Durability, strength, and efficiency have always been high priorities for applications in nearly every industry. But today, due to sustainability concerns and rising operations costs, many of us benefit from equipment and devices that perform at high levels for extended periods of time. As a result, there has been a shift towards high-performance materials in many high-end industrial applications. This is particularly the case in industries like medtech, aerospace, defense and homeland security, energy generation, robotic automation, photonics, and industrials. In order to meet these needs, metal parts manufacturers are adopting more advanced manufacturing processes and quality controls to fully leverage the benefits of these high-performance materials.
What are High-Performance Materials in Metal Manufacturing?
First, let’s define high-performance materials as the term relates to metal manufacturing. High-performance materials are custom engineered for application-specific performance requirements, and are often used in metal fabrication and parts production.
A few examples of high-performance materials include titanium & titanium alloys, nickel & copper based superalloys, stainless steels, and aluminum & aluminum alloys.
Advanced Manufacturing Processes for High-Performance Materials
So, how do advanced manufacturing processes support and drive this shift toward high-performance materials? First and foremost, advanced manufacturing facilitates new raw material designs that were formerly unachievable or limited via conventional means.
Manufacturers turn to several methods in order to accomplish this. A few examples include:
- Advanced forming
- Materials forming and joining
- Micro-manufacturing
- Precision engineering
- Coating and chemical conversion
- Additive manufacturing
- Laser processing
Advantages of High-Performance Materials and Applications
Lighter Weight Components with Increased Performance
Lightweight components have become increasingly important for the purposes of application longevity and energy conservation. With high-performance materials and advanced manufacturing processes, metal parts suppliers are able to produce lighter weight components that reduce the overall weight of vehicles, aircraft, and other transportation means, leading to lower fuel consumption.
In industries like motorsports and aerospace, lighter weight parts also translate to better acceleration, maneuverability, and overall performance. In most cases, manufacturers are also able to produce lighter components with superior strength-to-weight ratios that don’t compromise on strength.
Smart + Adaptive Materials
Smart materials are those high-performance materials that can autonomously adjust their properties in response to external stimuli like temperature, light, or stress, leading to better overall performance and a level of responsiveness that has not been possible in the past.
Adaptive materials also enhance the development of products with innovative features, such as self-heating coatings, shape memory alloys, and sensors embedded in structural materials.
These materials and the possibilities created by advanced manufacturing processes are particularly beneficial for flexible electronics, medical devices, and building materials.
Strength + Durability
Parts made with high-performance materials also exhibit superior strength, toughness, and resistance to wear and corrosion, leading to longer service life and reduced maintenance requirements. Higher strength and durability also lead to components with better safety features, such as protection against mechanical failure, impact, and environmental degradation.
With their enhanced load-bearing capacity and resistance to wear and chemicals, these materials are incredibly useful in aerospace, automotive, and industrial equipment applications.
Enhanced Thermal + Conductivity Properties
Finally, high-performance materials and advanced manufacturing processes are capable of producing parts with enhanced thermal conductivity to facilitate efficient heat transfer and dissipation. This enables better thermal management and prevents overheating in electronic devices and power systems.
High-conductivity materials also minimize energy losses in electrical transmission and distribution systems, leading to improved efficiency and reduced power consumption in applications found in electronics and optoelectronic devices like lasers.
Gain the Advantage with Advanced Manufacturing from AMP
At Advantage Metal Products, we’ve been the trusted provider of advanced metal fabrication services for more than 30 years. Our team of highly qualified experts is supported by the latest in advanced manufacturing processes and technologies so we can bring you cost-effective, precision manufacturing solutions that deliver. Our U.S.-based facilities are fully equipped with the automated systems required for lights-out manufacturing, enabling us to maximize your production while keeping costs attainable. We’re also well-versed in working with high-performance materials and we’re always looking for ways to innovate and improve part performance for our customers.
Are you looking for a metal parts supplier with the knowledge, capabilities, and expertise to deliver on your high performance metal parts? Connect with our team today and tell us about your project
