Additive Manufacturing at GE

Greg Morris
Imagination at work.

Who We WereWho We Are

Pre-GE Acquisition
MTI & RQM

Founded 1994

Introduced DMLM to NA in 2003

135 employees

Services included:

Engineering & Design

Additive (Metals/Polymers) (25 additive machines)

Post-Processes (Machining, Thermal Processing, Finishing)

Collaborations/JVsi.e. MicroTek Finishing w/BinC, etc.

Customer Base: Aerospace, Medical, Consumer Goods, Energy

Page 3
7/27/2014

GE Acquisition of MTI & RQM (Nov 2012)

Additive
Development
Center
- GEA focus
- Other GE
- Select Externals

Additive
Lean Lab /
Pilot Production
- Low rate initial production

Page 4
7/27/2014

Manufacturing Technology Development

DMLM (Today)
Material Development
Machine Development
Process Development
------------------------Test Fixture/ Tooling Mfg
Prototype Manufacturing
Material Development Test Article Manufacturing
Pre-Production Mfg
Physics Models
Early Process Dev

GRC
TRL / MRL 0
ID New
Technologies

Additive
Development
Center (ADC)

TRL / MRL 3
Develop
Technical
Technologies
Feasibility

Early Production Mfg

Product VSE
Production Process Dev
Low Rate Manufacturing

Final Production Site (Auburn, AL)

High Rate Manufacturing
Entitlement Cost

Production

Additive
Lean Lab
(ALL)
TRL / MRL 6
Mature
Technologies

TRL / MRL 9
Support
Production

Page 5
7/27/2014

How the Process Works...

Basic Process (DMLM)

AM Process

Thermal
Processing

Post Processing
and Inspection

3D CAD Model

Final Part

Prep for Process

GE Proprietary Information

Additive Modalities

Types of Additive

Photo Courtesy: Arcam

Photo Courtesy: Stratasys
Photo Courtesy: EOS

Photo Courtesy: Stratasys

Photo Courtesy: 3D Systems

Photo Courtesy: Stratasys

Rapid Prototyping? Additive Manufacturing? 3D Printing?

GE Proprietary Information
Export Authorization, ECCN: 9E991, NLR

Polymers - SLA

Photos Courtesy: 3D Systems

GE Proprietary Information
Export Authorization, ECCN: 9E991, NLR

Polymers - SLS

Photos Courtesy: EOS

Photos Courtesy: Materialise

GE Proprietary Information
Export Authorization, ECCN: 9E991, NLR

Polymers - FDM

GE Proprietary Information
Export Authorization, ECCN: 9E991, NLR

Photos Courtesy: Stratasys

Polymers - PolyJet

GE Proprietary Information
Export Authorization, ECCN: 9E991, NLR

Photo Courtesy: Stratasys

Metals

Photo Courtesy: EOS

Photo Courtesy: ORNL

Photos Courtesy: Within Labs

GE Proprietary Information
Export Authorization, ECCN: 9E991, NLR

Nano Additive Mfg.

Photos Courtesy:

GE Proprietary Information
Export Authorization, ECCN: 9E991, NLR

Other 3D Printing

Photo Courtesy:
GE Proprietary Information
Export Authorization, ECCN: 9E991, NLR

Additive at GE Aviation...

GE Aviation Additive:

FDM: (1) Fortus 900

SLA: (2) 500s, (2) Vipers

(3) ProJet 3500

Phenix: (1)

ARCAM: (8) A2(xx)

PolyJet: (1) Connex 500

C-L: (1) M2

EOS: (11) M270s

(4) M280s

SLM: (2) 250HL

GE Proprietary Information

Photos Courtesy: 3D Systems, Stratasys, EOS, SLM

GE Aviation Additive Support:

CAD Modifications
Multi axis milling
Multi axis Turning

Extrude Hone

Airflow test stand

CMM/Laser Scan

5-axis EDM Hole Drill

GE Proprietary Information

Wire EDM

Production Prep:

Inspection

DMLM: (7) M270s

Powder Size Analysis

GE Proprietary Information

Thermal Processing: (1)

Vacuum Stress, (1) HIP

Design Matters...

Design to the Process Critical

GE Proprietary Information

Instrument Probe - 2005

GE Proprietary Information

Instrument Probe - 2007

Successful builds (no crashes)

Less cost to produce
Higher test life
More accurate probes
Lower number of probes
required
Better data collection
Shorter fabrication time

CopyrightGE2014
General Information
Electric Company, U.S.A.
Proprietary

Design For Additive

Topology & Shape Optimization

Crowdsourcing Design Challenge

Public challenge
to find new
design strategies
for additive
manufacturing
150 entries in less
than 30 days
Top designs will
be manufactured
and tested by GE

Makers Guild

Original design

Corporate initiative to gain exposure and

expertise in the world of 3D printing
Learn about:
Build orientation
Shape capability
Support structure

GE Proprietary Information

Example entry

Design Challenge and the Potential of

Additive
Tapped into 750k+ online community
Over 700 entries received
Many submissions over 80% weight
reduction

Traditional Design

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GE Proprietary Information

Parts Grown and Tested

Winning Design
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7/27/2014

Materials are the Reason Why

Material Properties Drive Applications

Super Alloys (2005)

Many similar to wrought strengths
Some materials characterized
Large opportunity for novel alloy
development

SS
316L

Inco
625

Inco
718

MS-1

Ti64

W
Cu

AlSi10
Mg
6061
T6

Hast
X

CoCr
17-4
PH

GE Proprietary Information
Export Authorization, ECCN: 9E991, NLR

Ti 6242

SS
15-5

TiAl

Material Properties Drive Applications

YS (ksi)

