Introduction

The fusion of diverse technologies in modern manufacturing pushes boundaries and transforms entire industries, inviting endless possibilities for improved capabilities. These innovative machines represent a perfect marriage of precision and versatility, combining traditional CNC capabilities with the benefits of additive manufacturing. They are transforming industries, from defense to energy, by enabling the creation of complex parts not previously possible. Join us as we delve into the advantages of these hybrid machines and how they are shaping the future of manufacturing. 

Advantages of Hybrid CNC and Additive Printers 

Hybrid CNC and additive printers, like those offered by Phillips Federal, are revolutionizing the manufacturing industry.  They allow modification of machine parts by adding material just where it’s needed. They enable the ability to manufacture complex parts that were not previously possible. Integrated into the Haas platform, these machines provide high performance and a high return on your investment.

These advanced systems seamlessly combine additive and subtractive manufacturing technologies, offering increased design freedom and enhanced part performance. Complex geometries, previously challenging with traditional methods, can now be easily realized through the layer-by-layer additive process. This seamless integration leads to efficiency in production and expandable manufacturing capabilities.

Moreover, these technologies allow for strategic material deposition, leading to significant material savings and reduced waste. This reduction in material waste and cost is a major advantage. Phillips hybrid machines offer the best of both worlds – speed and precision, which are key attributes of CNC, and low cost, a notable advantage of 3D printing. This integration brings the best value additive hybrid machines to the market.

 Real-world Applications 

Hybrid additive manufacturing, as offered by Phillips Federal, is making significant strides in diverse industries. In the aerospace sector, it’s used for creating complex, high-strength components. The automotive industry benefits from its ability to produce durable, lightweight engine parts. In the medical field, it’s extensively used for high-strength biomechanical implants. This technology allows companies to create their own material recipes, conduct experiments to test metals and produce parts with better performance targeted to their needs. 

Hybrid additive manufacturing modernizes defense systems, increases readiness, and enables innovative battlefield solutions. It helps the Defense Department maintain technological superiority, producing diverse components for agile operations. Through strategic expansion, it’s used for spare parts, tools, prototyping, and medical supplies, driving innovation and efficiency. It is indeed a game-changer in the manufacturing landscape.

 Overcoming Challenges and Future Trends 

Phillips Federal’s Hybrid Additive Manufacturing technology is revolutionizing the maritime sector, particularly in the U.S. Navy. The USS Bataan, equipped with the Phillips Additive Hybrid Machine powered by Haas, serves as a prime example. This machine, a blend of additive and subtractive manufacturing, increases efficiency and reduces waste compared to traditional machining.

The U.S. Navy faced challenges in maintaining operational readiness due to supply chain lead times and the need for self-sufficiency. The Hybrid Machine addresses these issues by enabling the onboard manufacture of spare parts and repairs. 

This technology not only enhances the Navy’s operational readiness but also reduces reliance on conventional supply chains. The Hybrid Machine prints 316L stainless steel, commonly used in U.S. Navy ship systems4, thus offering a practical solution for on-site component manufacturing.

Case studies demonstrate the successful implementation of hybrid manufacturing solutions, showcasing how companies overcome technical hurdles and maximize the benefits of this innovative approach. Looking ahead, future trends indicate a continued evolution of hybrid technologies, with advancements in materials, software, and process optimization poised to further enhance efficiency and capabilities. 

Phillips Federal’s Hybrid Solutions and Conclusion 

PhillipsFederal Division’s unwavering dedication to innovation and excellence shines through its pioneering hybrid manufacturing solutions. By seamlessly integrating CNC machining with additive printing capabilities, Phillips continues to redefine the possibilities of modern manufacturing. As industries embrace these transformative technologies, Phillip Federal Divison stands as a beacon of progress, driving efficiency, sustainability, and competitiveness.

As is the case with human beings, machinery comes with a designated shelf life. Some machines tend to have longer shelf lives than their counterparts, but that does not mean that they are not prone to damage and deterioration. 

With the passage of time, certain machine parts need to be repaired or replaced, and in such a scenario, it is always advisable to opt for spare parts manufactured by the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), commonly referred to as OEM parts. 

What Are OEM Parts?

An OEM stands for “Original Equipment Manufacturer”. A OEM part, as the name suggests, is a machine part manufactured by the same organization that has manufactured the underlying machine. Since each machine is built around a specific and well-crafted design and technical expertise, OEM parts are as close to the original parts installed in any machine at the time of its purchase and/ or installation. 

