Quick Summary
• This article is Part II of a two-part series on Lincoln Electric’s large-format metal additive manufacturing operations. In Part I, we looked at how Lincoln Electric built one of the...
Additional Context
This article is Part II of a two-part series on Lincoln Electric’s large-format metal additive manufacturing operations.
In Part I, we looked at how Lincoln Electric built one of the largest wire-arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) operations in the U.S., capable of producing metal parts measured in feet rather than inches. Speaking with Sean Schaefer, marketing manager at Baker Industries, part of Lincoln Electric’s additive manufacturing operations, it quickly became clear that the real test for this type of technology comes when industries face a familiar problem: waiting months, or even years, for large cast components.
One of the clearest examples comes from the Soo Locks in northern Michigan.
The signature case study is the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers repair at the Soo Locks in nor