"UTS (ksi)"

200
180

160

DMLM

Wrought

ASTM

140
120

Vertical

100

ASTM

80
60
40
DMLS - V DMLS - H Wrought Wrought
Low
High

Horizontal

Solution
Heat Treatment
Elongation (%)

"Hardness (HRC)"

42
38
34
30

Melt Pool Directionality Similar to Wrought

Vertical Grain Growth Isotropic / Homogeneous

Typical Equiaxed
Grain Structure

ASTM
ASTM

26
22
18

DMLS - V DMLS - H Wrought Wrought

Low
High

GE Proprietary Information
Export Authorization, ECCN: 9E991, NLR

Material Properties Drive Applications

180

YS (ksi)

"UTS (ksi)

160

DMLS

EBM

Wrought
ASTM

140

Vertical

ASTM 120

Horizontal

100

Elongation (%)
35
30
25
20

Typical Alpha + Beta

Widmanstatten Structure

Similar to DMLS
Alpha on Deposition Layer

Finer than
DMLS or EBM

ASTM
ASTM

GE Proprietary Information
Export Authorization, ECCN: 9E991, NLR

15
10
5
0

"Hardness (HRC)

After the Buildthe Role of Post Processes

Machining

Surface
Finishing

Metallurgical
Lab

Thermal
Processing

Special
Processes

GE Proprietary Information

Additive Metal Challenges

Build Learnings

GE Proprietary Information

Witness Line due to a power outage

GE Proprietary Information

EBM Cake Limit of Internals

GE Proprietary Information

7/27/2014

How GE Aviation is Using Additive

Metals

Leveraging AM NPI Hardware

7th set of HPTs in 6 years

Substantial cost and lead time reduction
Design refinement options

Fuel Swirlers

GE Proprietary Information

Land-based Gas Turbine Engines

90 parts in (3) months
Met testing timetable
Eventually will be castings

DMLM Design Advantage

LEAP Fuel Nozzle

GE Proprietary Information
Export Authorization, ECCN: 9E991, NLR

DMLM Fuel Nozzle Design History

Begin TAPS
Development

2000

2001

CoCr DMLM Material

Development

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

LEAP 1 piece
DMLM Nozzle

2008

2009

2010

GEnx certifies
Traditional Mfg.
GE Proprietary Information22 piece construc.

DMLM for
prototype testing

DMLM supply
chain acquisition

2011

2012

2013

LEAP FETT

LEAP 56 Next Generation Fuel Nozzles

19 Fuel Nozzles in each engine
40K full production
20 pieces to 1
5x durability improvement
25% weight reduction
(compared to GEnx)
Fuel Nozzle is a very efficient
heat exchanger

GE Proprietary Information

Exploring Optimized Structures

Optimized Result: 30% less weight

Original

Re-designed (conceptual)
GE Proprietary Information

Combine parts to eliminate weight

Performance gains
Maintenance reduction
Optimal structure designs

EXPERIENCE ON EBM - TiAl

Advantages of the EBM process:
low level of internal defects, no typical casting

defects, therefore low scatter in material properties

homogeneous microstructure
very fine grain size, leading to good material properties, in particular fatigue
properties, and no need for grain refinement
no limitations in chemical composition
no residual stresses due to high process temperature
little waste material: powder can be recycled as the oxygen pick-up is very
low

45

GE Proprietary Information

AM Integration Within GE Corporation

GE Proprietary Information

Additional Considerations

Accelerating Adoption

Process
Automation

Predictive
Analysis Tool
Diversified
Materials
Surface Finish

Validation
Tools
Process
Variation

Present

Process
Monitoring

Application
Specific Machines

Accepted
Best Practice

Gradiated
Materials

Higher Capacity
Machines

Accepted Industry
Standards

2014

2016

2018+

Growing Acceptance with Continuous Innovation

GE Proprietary Information
Export Authorization, ECCN: 9E991, NLR

Gaps and Challenges

General
Rapid Qualification
& Materials Database
IP: Rights & Tracking
NDT / Internal Flaw detection
Supply Chain:
Development & Protection
Available Materials
Technician Skill Level

Process Specific
Surface Finish
Distortion
Build Volume
Throughput
Process Monitoring and
Control

GE Proprietary Information

Supply Chain Shift?

From
To

GE Proprietary Information
Export Authorization, ECCN: 9E991, NLR

More Local?
Field Operation

Substantial supply chain

challenge in remote locations
Spare / Repair parts on-site?
Mobile Additive Center concept

GE Proprietary Information
Export Authorization, ECCN: 9E991, NLR

Parts Inventory

Local ability to grow parts?

Controls inventory
Balance inventory with
needs/delivery
Flexibility for design changes (no
order minimum)

GE Proprietary Information
Export Authorization, ECCN: 9E991, NLR

Broad Trends
Challenging IP landscape
Further consolidation (all areas)
Increased adoption of technologies
Accelerating innovation
New business models

160
140
120
100

Applications

80

IP

60

Alloys

40
20
0
2012

GE Proprietary Information

2013

2014

2015

2016

What Phase Are We In?

Creators &
Pioneers

Early
Adopters

Primary
Majority

Secondary
Majority

Technology Maturation and Acceptance Curves

GE Proprietary Information
Export Authorization, ECCN: 9E991, NLR

Holdouts

Additives Potential::

Global Mfg. Output:

~$10.5 Trillion

GE Proprietary Information

~$2.2 Billion Professional

Industrial Additive Market
~0.02% of total global Mfg.
output
What if was 1%?...=$100B!

Thank You!

Imagination at work.