For machines, OEM parts come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from something as small as nuts and bolts to something as pivotal as the engine of the machine. If you are wondering what does OEM mean for car parts, then it can entail everything from tires to wheels, and engines to sheet cushions.  As for all machines, it is prudent to opt for OEM vehicle parts as well. 

 Why OEM Parts Are The Right Choice

There are advantages galore of purchasing spare parts for your machine from the OEM parts manufacturer. Here is why you must not think twice about ordering OEM parts for your machinery:

• No Supply Holdups: One of the major bottlenecks in purchasing spare parts for your equipment is the holdup on the supply side. You can, however, easily steer clear of this lacuna by ordering OEM spare parts. Since OEM parts manufacturers usually have a sufficient stock of most machine parts, whether, for new assembly or repair, you can be assured of prompt delivery, thereby reducing the downtime on your machine. 
• No Dearth of Expertise: Another benefit of opting for OEM parts is that you can get access to the services of a team of engineers closely acquainted with the design and operational framework of the underlying machine. Such expertise is worth its weight in gold and can lead to a seamless transition from the old parts to the new. 
• No Compromise On Quality: The most important advantage of purchasing OEM parts is, inarguably, the fact that you can be at peace about the quality of the part and its subsequent performance. As opposed to parts purchased from other manufacturers, OEM parts are always likely to be more compatible with your machinery. 
• No Risk of Default: You get a manufacturer’s warranty on purchasing equipment parts from OEM parts manufacturers. This way, there is absolutely no risk of monetary loss in the unlikely event that the part malfunctions. In a world surrounded by uncertainty, having a guarantee on the performance of OEM parts is a significant value-addition. 

Choose Phillips to Buy OEM Parts For Your Machinery  

At Phillips Federal, we are committed to delivering the highest quality OEM parts. As one of the leading OEM Parts Manufacturers for the US Federal Government, a majority of our OEM parts are manufactured locally.

Once you have placed a successful order for an OEM part with us, we shall ensure the shipment of the part the same day or the following day. Our service and parts teams are available to address your queries via phone as well as email. 

Place your OEM Parts order with us now and enjoy a reliable purchase experience. 

Phillips Federal has been associated with the United States Department of Defense (DoD) for over five decades offering its products and expertise in traditional and additive manufacturing technology. Its services include contracting & procurement, life-cycle solutions, project management, training and consulting, service and tech support, CNC manufacturing, and additive manufacturing, among many others. 

In the additive manufacturing segment, the DoD has been facing some challenges in adopting this fast-changing, new-age technology including adequate training for its engineers and capital investments in additive manufacturing equipment. 

Philips has been offering customizable training courses to DoD engineers, consulting services for improving processes, and unique funding options for different types of facilities.

Phillips and Bel Air Finishing 

Phillips Federal has added the post-processing technologies of Bel Air Finishing to its manufacturing programs at the Rock Island Arsenal. The partnership will install a completely operational cell to post-process all types of components manufactured using additive manufacturing. This will be used as a training facility for the US Army and private DoD contractors managing 3D printing anywhere in the world. This cell will include cleaning, polishing, surface grinding, automated build removal, and its own closed-loop water feed system.

Phillips Federal has partnered with Bel Air Finishing to offer mass finishing process technology to the US Defense Services. Bel Air Finishing offers expertise in three essential post-production processes:

• Tumbling;
• Deburring; and
• Polishing

Additionally, the company also offers end-to-end solutions including the cleaning and drying of parts and wastewater treatment.

By joining hands with Bel Air Finishing, Phillips Global has added the Bel Air Mass Finishing Technology to its basket of services offered to the DoD. Via the partnership, Phillips offers Bel Air supplies to boost the post-production process.

About Bel Air Finishing – 3D post-processing

Bel Air offers a range of equipment and supplies to meet specific finishing and post-processing needs. 

