日本技術情報センター Company Overview

In the automotive and aerospace industries, efforts are being energetically pursued to develop materials and manufacturing technologies aimed at further weight reduction for improved fuel efficiency and reduced carbon dioxide emissions. This seminar will provide an easy-to-understand explanation for beginners about the trends in new material development and various additive manufacturing (AM) and manufacturing technologies using lightweight materials such as carbon fiber, aluminum, and ceramics. It will cover complex shape integrated molding, lattice/honeycomb structure molding, porous structure molding, and 3D printing techniques that are impossible with conventional processing methods, as well as topology optimization, all aimed at achieving ultra-lightweight components. The lightweighting of parts that can significantly differentiate from conventional and competitor components is an urgent and critical issue, with intense technological development competition occurring both domestically and internationally. 3D printing, which is seen as the next generation of parts manufacturing, offers a completely new perspective on AM technology, enabling the creation of innovative and attractive lightweight components that are difficult to achieve with traditional processing methods, while also realizing short-term, low-cost, and high-quality molding. Development cannot be expected to continue along the lines of existing technologies. By merging lightweight materials with 3D printing and utilizing topology optimization, we can achieve astonishing weight reduction in components.

Metal 3D printers are becoming increasingly diverse, and recently, relatively affordable low-cost machines costing several million yen, binder jetting methods that enable mass production of parts, and high-speed, large machines for creating large components and products have been continuously introduced to the market. Furthermore, the prototyping of magnesium parts and the manufacturing of copper parts, which were difficult to create with existing machines, have begun. Metal 3D printers eliminate the need for molds by directly producing products from 3D data, and they can create complex shapes that were impossible with traditional processing methods, as well as lattice and porous structures, hollow structures, and hybrid structures. This enables the innovative creation of metal parts and molds that are not available from conventional or other companies, significantly reduces prototyping and manufacturing time, drastically decreases the number of parts, allows for lightweight and compact designs, and reduces manufacturing processes and workforce requirements. Using metal 3D printers, we provide easy-to-understand explanations for those considering the development of attractive new products, the creation of new businesses, differentiation from existing products, significant reductions in prototyping and manufacturing time, dramatic decreases in the number of parts, and cost-effective lightweight complex-shaped components, as well as for beginners who are interested in these topics. The world is energetically investing in metal parts and mold manufacturing as the leading candidate for the next generation, and mass production of parts has also begun in earnest. Manufacturing parts with metal 3D printers will become commonplace in a few years.

Metal 3D printers can create complex integrated shapes, 3D free-form piping, lattice and porous structures, and hybrid structures, which are extremely difficult to achieve with conventional processing methods and technologies. This enables the creation of innovative die-casting molds, cost reduction and quality improvement, short-term prototyping and manufacturing, dramatic reductions in the number of parts, weight reduction, significant decreases in manufacturing processes and workforce, and extended mold lifespan. In this seminar, advanced users J.3D and Castec, who boast top-level technology in die-casting mold production using metal 3D printers in Japan, will specifically explain the high-functionality and high-quality die-casting molds, core pins, inserts for die-casting molds, and low-cost molds they have produced using EOS-manufactured metal 3D printers for 3D piping and porous structures, along with specific molding techniques and case studies, including both successes and failures. Additionally, we will introduce the trending topic of giga-casting, which has recently gained attention in the United States and China. As we aim to solve various issues related to defects in die-casting molds, extend mold lifespan, and significantly reduce molding time, the recent retirement of veteran skilled workers has made it increasingly difficult to produce high-quality, low-cost molds, leading to a rapid increase in mold production using metal 3D printers.