Aidro Hydraulics, a hydraulic systems specialist in northern Italy, will present 3D metal printing as a new technology for hydraulic components in mobile applications at AGRITECHNICA 2017.
Today, additive manufacturing is commonly used in special fields such as dental and medical, luxury goods, automotive and aeronautics. In other sectors, companies are looking what is developing with 3D printing and using it for rapid prototyping or doing a few experiments.
Aidro has introduced 3D metal printing to produce a new generation of hydraulic solutions. Taking advantage of their longtime technical expertise in hydraulics, Aidro designs and prints hydraulic components with this new technology, offering many benefits such as a high level of customization, complex geometries, lightweight, space saving and short lead time.
Aidro will exhibit 3D printed hydraulic manifolds in the Future Lounge of Systems & Components. An example of what you can see is the 3D printed hydraulic manifold for mobile applications. The traditional hydraulic manifold normally used in large agricultural machines has been redesigned to take advantage of the benefits of 3D printing.
The 3D printed manifold has reached a 75% weight reduction and is half the size of the traditional manifold.
This 3D printed manifold has exactly the same function as its predecessor – to control a doubled acting cylinder with two solenoid valves and two pilot operated check valves.
- The pressure tests have demonstrated that the 3D printed manifold works perfectly with no leakage.
- The mechanical properties are good, even better than the casting metal.
- Density = 99.7% and porosity is fine
- There are no residual powder particles in the internal channels and the internal particles do not separate.
The manifold is made in Aluminum AlSi10Mg which combines good strength and thermal properties with low weight and flexible post-processing possibilities.
Aidro utlizies metal power bed fusion (DMLS) technology to guarantee high quality products. This technique uses fine metallic powders as the feed material and the metal powder particles are melted using a high power laser in sequential ultra-thin layers, creating functional 3D hydraulic products.
Aidro Hydraulics is a family-run company founded by engineer Paolo Tirelli in 1982 and today is managed by his daughter Valeria Tirelli, the company’s CEO.
DLG Italia.com 