Equipment

The list of equipment includes:

• For build/support removal:
  • Water blasters
  • Washers/Dunkers
  • Chemical Tank
• For surface improvement of metal and plastic parts:
  • High-energy centrifugal finisher
  • Low-energy vibratory finisher
  • Dry electro-polish DLyte
• For cleaning, dyeing, and coating:
  • All-in-one cleaning and dyeing system
  • Spin coater
  • Ultrasonic cleaning, rinsing, and drying console
• Ball burnishers
• Centrifugal Barrel Finishers
• Centrifugal Disc Finishers
• Drag Finishers
• Electropolishers
• Magnetic Pin Finishers
• Tumblers
• Vibratory Bowls and Tubs
• Wastewater treatment systems

Supplies

The list of Bel Air Finishing Supply includes:

• Cleaning and Dye:
  • 3D extreme dyeing agent
  • Rapid resin cleanser
  • 3D support cleaner and eco-reclaim agent
• Surface finishing:
  • Tumbling media
  • Water Jet slurry media

Bel Air manufactures its own mass finishing equipment and also sources equipment from manufacturers around the globe to offer the best mass finishing product line to its customers. It prides on customizing the finishing process as per the unique needs of the customer and creating an integrated turnkey system.

Summing Up

While DoD is exploring the benefits of additive manufacturing, the inclusion of Bel Air Finishing will add the much-needed and oft-ignored element of post-processing to the additive manufacturing process.

The Aerospace Industry was one of the early adopters of 3D printing systems and still is a major contributor to its development. The industry started using 3D printing in 1989 and has been leveraging the benefits of stronger and lighter parts created using additive manufacturing methodologies.

 3D Printing in the Aerospace Design Workflow 

The aerospace industry can benefit from a 3D printing machine at all stages of the design workflow as described below:

1. Accurate models

In the aerospace industry, most designs begin as concept models that highlight a specific component of a spacecraft. These models also help in aerodynamic testing – an important aspect of the industry. Usually, engineers use Stereolithography and Material Jetting to create scale models that are highly detailed and smooth. These models allow them to showcase the concept clearly.

2. Prototype Validation

A 3D printing machine allows engineers to test and validate the performance of the prototype in a low-cost and time-efficient manner.

3. Production

Traditionally, 3D printing had restrictions on the speed and volumes of parts that can be manufactured. The aerospace industry usually has production volumes of thousands of parts per year. Hence, 3D printing systems were used only for prototypes and not for the manufacture of the final parts. However, in recent years, with the increase in the size of industrial 3D printers, medium-sized batches can be produced with ease using 3D printing. 

4. Customization

3D printing allows the customization of parts based on the type of aircraft. Engineers can also opt for part consolidation and topology optimization of aerospace components.

Benefits of 3D Printing in Aerospace Manufacturing

Right from manufacturing jigs and fixtures, surrogates, mounting brackets, and high-detail visual prototypes, 3D printing is used extensively in aerospace manufacturing processes. Here are some benefits offered by 3D printing:

1. Design freedom

In the aerospace industry, engineers constantly try to use complex geometries and engineering materials that can boost the performance of the application. 3D printing allows them to manufacture complex parts that are extremely light in weight and highly stable. This offers a level of design freedom that can help them focus on optimization and not the manufacturing process.

2. Consolidation

3D printing allows engineers to consolidate multiple parts into one component while boosting efficiency. This reduces the overall weight and reduces costs.

3. Finishing

In the aerospace industry, the finishing of individual parts is highly critical. 3D printing has the capability to offer parts with a very high surface finish. While some 3D printing technologies like Material Jetting can produce a smooth finish with minor post-production, other technologies can be used with CNC machines to achieve an optimum finish.

Many providers offer 3D Additive Manufacturing Defence and Aerospace services and Additive Hybrids to produce and finish the part in a single machine. For example, EOS 3D Printing is used extensively by aerospace engineers. 

4. Orientation of parts

For load-bearing parts, it is important to pay attention to the orientation of parts in the build platform. Some materials have anisotropic mechanical properties making them weaker in some directions. 3D printing allows engineers to focus on this during the design process.

Final Words

For over 50 years, Phillips has been associated with the US Department of Defense, offering manufacturing technology products and expertise. We are the sole and exclusive distributor of EOS additive manufacturing services, technology, and equipment to the United States Federal Government. 

At Phillips, we offer EOS additive manufacturing equipment and a range of solutions and services to the aerospace industry. With high levels of precision and cost-efficiency, 3D printing is evolving into an essential alternative manufacturing method for the aerospace industry.

Additive manufacturing technology is growing and reinventing at a rapid pace. Sleeker machines, falling costs and improved efficiency allow for better products. Additionally, these benefits are making contemporary additive manufacturing technology easier to adopt and implement than traditional manufacturing. Even the demand for products manufactured with 3D printing is on the rise.

