Eaton Launches New Metal 3D Printing Program to Reduce Development Time, Improve Efficiency
21.10.2020 17:00:00 EEST | Business Wire | Press release
Power management company Eaton today announced its Vehicle Group is implementing a new 3D metal printing program as a part of its Industry 4.0 strategy to reduce development time and improve efficiency. The first metal printer system was installed at the Kings Mountain, N.C., facility, and a global deployment of 3D polymer printing technology is slated to be completed by first-quarter 2021.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201021005571/en/
Eaton’s Vehicle Group reduced cost and development time using its 3D metal printing capabilities to produce this oil fill nozzle. (Photo: Business Wire)
The 3D printers are being utilized to create high-quality fixtures, safety devices, automation grippers for assembly and handling, and maintenance components requiring replacement. Prototype development is following the same strategy to support faster product development trials and improve efficiency.
Improving output and efficiency
To speed up the design process, scanners are used to create 3D models of existing components. This process allows components to be reverse-engineered to better leverage 3D printing capabilities, including changing component design to use less material, the addition of different topography elements or consolidating multiple components into a single part.
As an increasing number of 3D printers are deployed across the globe, Eaton’s Vehicle Group has been realizing further operational improvements including lead-time reduction and cost savings.
The 3D printing technology adds material only where it is needed and allows more advanced designs to be developed. Together, these two factors reduce the amount of post-processing operations needed while reducing material cost.
A closer look at 3D printing
The process to print metal parts and components begins with powdered metal stored in a rod and held together by wax and a polymer binder. Similar to extrusion, the metal is melted, and the 3D printer begins to add layer after layer, based on its programmed schematics.
Once the printing process is complete, the part or component is run through a chemical bath to remove most of the polymer binder. The part then goes through a furnace to remove the remaining wax and polymer, and to fuse the metal material in a high-density structure. Depending on what the printed part or component is to be used for and which material it was printed with, an additional heat treatment process can be performed to increase part strength even further.
The total lead time to get a component printed depends on several criteria, including the size and intricacy of the part. Depending on the part or component design and required tolerances, it also can undergo post-processing. The debinding operation and heat treatment are done in batches, with several different components going through these processes together while the next components are being printed. Although the printer, debinding and furnace work in an integrated loop, there is flexibility to increase the number of printers without having to duplicate either the debinding or furnace.
Going forward, the Vehicle Group’s 3D printing capabilities will be used to further reduce production time and drive efficiency. Learn more about the Vehicle Group’s Industry 4.0 technologies and benefits.
Eaton’s mission is to improve the quality of life and the environment through the use of power management technologies and services. We provide sustainable solutions that help our customers effectively manage electrical, hydraulic, and mechanical power – more safely, more efficiently, and more reliably. Eaton’s 2019 revenues were $21.4 billion, and we sell products to customers in more than 175 countries. We have approximately 92,000 employees. For more information, visit www.eaton.com.
