Messer Se &co. Kgaa

Messer Group Gmbh

Dirk Kampffmeyer

Bernd Hildebrandt

Georg Selders

Mario Rockser

Thomas Böckler

Matthias Dusil

Achim Wankum

When welding with a consumable wire electrode, current contacting occurs when the electrode wire passes by a readily electrically conductive contact element. In order to improve the current contacting and reduce the wear of the contact element in particular, the invention proposes subjecting contact elements to a cold treatment prior to using same. The cold treatment has a cooling phase during which the temperature of the contact element is reduced to a lower target temperature, a subsequent holding phase in which the contact element is substantially held at the target temperature, and a final heating phase, in which the contact element is brought to an upper target temperature. The use of contact elements treated using the method according to the invention leads to a substantial increase of the wear resistance compared to untreated contact elements.

Method for improved current contacting when welding using a current-carrying wire electrode

According to the invention, a metal workpiece made by additive manufacturing is subjected, following the additive manufacturing process, to a cold treatment in which the workpiece is cooled to a lower target temperature of less than minus 30° C. in a cooling phase and is then heated up to an upper target temperature in a heating phase. The cold treatment significantly improves the properties of the workpiece in respect of the mechanical quality thereof.

Method for finishing a workpiece made by additive manufacturing

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Linnich, Germany

Dirk Kampffmeyer