What is Additive Manufacturing?
In general, the most commonly used term is “3D printing”. But the industrial world chooses to use the term “additive manufacturing”, from the English “direct manufacturing” or “additive manufacturing”.
Additive manufacturing can cover all the various techniques that can be applied to various materials. Additive manufacturing consists of manufacturing a part using a 3D computer file. The manufacturing is done by adding, layer by layer, of material, thus allowing to pass from the virtual part to the manufactured part.
Glove Box for R&D in Additive Manufacturing
The industrial applications of 3D printing or additive manufacturing are multiple: medical, aeronautics and other fields that require the use of metal powders, such as aluminum, alloys, stainless steel, titanium or superalloys.
Many manufacturers specializing in R&D equipment for additive manufacturing contribute to the development of this field. Among them is Jacomex, it designs special large-volume glove boxes that meet the constraints of additive manufacturing at all stages: reconditioning of powders before the process, storage and recycling of powders, recycling system and gas management for low H2O and O2 work, argon confinement of robots and process machines.
This type of equipment is developed by Jacomex in order to offer manufacturers several benefits. The special glove boxes constitute a protection barrier for the environment and the operators and guarantee an increased safety of the confinement of pyrophoric powders inside a hermetic volume with controlled atmosphere. The operation of these gloveboxes is optimized thanks to various accessories and equipment such as filtering units or argon scrubbers, etc.
Industrial landscape has been turned upside down by additive manufacturing, which promises significant developments in both the manufacture and design of objects. In terms of innovations, this is an inexhaustible subject for companies resolutely turned towards the Industry of the Future.
