anyone machining additive mfg titanium parts?

[cherokeechief79]

im machining more and more parts from our printer and im finding that it machines much like raw titanium in standard stock forms.

one thing I am having trouble with is boring precision holes.

I have brand new very expensive boring heads with titanium inserts but can not get any repeatability from them.

I get holes that cut out of round and diameters that are very inconsistent from one part to another.

at this point I have tried so many different things and parameters without any success that I have gone back to finishing these bores with an endmill and comping them to size.they are not round but within tol because I comp them a few tenths different in X and Y.

I would like to think that the problems im having is directly related to the additive production process of these parts but I cant say without a doubt that it is.

im just wondering if anyone else is encountering anything similar.

[mkd]

what about reaming to size after bore?

IIRC there are some reaming inserts out there. Iscar i think.

 

If not interested in reaming, what about using a twin boring bar where the inserts oppose on another.

 Cpk must be way better than interpolating.

[absolute technologies]

one would think that a 3D printed part is just one big stress ball, sorta like a forging but worse

 

joy

Len Dye

[crazy^millman]

im machining more and more parts from our printer and im finding that it machines much like raw titanium in standard stock forms.

one thing I am having trouble with is boring precision holes.

I have brand new very expensive boring heads with titanium inserts but can not get any repeatability from them.

I get holes that cut out of round and diameters that are very inconsistent from one part to another.

at this point I have tried so many different things and parameters without any success that I have gone back to finishing these bores with an endmill and comping them to size.they are not round but within tol because I comp them a few tenths different in X and Y.

I would like to think that the problems im having is directly related to the additive production process of these parts but I cant say without a doubt that it is.

im just wondering if anyone else is encountering anything similar.

 

Sounds like the parts are not being normalized correctly. What is the process after they are printed? What is the screening process for the material? Bad screening on remnant material can cause bad material to be mixed in with good substrate material. Is the laser environment checked and what are sampling rates set at? When these questions are posed to the company that sold you the printer what do they say? Have you taken the parts and had them lab tested to make sure they are meeting the correct specifications? What is the build layer for these parts? How much recast needs to be taken into account for the machining areas?

[crazy^millman]

one would think that a 3D printed part is just one big stress ball, sorta like a forging but worse

 

joy

Len Dye

 

I have found the exact opposite they are much better than forged or cast parts. Difference will be the equipment being used to print the parts. Less or lower quality unit then expect the same for the printed part. High end well made and expensive equipment then consistent top quality printed parts. I am talking 7 figures for the equipment starting.

[dstryr]

Let me guess...

Pin holes that are +/-.0001 through a tab thats about 1/8 to 1/4 thick on weird angles?