed parts for industrial steam turbine
Pictured is oil sealing ring for an industrial steam turbine, designed and produced by Siemens using additive manufacturing resulting in significantly shorter lead time.
3D-printed gas turbine burner heads for commercial power plant operation
Siemens uses Additive Manufacturing to produce various gas turbine components. Materials Solutions manufactures burner heads for Siemens gas turbines in series production. This burner heads have to withstand extreme conditions during commercial power plant operation.
3D-printed gas turbine blades for high efficient power plant operation
High-efficient gas turbine blades must withstand extreme conditions. Inside a turbine, high pressures, tremendous centrifugal forces, and high temperatures prevail. The blades must also withstand tremendous heat when the turbine is in full operation. Additive Manufacturing revolutionized the way developing this component and prototyping but also offers potentials for refurbishment and spare parts on demand.
Siemens industrialized Additive Manufacturing
Siemens is using Additive Manufacturing technologies but also provides its full competency as a partner to its customers from power, aerospace and automotive industries. As a supplier, Siemens provides market-leading solutions to fully digitalize Additive Manufacturing, from design and engineering software through cutting-edge simulation tools to full machine and shop-floor automation.
Siemens uses Additive Manufacturing technologies for high tech products
Siemens is using Additive Manufacturing technologies but also provides its full competency as a partner to its customers from power, aerospace and automotive industries. As a supplier, Siemens provides market-leading solutions to fully digitalize Additive Manufacturing, from design and engineering software through cutting-edge simulation tools to full machine and shop-floor automation.
3D-printed gas turbine blades – Industrial knowledge within Additive Manufacturing
High-efficient gas turbine blades must withstand extreme conditions. Inside a turbine, high pressures, tremendous centrifugal forces, and high temperatures prevail. The blades must also withstand tremendous heat when the turbine is in full operation. Additive Manufacturing revolutionized the way developing this component and prototyping but also offers potentials for refurbishment and spare parts on demand. Siemens is using Additive Manufacturing technologies but also provides its full competency as a partner to its customers from power, aerospace and automotive industries.
3D-printed gas turbine burner heads for commercial power plant operation
Siemens uses Additive Manufacturing to produce various gas turbine components. Materials Solutions manufactures burner heads for Siemens gas turbines in series production. This burner heads have to withstand extreme conditions during commercial power plant operation.
3D-printed gas turbine blades for extreme power plant operating conditions
High-efficient gas turbine blades must withstand extreme conditions. Inside a turbine, high pressures, tremendous centrifugal forces, and high temperatures prevail. The blades must also withstand tremendous heat when the turbine is in full operation. Additive Manufacturing revolutionized the way developing this component and prototyping but also offers potentials for refurbishment and spare parts on demand.
The industrial knowledge behind 3D printing
Siemens is able to produce the high performance components using Additive Manufacturing due to his broad knowledge in materials sciences, automation, manufacturing and process know how.
Siemens wins international 3D Printing Industry Award
Siemens wins the award in the category "3D Printing application of the year" for the world's first successfully tested 3D printed gas turbine blades. Phil Hatherley, General Manager Materials Solutions – A Siemens business, gives his acceptance speech at the award ceremony in London.
First 3D-Printed Replacement Part Operating in NPP
A Siemens designed and manufactured water pump impeller using Additive Manufacturing and 3D printing is operating in Slovenia's Krško nuclear power plant.
First 3D-Printed Replacement Part Operating in NPP
This photo shows the original, obsolete water impeller, Siemens' 3D printed prototype and the resulting 3D-printed replacement installed and operating in Krško NPP in Slovenia. The additive manufacturing project was code-named "Perun," after the mythological Slavic god of lightning who is closely associated with metallurgy.
Breakthrough in 3D printing
Siemens finished its first full load engine tests for conventional and completely new designed gas turbine blades produced using Additive Manufacturing technology.
Extreme conditions for the 3D-printed blades
The blades had to endure 13,000 revolutions per minute and temperatures beyond 1,250 degrees Celsius.
Dedicated engineering team
The successful tests were the result of a dedicated project team with contributions from Siemens engineers in Finspång, Lincoln and Berlin together with experts from Materials Solutions.
Turbine blades produced using Additive Manufacturing
The laser forms the turbine blades according to a digital production plan, named CAD-Model. A laser beam moves across the bed of metal powder and welds an initial layer of the three-dimensional object. Another layer of metal powder is then applied over the surface. Now the laser prints a second layer. Step by step, the turbine blade is created.
3D-printed burner heads
Siemens uses Additive Manufacturing to produce various turbine components. Like that Materials Solutions manufactures Siemens burner heads.
Videos
Siemens Additive Manufacturing - Industrialization is happening
Siemens is well-positioned to be the leader of the industrialization of Additive Manufacturing because it is one of the only companies that combines all necessary competencies: Siemens experts are successfully applying their skills to the materials and processes used to create the company's high-tech products, and it provides software and automation solutions to seamlessly integrate and industrialize Additive Manufacturing to other industries. Individualized mass production, functional design, high energy and resource efficiency as well as shorter innovation cycles - the advantages of Additive Manufacturing are being leveraged more and more in the industrial environment.
Just one of many examples: High-efficient gas turbine blades must withstand extreme conditions. Inside a turbine, high pressures, tremendous centrifugal forces, and high temperatures prevail. The blades must also withstand tremendous heat when the turbine is in full operation. Additive Manufacturing revolutionized the way developing this component and prototyping but also offers potentials for refurbishment and spare parts on demand. As a supplier, Siemens provides market-leading solutions to fully digitalize Additive Manufacturing, from design and engineering software through cutting-edge simulation tools to full machine and shop-floor automation. As being one of the leading companies in Additive Manufacturing Siemens offers a comprehensive portfolio for creating a seamless digital chain, from the initial design through material expertise and 3D-printing to post-processing any part. Siemens is using Additive Manufacturing technologies but also provides its full competency as a partner to its customers from power, aerospace and automotive industries.
Just one of many examples: High-efficient gas turbine blades must withstand extreme conditions. Inside a turbine, high pressures, tremendous centrifugal forces, and high temperatures prevail. The blades must also withstand tremendous heat when the turbine is in full operation. Additive Manufacturing revolutionized the way developing this component and prototyping but also offers potentials for refurbishment and spare parts on demand. As a supplier, Siemens provides market-leading solutions to fully digitalize Additive Manufacturing, from design and engineering software through cutting-edge simulation tools to full machine and shop-floor automation. As being one of the leading companies in Additive Manufacturing Siemens offers a comprehensive portfolio for creating a seamless digital chain, from the initial design through material expertise and 3D-printing to post-processing any part. Siemens is using Additive Manufacturing technologies but also provides its full competency as a partner to its customers from power, aerospace and automotive industries.
Further Information
Links
- Feature: The Future is 3D – Additive Manufacturing at Siemens
- Website: Materials Solutions – a Siemens business
- Feature: Siemens achieves breakthrough with 3D-printed combustion component for SGT-A05
- Feature: Siemens sets innovation milestone with first 3D-printed parts for industrial steam turbine
- Website: Additive Manufacturing
Stories – Unlocking the potential of digitalization
Infographics
Siemens sets industry milestone with first 3D printed part operating in nuclear power plant
Additive Manufacturing - Turbine blades manufactured with 3D printing
Additive Manufacturing - How burner tips are made (German)
Siemens invests in new 3D-printing facility in UK
