Page 31 - 3D Metal Printing Winter 2018

A Different Kind of Company, From Start to Finish 3D
vary based on part geometry and materials used, the process does not hold up Har- bec’s manufacturing processes in any way, reports Schneider.
“3D printing is not fast when producing metal parts, so we may have three or four days before the next build is ready for fin- ishing,” he explains. “If finishing takes 4 or 5 hours, we have no bottleneck.”
Before obtaining the new post-pro- cessing technology, Harbec performed “a lot of hand finishing, and everyone hated it,” says Schneider, with a chuckle. “Or, we would intend to machine-finish the entire part and just print near-net on 100 percent of the dimensions, followed by CNC machining. That’s still an option, but placing parts in the surface finisher and walking away is a much-less-expensive option.
“Full machining of a part limits possi- ble geometries, especially internal geome- tries,” he continues, “so we have to con- sider that in doing the cost analysis on a part and how best to produce it.”
Harbec Tailors Processes to Customer Needs
Analyzing various methods for pro- ducing a part, stresses Schneider, is one area that sets Harbec apart.
“We work with metals and plastics, employ 3D printing, offer injection mold- ing, and have a huge machining depart- ment, so we can look at options for our customers and not route them one way or the other just based on the process,” he says. “We can take different routes based on what works best and what is most efficient and cost-effective for the customer. We are open-minded with proj- ects. What’s the best fit, what offers the best lead time and what are the customer requirements? We can pick from a variety of options to achieve all of that.”
Paralleling its flexible approach to cus- tomer needs, Harbec cross-trains its employees and can shift resources between processes as required.
“If we are slow in our CNC-machining departments, our machinists can build
molds for injection molding,” notes Schneider. “And, because 3D printing lends itself to prototyping on the front end of a project, we can we feed that pro- totype work into our production molding or production machining. Our processes are very complementary.”
Environmental Initiatives Unique Among Manufacturers
It’s clear that Harbec readily welcomes technologies and processes that can deliv- er better options for its customers. As hinted at earlier, this approach is part and parcel of the company’s culture—unique among traditional manufacturers and fos- tered by Bechtold’s long-time embrace of innovation. This includes environmental awareness, which began for him when he installed a windmill at home in 1980.
Today, two onsite windmills provide for 60 percent of the facility’s energy needs, according to Schneider. And, the company reportedly was one of the first in the world to install a combination heat/power plant
Join Our Webinar
and
The Challenges of Laser Additive Manufacturing: Power Density, Focus Shift and Spot Size Thu, Feb 22, 2018, 1:00–2:00 PM EST
To create consistent, strong structures using laser-based additive manufacturing processes that meet flyable DoD standards or FDA requirements, the metallurgy must be consistent. In addition, a laser beam of known dimension, power density, and focal spot location is required. In this webinar, Ophir’s Dick Rieley discusses additive laser processing and the challenges that arise with high-power laser material processing. This 3D Metal Printing webcast describes the challenges faced in laser additive manufacturing applications.
Dick Rieley is Sales Manager, Mid-Atlantic Region for Ophir Photonics (U.S.).
www.3dmpmag.com/events/
Download
our app today!
Read
all magazine issues
Access
up to the minute industry news
Register
for upcoming magazine events
3DMPmag.com
WINTER 2018 • 3D METAL PRINTING | 29