APG Manufactures Lathe Chuck Jaws with Tritone’s MoldJet Technology

One of the best-known advantages of 3D printing, which is appreciated by different industries, is freedom of design. While still having to follow rules with certain limitations depending on the part to be produced, Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) allows for geometries and performance that often cannot be achieved by other methods. Techniques such as generative design or topological optimization are increasingly being used in conjunction with 3D printing to reimagine the design of parts in unconventional ways and make them perform better, lighter, and more optimized.

U.S.-based Alpha Precision Group (APG), a leading supplier of precision components, specialty valves, and powder metal components, decided to use 3D printing for this very purpose, to find a solution to a problem that could not be solved by other techniques. By redesigning and 3D printing lathe chuck jaws, previously made by CNC machining, the company was able to improve its production process. But how did they do this?

On the left, the original CNC-produced chuck design. At right, the new lightweight chuck jaw produced with Tritone‘s MoldJet additive technology.

Design for Additive Manufacturing to Achieve Lighter Spindle Jaws

In operation for more than 50 years, APG has brought together, under its brand, pioneering companies in materials and process improvement technologies. The company now works with a variety of techniques, including metal injection molding (MIM) and additive manufacturing.