Collaboration with Manufacturing Demonstration Facility cuts lead times and scales additive production
A robotic wire arc additive manufacturing system deposits metal onto a rotating workpiece as part of a large-scale metal 3D-printing process. Developed through a collaboration between Lincoln Electric and the Department of Energy’s Manufacturing Demonstration Facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the technology enables faster, more flexible production of large metal components for energy, infrastructure and defense applications. Credit: Lincoln Electric
Lincoln Electric and the Department of Energy’s Manufacturing Demonstration Facility (MDF) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) partnered to solve scientific challenges and expand market opportunities for robotic large-scale metal additive manufacturing.
This collaboration has yielded a wealth of outcomes, including the development of a multi-agent robotic manufacturing system positioning Lincoln Electric today as a leading global provider of large-scale metal additive manufacturing services.
The partnership demonstrates how industry-national lab partnerships bolster U.S. manufacturing capabilities and innovation, particularly in key sectors like energy, infrastructure, aerospace and defense.
Problem
Many of the large-scale metal parts needed for U.S. energy, infrastructure, aerospace and defense applications have long lead times. These large parts are often highly specialized and only need to be produced in small quantities, which drives up costs for traditional manufacturing methods. More importantly, the supply chain for large parts manufactured traditionally is severely strained, resulting in extremely long lead times
These factors add up, and key industry sectors face challenges when they need to quickly replace legacy parts or seek to innovate with new designs and materials.
Solution
Under a 2016 cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA), Lincoln Electric and the MDF began developing a wire-arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) system to produce very large, high-quality metal parts efficiently and affordably.
The successful first initiative led to a second CRADA and other additional projects, in which the teams continued to innovate and refine WAAM robotics, software, controls and proven materials.
WAAM is a large-scale metal additive manufacturing method based on arc welding technology. WAAM melts metal wire in a process controlled by one or more robotic arms to gradually build thin metal layers into the desired shape. This technology enables complex shapes and multi-material deposition.
Results
The outcomes of this partnership have added up:
- Versatility and relevance: WAAM technology developed through this partnership has been proven effective for many industrial applications. The partners have printed near-net-shape parts as well as tooling and dies with the same or higher quality compared to traditional manufacturing methods.
- Commercialization and business growth: Lincoln Electric launched its Additive Solutions business as a vertically integrated, metal 3D printing services provider for industries including transportation, energy, structural, aerospace and defense. .
- Impact and action: Industry can see these innovations in action. For example, Lincoln Electric Additive Solutions printed the replacement ship arrestor arm for the economically important Poe Lock in Michigan. The MDF and Lincoln Electric also successfully demonstrated MedUSA, a co-developed WAAM system with three robotic arms, which presents additional potential for the energy sector.
Insights
These successes highlight key insights for technology development and deployment:
- Partnership is more than the sum of its parts. Each team contributed essential expertise, skillsets and perspectives to advance the technology and drive new business opportunities over a relatively short time.
- Companies benefit from access and exposure. Lincoln Electric gained access to the national lab’s world-class research infrastructure, including the Spallation Neutron Source. As part of the MDF manufacturing ecosystem, Lincoln Electric Additive Solutions also gained exposure to new potential applications and supply chain partners.
- Advancements in materials go hand in hand with new technology. To expand potential applications and markets for the new WAAM technology, Lincoln Electric and the MDF also expanded the range of proven high-performance materials.
- Intelligent controls, machine learning and data analytics enable ongoing progress. Innovative system controls have already enabled collaborative robotic arms, process improvements, and additional sources of real-time data. This has laid a foundation for ongoing work to increase user-friendliness and support advancements for in situ defect detection and digital part qualification.
About the Manufacturing Demonstration Facility
MDF, supported by DOE’s Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office, is a nationwide consortium of collaborators working with ORNL to innovate, inspire, and catalyze the transformation of U.S. manufacturing. The MDF actively connects and engages the entire supply chain to solve real-world challenges and deploy new technologies at the speed of industry. Its successful approach focuses on strategic collaboration, commercialization, and leveraging the resources and technical expertise available at ORNL. Connect with the MDF.
MDF is the model for the national laboratory system’s C4 Partnering Model, which seeks to increase cross-sector collaboration and rapid technology development, decreasing a technology’s time-to-market and enabling a strong regional manufacturing and commercialization ecosystem. Learn more about C4 partnering opportunities across the United States. The C4 project is funded by DOE’s Technology Commercialization Fund, supported by the Office of Technology Commercialization.
UT-Battelle manages ORNL for DOE’s Office of Science, the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States. DOE’s Office of Science is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, visit energy.gov/science.
About Lincoln Electric
Lincoln Electric is the world leader in the engineering, design, and manufacturing of advanced arc welding solutions, automated joining, assembly and cutting systems, plasma and oxy-fuel cutting equipment, and has a leading global position in brazing and soldering alloys. Lincoln is recognized as the Welding Expert™ for its leading materials science, software development, automation engineering, and application expertise, which advance customers’ fabrication capabilities to help them build a better world. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Lincoln has 71 manufacturing locations in 20 countries and a worldwide network of distributors and sales offices serving customers in over 160 countries.