Additive manufacturing used to produce a 6-inch diameter strain wave gear flexspline from 17-4 PH steel. The part was manufactured using directed energy deposition and then precision-machined into the final shape. The prototype is compared to a common size-20 flexspline measuring approximately 2 inches in diameter. For larger flexsplines, additive manufacturing can provide significant cost savings and open the ability to tailor material properties.

Amorphology and Additive Technologies (AddiTec) are working together to develop additively manufactured steel strain wave gear flexsplines.

Strain wave gears are a compact and zero backlash gearbox used in robotic arms and precision-motion mechanisms to transmit torque through a gear thin-walled cup, hat or band called a flexspline. Because of their complexity, strain wave gears often account for a substantial portion of the cost of a six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm.

Through their collaboration, Amorphology and AddiTec have developed a 6-inch diameter prototype of a strain wave gear flexspline printed in high-performance 17-4 precipitation hardened steel with Meltio’s laser metal deposition technology – AddiTec is a founding partner of Meltio. The printed part is then CNC machined into the precision shape. Amorphology and AddiTec believe this process could enable flexible and on-time production of large flexsplines, and intend to expand their partnership to multi-material and functionally graded material flexsplines which can’t be produced conventionally.

“When you look at machining of flexsplines that are 6 to 8 inches in diameter, the large steel feedstock may be reduced to as little as 10% of its original volume. This is a detriment from both cost and sustainability standpoint, as energy and material are wasted to produce a part which is a shell of the original stock,” commented Amorphology CTO Dr Glenn Garrett. “Additive manufacturing becomes a promising alternative since the machining costs can be potentially dramatically reduced while allowing for the cost-effective use of high-performance steels.”

AddiTec CEO Brian Matthews added: “AddiTec uses Meltio’s laser metal deposition with wire and/or powder (LMD-WP) technology. In LMD-WP process, lasers create a melt pool in which wire and/or powder is fed to create weld beads. These weld beads are then layered precisely to fabricate near-net shaped metal components. This technology can be used to create components from a CAD design or for part repair. In addition, the ability to integrate with a CNC machine makes it a hybrid system. Hybrid manufacturing is a ‘one-stop solution’ for seamless metal component production – it combines both additive and subtractive operation on one common platform, thereby reducing the overall cost and time for fabricating components.”

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