All in all, the benefits of adopting additive manufacturing technology are many. Let us look at some more benefits of additive technology for manufacturing professionals.

Advantages of Additive Technology to Manufacturing Professionals 

• Low entry cost: While specialised materials and processes in additive manufacturing may cost a bit higher, the entry cost for 3D printing and additive technology is falling rapidly. Most common materials, additive processes and industrial-quality printers are affordable.
• Energy-efficient and material saving: Additive manufacturing involves laying materials one over the other and simply filing off any supports or burrs. Thus, the overall material wastage is low, thereby saving material cost and energy.
• Cheaper prototyping: With additive manufacturing, you can test prototypes and design iterations, 3D print new parts and proof-test new designs with minimal wastage of material, time and money.
• Quicker and cheaper for small batch manufacturing: Additive manufacturing ensures speed and cost-efficiency in the case of small-batch productions which don’t involve large-scale manufacturing and mould-based production. Simply get the material, printers and designs and you are set.
• Allows virtual inventory: Additive technology eliminates the need for warehousing parts and scrapping them when new technology comes in. Simply store the requisite designs virtually and print out the parts when necessary.
• Recreate any traditional or legacy part: Continuing from the above point, additive technology allows you to virtually store the designs for out-of-production or legacy parts. You can print them out if and when required and ensure quality consumer service to loyal and repeat customers.
• Implement newer, stronger materials: Having virtual designs and implementing additive technology allows manufacturers to redesign or recreate a part with efficient design and more robust materials, thereby keeping up with the innovations in base materials in your industry.
• Replace assembly line with a single step printing: Conventional manufacturing involved higher assembly steps and thereby higher costs and more inventory for complex products. With additive manufacturing you can print out the entire product in a single step from start to finish, thereby saving costs and time required.
• Supports AI-based designing: Additive technology can easily incorporate artificial intelligence-based generative designing processes that allow designers/engineers to simply input the necessary specs and material and the programme will help with varied designs that efficiently satisfy the requirements.
• Manufacture strong lattice structures: Traditional manufacturing processes struggle to create lightweight, intricate, and material-saving yet strong lattice structures. Additive technology, with the help of AI-based generative designs, can very easily manufacture robust, cost-effective and lightweight lattice structures.

 Conclusion 

Additive manufacturing technology and 3D printing have proved to be innovative and disruptive technology that is being employed in a wide variety of sectors. It helps manufacturing professionals create unconventional and groundbreaking products while implementing efficiency gains in their manufacturing process.

Phillips Federal is utilising the benefits of additive manufacturing technology to help the various departments and wings of the United States Federal Government for developing a competitive advantage and make groundbreaking innovations possible.

Since our inception in 1961, the association between Phillips Federal and the United States Federal Government has been rock solid, lasting a lifetime.

Over the course of five decades of collaboration, Phillips Federal has delivered a variety of machines, including the Phillips Additive Hybrid machines, to the US Federal Government. The rich association between Phillips Corporation’s Federal Division and the Federal government has resulted in over 4000 completed projects and 4,400 active machines across more than 650 Federal facilities. 

Providing Solutions to the Department of Defense

In addition to the company’s long-standing collaboration with the Federal government, the company has also been delivering high-quality equipment and excellent service to the United States Department of Defense. Some of the large-scale logistical challenges in the DoD have been addressed due to the Phillips Additive Hybrid manufacturing equipment. 

Haas CNC Machines and Meltio Laser Engine 

Having primarily been established to offer machinery and ancillary equipment to the United States Department of Defense and other Federal Departments, Phillips Additive Hybrid has more than fulfilled its goal. Our mission has always been to add value to the manufacturing sector with solutions that combine equipment and technology to enhance capabilities and profitability. 

In line with the above goal, we have collaborated with some of the best partners, including Haas and Meltio. We integrated our Haas CNC Machines with the wire-laser metal 3d printing from Meltio. The result is the world’s best ‘Value additive hybrid’ manufacturing equipment, including Meltio’s metal additive deposition head and control unit. 

With our Haas CNC Machines designed to offer customers high productivity and return on their investment, additive manufacturing technology is revolutionizing sectors such as medicine, mining, aerospace, etc. At the center of this revolution are the Haas VF Series, Haas UMC Series, and Haas TM Series of machines. 

Final Words

We remain committed to pushing the boundaries of excellence in equipment design and application and providing the highest quality of service to our customers spread across sectors.