The Japanese car manufacturer Honda has officially announced that it uses metal on several applications, including several end line for the F1 Honda Red Bull team. The company uses laser powder fusion technology (PBF) and systems from Nikon SLM Solutions. One of the main advantages that Honda has achieved is a comprehensive know-how about optimizing the AM workflow and all process parameters.
According to Honda, his engineers use metal to create complex shapes that are impossible to achieve by watering or forging. The company also illuminates that extensive know-how is required for efficient production, e.g.
3D print know-how
The pressure conditions, such as the condition of the material, laser radiation, the inert gas flow and the placement of the product on the base plate, are a collection of know-how to improve quality and efficiency. For this reason, Honda designs and produces several metal-AM parts in-house. This enables the company to collect know-how by trying out several conditions to optimize parameters, take pictures of each level with a camera to check the melting status and check the temperature and the laser output.
In order to optimize the parameters, a test piece is placed on a plate, and the conditions such as the laser output and the scanning speed are varied, while the strength is checked by train tests to determine the optimal value. When determining the optimal value, it is important to set the laser conditions so that the pearls (parts on which the metal powder melts and solidifies) is formed in every layer without gaps. If the laser power is not sufficient, the pearls are tiny and the distance between the pearls and the pearl depth (layer thickness) is inadequate, which leads to gaps. If the performance is too high, the gas generated from the melted pool during the laser radiation is not completely released and remain inside.
Productivity has also improved. If it is used by a modeling machine with a small modeling area that is used in the prototype level, to a 3D printer with a large modeling area for the production of the end product, the larger the building space, the more susceptible it is for external disorders. This is due to the fact that in areas on the headwind in which the inert gas flow speed is slow, the ability to remove vapors that are generated when metal melts and caused by melted metal, which leads to problems with the modeling on the downside. In order to address this problem, a high -speed camera is used to check the status of the removal for each level. The cause of the problem is identified by comparing the wind speed distribution with a wind speed sensor. By optimizing the wind speed, the conditions for high quality are set during the entire modeling area.
The metal PBF process consists of the repetition of the laser welding every few ten micrometers, which means that the part of deformation is vulnerable. A part was traditionally created and measured, and the parameters were corrected based on the measurement data. This process has been repeated to improve the dimensional accuracy. However, this method takes time and does not enable quick production. Therefore, the simulation technology was used for deformation forecast to reduce experiments and errors. By inclusion of deformation methods in which the simulation in the design is good, the modeling position and the form of support can be optimized, which can quickly achieve the creation of models with a high dimensional accuracy.
3D printing F1 parts (piston, turbine housing)
An example of the application of the Metal -AM technology can be found in the parts of F1 cars of the force unit, and Honda provides the engines for the current winner of the driver world champion Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing). By using the metal-AM technology, Honda can quickly react to specification changes that contain complex, thin-walled forms that were impossible with conventional manufacturing techniques to shorten the production times and reduce costs.
The piston previously made of forged aluminum was replaced by 3D -printed steel in order to give it the strength to withstand the increase in combustion pressure, which is associated with the progress of development. Since steel has a higher specific weight than aluminum, it would generally be heavier. By using the metal -am technology, it was possible to make it easier than conventional technology.
Turbine housing are another example. They consist of Inconel, a very heat -resistant alloy on nickel -based and were previously made by precision cast. Turbine housings are larger than pistons and have thin -walled sections, so that the deformation during the production was a main problem. Honda engineers have managed to build an effective manufacturing technology for pistons and turbine housings with metal on. While deleting strict dimensional standards, they also significantly reduced the costs and the production time. They were introduced in the middle of the 2020 season and contributed to the victory this year.