Use MELD to Add Features
MELD can be used to add features, such as attachment points, rib stiffeners, flanges, and features that may not be easily added in a casting or extrusion operation. The ability to add features to a casting or extrusion offers an excellent means to improve the complexity of an extrusion or casting that would otherwise not be possible.
Because of the low-heat input and low resultant residual stresses in the printed geometries, significantly thinner plate material can be utilized in an engineered design with MELD added material in strategic locations necessitated by expected loading conditions. MELD offers a significant opportunity for engineers focused on light weight designs for automotive and aerospace applications in a wide array of materials including aluminum, steel, and titanium.
