Giant 3D Printer

[cirr]

Technicians are performing check-ups on a giant 3D printer in the laser additive manufacturing workshop of Beihang:

飞机钛合金起落架可3D打印

An aircraft's key components such titanium alloy landing-gear and large main force-bearing frame can be printed as one piece。

Using the technology，the 3D-printing team at Beihang has recently been able to fabricate a multitude of complex titanium alloy structures，including those used in nuclear power plants and onboard satellites and rockets。

Next application：submarine。

 

[ChineseTiger1986]

The quality control of our turbofan engine will also be quickly solved and the mass production will increase by a huge margin.

 

[Kompromat]

Industrial 3D printers are a revolution in technology.

 

[cirr]

An even bigger “3D-printer” is under construction:

南风股份(300004)：南风股份：控股子公司对外投资进展公告_和讯网

When finished(Feb. 2014), the behemoth is able to produce heavy metal structures of 6m in diametre, 10m in length and weighing 300 tons.

 

[ChineseTiger1986]

Industrial 3D printers are a revolution in technology.

USA might be the first one who came out this idea, but China will be the one who actually implements this idea into the common affordable product.

 

[MightyDragon]

China has money and no need to deploy troops in other countries

 

[kbd-raaf]

The quality control of our turbofan engine will also be quickly solved and the mass production will increase by a huge margin.

Lol, 3D printers are cost prohibitive for mass production.

Industrial 3D printers are a revolution in technology.

Wrong. This is most likely a tech-demonstrator which will never be utilised industry wide.

 

[Hypersonicmissiles]

Lol, 3D printers are cost prohibitive for mass production.



Wrong. This is most likely a tech-demonstrator which will never be utilised industry wide.

3D printing is already used by the PLA to manufacture key components of fighter jets.

 

[Counter-Errorist]

Lol, 3D printers are cost prohibitive for mass production.

That sounds very counter-intuitive. Care to explain?

 

[kbd-raaf]

3D printing is already used by the PLA to manufacture key components of fighter jets.

Doubt that.

Most likely used for quick replacement of parts which would otherwise take a long time to arrive from a factory or maybe the production has been stopped. That and components that are required in small volumes which would otherwise require a large, expensively tooled setup to manufacture. Unlikely to be mission critical.

That sounds very counter-intuitive. Care to explain?

Counter intuitive? How so? It's very, very intuitive.

To replace a factory, i.e mass produced items, one would need to install large numbers of industrial scale 3D printers. That would in itself require a huge amount of capex, which in turn would make the whole venture economically nonviable.

3D printers also have a problem with dimensional precision. Which makes quality control for large numbers of products an unenviable task. Then we have problems with finish and the actual material qualities of the product. Both of which are just terrible.

The bottom line is: Additive manufacturing (3d printers) is useful for rapid prototyping (i.e let's present a 3d version of our product design to the customer), or when you need to produce small quantities of a product.

We need to remember that in manufacturing, minimisation of production cost is the mantra, 3D printers does not answer that call.

 

[Counter-Errorist]

@kbd-raaf: Did some quick research on this. You're right. I was unaware of the limitations of additive manufacturing. There's no layering mechanism yet suitable for high volume production.

 

[Hypersonicmissiles]

Doubt that.

Most likely used for quick replacement of parts which would otherwise take a long time to arrive from a factory or maybe the production has been stopped. That and components that are required in small volumes which would otherwise require a large, expensively tooled setup to manufacture. Unlikely to be mission critical.

You might doubt it, your just an Indian but we are Chinese. Don't ever compare your mediocrity to us. EVER.
There are already pictures that showed posted by Chinese members here proving it.

 

[Beast]

Doubt that.

Most likely used for quick replacement of parts which would otherwise take a long time to arrive from a factory or maybe the production has been stopped. That and components that are required in small volumes which would otherwise require a large, expensively tooled setup to manufacture. Unlikely to be mission critical.

3D printing offer production method that is impossible to be used by traditional method like welding. Becos the whole piece come without welding so it can be make with similar strength compare to a welded one but with weight reduction up to 40%.

So how can it be just a quick replacement? 3D printing already is in widespread used in PLAAF military aircraft production. Plus they save material unlike traditional method which you needs to cut out a single part from a big chunk of titanium before welding. Which is a reason why PLAAF J-11B airframe is able to achieve weight reduction and lifespan increase compare to Russian made Su-27 airframe without large extensive of using composite.

 

[Hypersonicmissiles]

3D printing offer production method that is impossible to be used by traditional method like welding. Becos the whole piece come without welding so it can be make with similar strength compare to a welded one but with weight reduction up to 40%.

So how can it be just a quick replacement? 3D printing already is in widespread used in PLAAF military aircraft production. Plus they save material unlike traditional method which you needs to cut out a single part from a big chunk of titanium before welding. Which is a reason why PLAAF J-11B airframe is able to achieve weight reduction and lifespan increase compare to Russian made Su-27 airframe without large extensive of using composite.

He is Indian, they probably never ever seen it since they import everything
Backward people.

3D printing is massive in China. And its well known many parts for fighters jets have been produced using 3D printing in China and confirmed by the PLA.

 

[kbd-raaf]

3D printing offer production method that is impossible to be used by traditional method like welding. Becos the whole piece come without welding so it can be make with similar strength compare to a welded one but with weight reduction up to 40%.

So how can it be just a quick replacement? 3D printing already is in widespread used in PLAAF military aircraft production. Plus they save material unlike traditional method which you needs to cut out a single part from a big chunk of titanium before welding. Which is a reason why PLAAF J-11B airframe is able to achieve weight reduction and lifespan increase compare to Russian made Su-27 airframe without large extensive of using composite.

I understand what you're saying. 3D printing does have it's benefits.But the simple fact that additive manufacturing works with layers of material and therefore it is not known for the material properties it imparts on the products.

What I'm trying to say is, the parts you mention are likely highly specialized and relatively small. I.O.W not suitable for large scale manufacturing.

You might doubt it, your just an Indian but we are Chinese. Don't ever compare your mediocrity to us. EVER.
There are already pictures that showed posted by Chinese members here proving it.

Okay