Hybrids on the up

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Adoption might be slowed by lack of technological maturity

The pace of hybrid machine tool adoption may ultimately be slowed by other factors, including a lack of technological maturity and widespread unfamiliarity with hybrid manufacturing processes which could force operative retraining. And quality assurance can also be an issue, adds Graw, since post processing mostly requires time-consuming reclamping and readjustment whilst little is known about how running both technologies in the same environment affects long term reliability.

Jones admits the relative immaturity of the technology and the small volume of commercial products which currently use it are holding back adoption to a certain extent. But he doubts that significant retraining is required for experience machine tool operators however, and thinks that in many respects a retrofit option on existing units is by far the easiest way forward.

“Hybrid machines use the same code for programming so it is hauntingly familiar for machine tool users,” he says. “One of our employees is a tool maker and within a few days of joining us he was depositing metal. He says he found it easy because it felt like the same process, he was adding metal instead of taking it away.”

Graw argues that hybrid machine tools are not easier to use however, pointing out that they involve more technically complex components which need to be maintained alongside more detailed CAD/CAM requirements compared to standalone AM systems.

Despite all of the potential hurdles, Jones says he is really pleased at how far the machine tool world progressed in accepting the hybrid machine tool concept and beginning to understand its potential, however.

“I really envisage that ten to fifteen years from now, hybrid will be fully accepted as one of the default methods of manufacturing,” he says. ETMM

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