RAM3D – SETTING THE BAR IN METAL 3D PRINTING RAM3D is a market leader in additive manufacturing, focusing on selective laser melting (SLM) in titanium, stainless steel and inconel metal alloy powders. Based in Tauranga, New Zealand, we offer one of the very few commercial SLM facilities in the Southern Hemisphere. We’ve developed a reputation for having a deep knowledge of metal 3D printing and its application, focusing on quality control and process management. We have mastered this technology and understand how materials and lasers interact; we recognise how this affects design and can apply the principles of design and process control to resolve issues for clients. We currently print in the following material, Titanium 64 (Ti 6Al 4V) - the most common titanium alloy used for medical and aerospace applications. A 15-5Ph Stainless Steel -a stainless steel not commonly used in NZ but is preferred by several of our clients as it has a high strength and food grade, which makes it a good generally accepted stainless steel. The third is Inconel 718, which is a nickel super alloy used for high temperature applications such as some firearm suppressors used in the defence sector. We are always interested in other materials we can add and are happy to consider adding other metals to the mix. It is our intention to establish a world-class 3D metals printing facility and have recently moved to new bespoke premises at Tauriko Business Park, Tauranga. Currently we operate four metal laser printers and will shortly be acquiring at least another two and possibly four more machines next year if demand continues to pick up. We have found that more and more companies www. ram3d.co.nz info@ram3d.co.nz, ph: +64 7 557 0344 EN131 www.facebook.com/ram3dprinting 50 Paerangi Place, Tauriko Business Park, Tauranga 3171 8 Annual Directory 2017 are moving away from printing one or two prototypes and are now incorporating metal 3D printing as part of their production methodology. With the right design, it can be a very economic manufacturing technique. In conjunction with our move we have also rebranded and although we are known as RAM we have added the 3D making us RAM3D and we now feel we have a strong brand to move us forward for our future growth. ADDITIONAL SERVICES We have recently expanded our finishing facilities to include a bowl vibratory polisher. This enables us to provide a range of finishing options from the raw as printed through to polished. Our standard and most popular finish is a matt finish achieved by ceramic bead blasting. Keep an eye on our Facebook page facebook/ram3dprinting for more information and other Ram3D services as they come to hand. If there is a project you are wanting to discuss contact us at info@ram3d.co.nz, phone 64 7 557 0344 VIEW OUR GALLERY New bespoke premises at Tauriko Business Park, Tauranga YOUR 3D DESIGN QUESTIONS ANSWERED How does the engineer know when to use Metal 3D printing? The answer is surprisingly simple…When you get the part that you want for the right price…. Can anything be 3D printed? There is a common perception that everything can be 3D printed and in effect it can, however, not everything should be 3D printed. What types of parts are cheap to metal 3D print? A simple bracket for example might be very cheap to make using conventional manufacturing but to make the same bracket in metal 3D printing could be expensive. On the other hand, if you have a part that is very complex in geometry, expensive to machine and limited in its design by the existing manufacturing method, this is a prime candidate for 3D printing. What is the cost of metal 3D printing? Most of the cost is directly related to the volume of the part. The volume determines the amount of metal you get and the amount of time it takes to melt that material. That cost remains mostly constant regardless of the geometric complexity. For example, a simple bracket of 30,000 cubic mm costs the same to print as a geometrically complex, hollow shelled nozzle of the same volume. If those two were made conventionally then the bracket might be a few dollars, while the nozzle might be hundreds of dollars. In 3D printing we call that “Complexity for Free”. Meaning that if you have a part to print, you can add all sorts of geometric complexity for free if the part volume remains the same. If the part volume drops then it is often cheaper.
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