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201021005571/en/
Contact information
Thomas Nellenbach
thomasjnellenbach@eaton.com
(216) 333-2876 (cell)
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Nanochon Receives Regulatory Approval from Panamá’s Ministry of Health to Initiate First-in-Human Clinical Study of Chondrograft™17.8.2026 22:44:00 EEST | Press release
Nanochon, a medical device company developing Chondrograft™, a novel patented implant for the treatment of articular cartilage defects of the knee, today announced that it has received regulatory approval from Panamá’s Ministry of Health to initiate its First-in-Human (FIH) clinical study in Panamá. The study will evaluate the safety and performance of Chondrograft™ in patients with focal chondral defects of the knee and represents a major milestone in the company’s clinical and regulatory development strategy. The trial will be conducted at The Panama Clinic in Panamá City under the leadership of Drs. Juan Osorio and Emilio Tufiño, experienced sports medicine surgeons, with Dr. Osorio serving as Principal Investigator for the study. Dr. Osorio stated, “I am pleased to be the Principal Investigator for this important study, and we look forward to contributing the data that will support a larger clinical study and subsequent market entry.” Nanochon selected Panamá for its growing reputa
TOURISE and Oxford Economics Release New Global Report on Tourism Resilience in an Era of Permanent Disruption17.8.2026 17:33:00 EEST | Press release
TOURISE, in collaboration with Oxford Economics, today released a new report, “Resilience in a World that Doesn’t Reset: Redesigning Tourism for an Era of Permanent Disruption.” The analysis of 85 major crises over two decades shows a clear pattern: in a world defined by continuous shocks, destinations that act before disruption hits recover up to 1.5 times faster than those that wait. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260817880835/en/ “In a world that does not reset between crises, disruption is a constant feature of the global tourism landscape,” said His Excellency Ahmed Al-Khateeb, Minister of Tourism of Saudi Arabia and Chairman of TOURISE. “The real test for destinations measures how they prepare for volatility, protect traveler confidence, and maintain continuity ahead of such events.” Using the current Middle East crisis as a lens, where Gulf hubs carry roughly 14 percent of global transit traffic, the r
The Expensify Visa® Commercial Card Brings New Proactive Spend Controls to 14 Countries17.8.2026 16:00:00 EEST | Press release
Expensify, Inc. (Nasdaq: EXFY), the easiest way to manage expenses, travel, and corporate cards, today expanded the reach of Expensify Card spend rules, the market-leading way for businesses to control corporate card spend before it happens. Available to businesses in 14 countries, spend rules let admins decide exactly how, where, and when each Expensify Card can be used, so only compliant transactions go through. Unlike traditional corporate cards that rely on after-the-fact expense review, the Expensify Card enforces policy at the point of purchase. Admins set the rules once, and the card handles the rest. With Expensify Card spend rules, admins can: Lock a card to a subscription. Give each recurring SaaS tool its own virtual card, so a vendor can only ever charge what it should. If the card owner changes teams or leaves, the subscription keeps running, with no swapping cards and no missed payments. Cover a one-time purchase. Issue a virtual card for a single transaction like event r
Riskified Analysis Finds Travel Fraudsters Are Adapting Faster Than Traditional Signals Can Keep Up, With May Flight Risk Up 32%17.8.2026 15:30:00 EEST | Press release
Riskified (NYSE: RSKD), a global leader in ecommerce fraud and risk intelligence, today released new findings from its Travel Industry Insights report, revealing how sophisticated fraud rings and AI-enabled fraudsters are evolving their tactics across airlines, hotels, and online travel platforms. Riskified’s analysis shows that fraudsters are increasingly adapting their behavior to resemble legitimate travelers, making traditional fraud indicators less reliable and creating new challenges for travel merchants. Riskified’s analysis of hundreds of millions of travel transactions across flights, hotels, and land transportation found that flight fraud risk increased through the first five months of 2026, with May 2026 marking the sharpest year-over-year increase at 32% compared to May 2025. The findings show that sophisticated fraud activity is not limited to predictable travel peaks, with organized fraud rings continuously adjusting their methods throughout the year. Riskified's travel n
PIF Delivers Strong Revenue and Profit Growth in 202517.8.2026 14:54:00 EEST | Press release
PIF today published its 2025 Annual Report demonstrating strong financial performance and continued progress against its long-term objectives. As a long-term investor with a unique mandate to drive the economic transformation of Saudi Arabia and deliver sustainable financial returns, PIF maintained a diversified portfolio in 2025, balancing returns with national impact and long-term resilience. Maintaining Financial Discipline In 2025, revenue rose 9% year on year to $120 billion, while net profit more than doubled to $17 billion, supported by stronger contributions from maturing portfolio companies. PIF retained over $900 billion in assets under management and achieved an annualized total shareholder return of 5.8% since 2017. Total shareholder return in 2025 was positively driven by increased dividends from portfolio companies and returns from financial investments. It was also impacted by downward movements in the valuations of some assets, as a result of wider market conditions, an
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom