Application field and development trend of titanium alloy 3D printing technology
3D printing (3DP) is a type of rapid prototyping technology, also known as additive manufacturing [1]. It is based on digital model files and uses adhesive materials such as powdered metal or plastic to print layer by layer. A technique for constructing objects in a manner. 3D printing is usually achieved using digital technology material printers.
With the rapid development of science and technology, 3D printing technology has been widely used in various fields. As an important metal printing technology, titanium alloy 3D printing technology has broad application prospects. This article will discuss the application and future development trends of titanium alloy 3D printing technology in aerospace, healthcare, automobile manufacturing, architectural planning, consumer product production, scientific research and prototyping, and personalized customization.
3D printing technology appeared in the mid-1990s and is actually the latest rapid prototyping device utilizing technologies such as light curing and paper lamination. Its working principle is basically the same as that of ordinary printing. The printer is filled with "printing materials" such as liquid or powder. After being connected to the computer, the "printing materials" are superimposed layer by layer through computer control, and finally the blueprint on the computer is turned into a physical object. This printing technology is called 3D three-dimensional printing technology.
medical field
Titanium alloy 3D printing technology is also widely used in the healthcare field. Through titanium alloy 3D printing technology, customized medical implants such as bones, heart valves, and spines can be produced. These implants can better adapt to the patient's physical needs and improve treatment effectiveness. In the future, with the improvement of biocompatibility and bioactivity, titanium alloy 3D printing technology will play a more important role in the medical care field.
Titanium is called a "biophilic" metal. It has the advantages of non-toxic and harmless, high temperature resistance, high corrosion resistance, high strength, low density, good biocompatibility, etc., and its elastic modulus is close to that of human hard tissue. The field of medical metals occupies "half of the country". Today, titanium alloy 3D printing technology is mainly used in orthopedics and dentistry.
Aerospace field
Titanium alloy 3D printing technology has wide applications in the aerospace field. Through 3D printing technology, aerospace components can be manufactured that are lighter, more resistant to high temperatures, and more resistant to corrosion. For example, manufacturing aircraft structural parts, fuselage, wings, etc. can improve aircraft performance and reduce costs. In the future, with the advancement of technology, titanium alloy 3D printing technology will play a more important role in the aerospace field.
Prototype and mold field
3D printing also has unique advantages in the field of prototypes and molds. Compared with traditional production methods, 3D printing is controlled by a computer and can strictly control the size according to the three-dimensional software drawing. For complex parts, there are no production path restrictions, which can greatly reduce model and mold preparation time, improve model accuracy and quality, and save a lot of time and money.
Development trend of titanium alloy 3D printing technology
As a cutting-edge manufacturing technology, titanium alloy 3D printing technology integrates design and manufacturing. In recent years, it has attracted widespread attention from all walks of life, and has shown a wide range of applications in high-tech fields such as aerospace, national defense and military, biomedicine, and automobile high-speed rail. Prospects, however, compared with the traditional manufacturing technology started late, the development history is only about 30 years, there is still a big gap compared with the advanced countries in the world, for example: the forming efficiency of titanium alloy parts is low, and the precision has not yet reached high precision The preparation cost of level, equipment and materials is high, and problems such as large-scale industrial and commercial applications have not yet been realized, especially the suppression of defects in formed parts. At present, the research on defects in the forming process of parts, such as spheroidization, cracks, pores, and warping deformation in our country is still in the preliminary stage, and there is still a lot of research work that needs to be carried out urgently.
(1) In terms of materials, develop new production equipment and preparation processes for spherical titanium alloy powder to improve the quality of titanium alloy powder (particle size, sphericity, fluidity, inclusion gas, etc.), thereby improving the structure and mechanics of the parts performance. In addition, the cost is reduced by increasing the yield of powder and recycling and reusing powder.
(2) In terms of equipment, on the one hand, the forming efficiency, forming accuracy, and cost of the equipment should be improved; on the other hand, large-scale industrial-grade printing equipment should be developed to gradually realize large-scale production and application.
(3) In terms of inspection, with the development of 3D printed parts in the direction of large-scale, complex and precise, many traditional non-destructive inspection methods have blind spots, and new non-destructive inspection technologies need to be developed; through online inspection of real-time monitoring of tissues and defects Technology is one of the key research directions in the future; in addition, the establishment and improvement of non-destructive testing standards is the basis for the wide application of 3D printing technology.
(4) In terms of process, further optimize the process of 3D printing technology, suppress defects in the forming process, and improve the mechanical properties of formed parts. Key issues such as the evolution of internal stress in parts during the forming process, deformation and cracking behavior, and defect generation mechanisms are still issues that need to be studied in the future.
