The steel processing industry has made great strides in recent decades, both through the adoption of new technologies, such as 3D metal printing, and the refinement of traditional processes such as cutting, bending, punching and welding. Prolam, a leading manufacturer of customised steel profiles, continues to innovate, keeping a keen eye on emerging technologies, such as 3D printing, while remaining faithful to established methods that guarantee efficiency and reliability.

Traditional steel processing

The production of customised steel profiles starts with sheet metal or coils, which are then cut, punched, bent and welded. This process makes it possible to create customised products with a high degree of precision and structural strength. The main advantages of this technology include:

• Cost efficiency: Cutting and bending machinery is highly optimised, with reduced setup and production times, especially for large volumes.
• Material versatility: Working with steel sheets allows a wide range of alloys to be used, including high-strength steels and stainless steels.
• Welding reliability and structural strength: Conventional welding techniques ensure strong and durable joints, particularly important in structural applications.
  

3D metal printing: Potentials and limits

3D printing of metals represents an exciting development in the manufacturing sector. Among the most common materials for 3D printing are stainless steel, titanium and nickel alloys. These technologies, such as Powder Bed Casting (LPBF) and Binder Jetting, enable the creation of complex geometries that would be difficult or impossible to achieve with traditional (Markforged) methods (3D Systems).

The main advantages of 3D printing include:

• Weight reduction: 3D printed parts can be up to 60% lighter than their machined equivalents (3D Printing | I3DP), which is crucial for industries such as aerospace.
• Ability to create complex shapes: 3D printing allows the creation of structures with internal cavities and complex designs, such as cooling channels and lattices (3D Systems).
• Mass customisation: 3D printing is ideal for the small-scale production of highly customised parts, such as medical implants and automotive components (3Dnatives).
  

However, despite this potential, 3D printing has some limitations:

• High costs: Metal 3D printing equipment, such as that based on powder bed casting, requires significant initial investment and high operating costs (Markforged).
• Longer production times: 3D printers have longer production cycles, especially when it comes to solid and complex parts (3Dnatives).
  

Comparison with traditional methods

Although 3D printing offers flexibility and innovation, traditional steel processing methods remain more competitive in many areas. For large-scale production and parts with simple or modular shapes, sheet metal cutting, bending and welding offer faster production times and lower costs than 3D printing. In addition, traditional processes provide superior strength and finish quality for heavy structural applications (3D Printing | I3DP).

Conclusion

Prolam is aware of the innovations represented by metal 3D printing and is closely monitoring them to evaluate their integration into specific production areas. However, for many current applications, traditional steel machining processes involving cutting, bending and welding continue to be the most efficient and reliable solution. Staying abreast of emerging technologies, without