Additive Manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing, is not yet able to produce parts with the same accuracy and surface finish as CNC
machining. For that reason nearly all printed metal parts require finishing, most often by machining.
Since the early 1990's academic research has demonstrated the potential benefits of combining additive techniques with milling. However, despite the universally acknowledged potential, and a few niche successes, by the mid-2000's there were still no commercial solutions for enabling mainstream CNC machines to add metal.
Starting in 2007, the founders of Hybrid Manufacturing Technologies undertook to develop a solution to marry the freedoms of additive with the precision of CNC machining. The key objectives were to provide a practical means for hybrid manufacturing. This included the development of unprecedented robust and compact directed energy deposition heads and integration methods that did not require modification of the structural parts of the CNC machine.
machining. For that reason nearly all printed metal parts require finishing, most often by machining.
Since the early 1990's academic research has demonstrated the potential benefits of combining additive techniques with milling. However, despite the universally acknowledged potential, and a few niche successes, by the mid-2000's there were still no commercial solutions for enabling mainstream CNC machines to add metal.
Starting in 2007, the founders of Hybrid Manufacturing Technologies undertook to develop a solution to marry the freedoms of additive with the precision of CNC machining. The key objectives were to provide a practical means for hybrid manufacturing. This included the development of unprecedented robust and compact directed energy deposition heads and integration methods that did not require modification of the structural parts of the CNC machine.
RECLAIM remanufacturing machine
In 2007, active use of a high speed milling machine was initiated at De Montfort University's Additive Manufacturing (AM) and 3D printing research laboratory. The cross-pollination of additive and subtractive technologies led to a 4-year UK-based research project named RECLAIM (REmanufacture of high value products using a Combined LAser cladding, Inspection and Machining system) with support from the Technology Strategy Board. This research endeavor has matured into the AMBIT™ tool-changeable deposition system. Project collaborators included: Airfoil Technologies International Llc, Cummins Inc, De Montfort University, Delcam plc, Electrox Ltd, Manufacturing Technology Centre Ltd, TWI Ltd, Precision Engineering Technologies Ltd, and Renishaw plc.
Click here for a conference paper (opens in new window) delivered at the 2012 Solid Freeform Fabrication Symposium in Austin, TX, describing selected outputs from the RECLAIM project.
Commercial exploitation led to the formal founding of Hybrid Manufacturing Technologies was in 2012 by Dr. Jason Jones and Peter Coates as a spin-off from a collaborative research and development project.
Click here for a conference paper (opens in new window) delivered at the 2012 Solid Freeform Fabrication Symposium in Austin, TX, describing selected outputs from the RECLAIM project.
Commercial exploitation led to the formal founding of Hybrid Manufacturing Technologies was in 2012 by Dr. Jason Jones and Peter Coates as a spin-off from a collaborative research and development project.
Pioneering AM in Mainstream CNCs: Hybrid Manufacturing Technologies has pioneered a significant number of industry firsts:
- 2017 - First open architecture approach to integrate multiple disparate types of the 7 additive technologies in one platform
- 2015 - Inaugural winner of the International Additive Manufacturing Award (IAMA) worth $100,000.
- 2015 - First commercial hybrid grinder, developed in collaboration with ELB
- 2014 - First commercial hybrid platform with multiple interchangeable heads, demonstrated in collaboration with Mazak
- 2013 - First commercial hybrid CNC machine with integrated Directed Energy Deposition, in collaboration with Hamuel
- 2012 - First retrofitable DED system with tool changeable heads for CNCs
Collaborators: Hybrid's heads and docking solutions are complimented by and fully compatible with solutions from the following preferred providers:
Preferred provider for 5-axis mill-turn style machines for blades:
Hamuel - Almost 100 years of experience in mechanical engineering, as well as about 30 years of know-how in CNC machining speak for themselves: nearly 4,000 CNC machines produced by this group are in use in the most diverse industries all over the world. Many in-house developments and patents document the great inventive capacity of this group of companies. Hamuel is a member of the SCHERDEL group.
Hamuel - Almost 100 years of experience in mechanical engineering, as well as about 30 years of know-how in CNC machining speak for themselves: nearly 4,000 CNC machines produced by this group are in use in the most diverse industries all over the world. Many in-house developments and patents document the great inventive capacity of this group of companies. Hamuel is a member of the SCHERDEL group.
Preferred collaborator for process/equipment development and testing:
The MTC represents one of the largest public sector investments in manufacturing for many years and is housed in a 12,000 square metre purpose built facility at Ansty Park, Coventry. It is a partnership between some of the UK’s major global manufacturers. We provide a high quality environment for the development of cutting edge technologies into manufacturing processes with the aim of delivering truly innovative solutions to UK industry.
The MTC represents one of the largest public sector investments in manufacturing for many years and is housed in a 12,000 square metre purpose built facility at Ansty Park, Coventry. It is a partnership between some of the UK’s major global manufacturers. We provide a high quality environment for the development of cutting edge technologies into manufacturing processes with the aim of delivering truly innovative solutions to UK industry.
